ࡱ> UWT%` bjbj"x"x 4@@  ^$Fh V55J" / `0   (55 ^^^D^^^  Geometry, Space, and the Human: Laszlo Moholy-Nagy Revisits E. T. A. Hoffmann Jennifer Low Associate Professor of English ý This paper examines how Laszlo Moholy-Nagy draws on foundational Bauhaus theories of bodies in space to develop sets and costume designs for a 1929 production of Offenbachs Tales of Hoffmann. Following the model of Oskar Schlemmers Triadic Ballet and other theatrical productions, Moholy-Nagy used geometric forms to depict the body in motion. But what makes the conjunction of Hoffmann and Bauhaus so important is the tension in the designers treatment of the puppet and the artist. The opera is based on the stories of E. T. A. Hoffmann, which overtly manifest the Romanticists anxious response to the Industrial Revolution. The Bauhaus school, however, developed an anti-Romantic stand, skeptical of the uniqueness of the artist, the visitation of inspiration and, most of all, of the idea of the artist as set apart from his society and yet able to speak for it. In the opera, the body is particularly significant: in the first act, the very concept is challenged by the youthful Hoffmanns mistaken conviction that he experiences a special affinity with the beautiful Olympia, whom he discovers, to his sorrow, is a life-sized automaton designed by amateur scientists. The real Hoffmanns treatment of this theme in his story The Sandman was one of the first of many works about the puppet/automaton/robot, human images whose lifeless animation has intrigued artists, writers, and theoristsamong them Kleist, Craig, Freud, and Harrawaywho have theorized about the human via the figure of the automaton. In the changing treatment of Olympia from 1817 to 1880 to 1929, one can see the changing understanding of the human and its relation to the body, the body and its relation to the self. In his designs, Moholy-Nagy uses the operas fantasy to revisit themes that he and his Bauhaus colleagues addressed in their attempts to recast cultural perceptions in an appropriately modernist mode. O ` b U  h{hxf& hRU h{ hQh{ h{6h{  Xeb dgd{ d`gd{$a$gd{`gd{gd{ 2:p7/ =!"#$% @`@ {NormalCJ_HaJmH sH tH DA@D Default Paragraph FontRi@R  Table Normal4 l4a (k@(No List Xeb $$$$$Y$O $*$;-@ Xeb 0000000000   8@0(  B S  ?IQxf&,7{7@M/P@UnknownGz Times New Roman5Symbol3& z Arial qhF!ʆ 66!r4dB2QP s2Mark ScrogginsblabadieOh+'0|m  $ 0 <HPX`hMark ScrogginsNormal blabadie9Microsoft Office Word@@Å@Kڬ/6G lVT$m 5&" WMFC *JlUT#m EMFJ$I*U"   Rp@Times New RomanGz Times ew Romanegis303lN03dv%   TTXX/@@XLP ,TTX/@@LP ,TTX/@@LP ,TTX/@@LP ,TTX3/@@LP ,TT4X_ /@@4LP ,TT` X /@@` LP ,TT X /@@ LP ,TT X /@@ LP - T`u </@@%.LGeometry, Space, and the Human: Laszlo MoholyH,2N,#082,-,,223,H2N,2<,'-2Y2220TTv  </@@v %LP-"T </@@ %LNagy Revisits E. T. A. HoffmannI-30C,2''==HH2!!N,22TT</@@%LP . T> /@@ LdJennifer Low(,22!,!;2HTT >+ /@@ LP . Te"/@@e :LAssociate Professor of English Florida Atlantic UniversityH''2,,,8!2!,''3!2!>21'272!2,H,2,I22,!'0TT"/@@ LP . TT$/@@~LP - T,  {/@@d%LThis paper examines how Laszlo Moholy=2'2,2,!,3,N2,'23H<,'-2Y2220TT  {/@@ dLP-!TT n{/@@ d,LNagy draws on foundational Bauhaus theories H-302!,H'22!2223,22,C,22,2'2,2!,'Rp@Times New Roman#1 0|ˮ0`1 0Gz Times ew RomanKN/ 0pˮ0303lN03dv%  % TXHa/@@XJ Lhof bodies in 2!222,'2T(Ia/@@IJOLspace to develop sets and costume designs for a 1929 production of Offenbach s '2,,,22,3,22',',22,2'2N,2-'12'!2!,22222!222,222!H!",22,,3!' % TX@G/@@X0LpTales of Hoffmann82,'2H2H222% TTAYG/@@A0LP.TTZG/@@Z0LP - TTX-/@@XLP ,T(2-/@@OLFollowing the model of Oskar Schlemmer s  Triadic Ballet and other theatrical 722H212,N23,2!H'2,!8,2,NN,"!',=!,2,C,,,,2222-!2-,!,, TX /@@XLtproductions, Moholy2!222,22'Y2220TT /@@LP-!T$ /@@:LNagy used geometric forms to depict the body in motion. BI-302',22,2N,!,!3!N'22,2,2,22302N222BT% /@@%Lhut what makes 2H2,N,2,' TX  /@@X `L the conjunction of Hoffmann and Bauhaus so important is the tension in the designer s treatment 2,,2222,222!H2!!O,22,22B,22,2''2N32!,2'2,,2'2222,2,'13,!!'",,N,2 TXn  /@@X Lof the puppet and the artist. 2!2,2222,,222,,!'Tn  /@@ >LThe opera is based on the stories of E. T. A. Hoffmann, which =2,22,!,'2,(,2222,'2!,'2!==HH3!!N,22H2,2 TXT /@@X 6Lov&" WMFC Jertly manifest the Romanticist s anxious response to22,!0N,2!,'2,C2N,2,'!',2322'!,'222',2TD T Z /@@ )L the Industrial Revolution. The Bauhaus 2, 222'!,C,22222=2,B,23,2' TX:  /@@X "Lschool, however, developed an anti',22222H,2,!3,2,23,2,2,2TT:  /@@ LP-!T: | /@@ ?LRomantic stand, skeptical of the uniqueness of the artist, the C2N,2,',32'2,2,,2!2,2222-2,''2!2,,!'2, TX q /@@Xz hLvisitation of inspiration and, most of all, of the idea of the artist as set apart from his society and 2',222!2'2!,22,22N2'2!,2!2,2,,2!2,-!','',,2,!!!2N2''2,,0,22 TX7w/@@X` Lhyet able to s0-,2,2'T8w/@@8` Ldpeak for it.2,,2!2!TTw/@@`LP - TTX]/@@XFLP ,T ]/@@FGLIn the opera, the body is particularly significant: in the first act, 22,23,",2,2240'2,!,2,!0'12!,,222,!!',,T ]/@@ FLtthe very concept is 2,2-#0,32,,2' TXC/@@X,aLchallenged by the youthful Hoffmann s mistaken conviction that he experiences a special affinity ,2,,31,2402,0222"2H2!!N,22!'N',2,2,222,222,2,,32,!,2,,','3,,,,!!20 TX )/@@X6Lwith the beautiful Olympia, whom he discovers, to his H22,2,,2!2H0N3,H22N2,2',22,!'32'T Y )/@@ Lpsorrow, is a life'2!!2H',!,TTZ z )/@@Z LP-!T{ )/@@{ Lsized automaton designed '--2,22N,222,'13,2 TXn/@@X_L by amateur scientists. The real Hoffmann s treatment of this theme in his story  The Sandman 30,O,,2!',,2''=2,!,,H3!!N,23!'!,,N,22!2'2,N,22''2"0,=3,8,22N,2, T\X/@@XXLwas one of the first of many works about the puppet/automaton/robot, human images whose H,'22,2!2,!!'2!N-30H3!2',2222,2223,,22N,22!22222N,2N,2,'H22', TXj/@@XLlifeless animation has intrigu!,,'',2N,222,'2!12T j /@@#Led artists, writers, and theorists,2,!''H!,!',322,2!''TT j7 /@@ LP dT7 j/@@7 !Lamong them Kleist, Craig, Freud, ,N2212,OH,'C!,17!,22 TXP/@@X Ldand Harraway,22H,"!,I.0TTP/@@LP dTP/@@FLwho have theorized about the human via the figure of the automaton. H222,3,2,2!-,2,2222,23N,22,2,!12!,3!2,,22N,22TxP/@@L\In the 23, T8X6/@@XRLchanging treatment of Olympia from 1817 to 188f& WMFC J0 to 1929, one can see the changing ,2,3131!,,N,23!H0O2,"!2N2222222222222222,,,2'-,2,,2,3131 TX/@@XvLlunderstanding o222,!',22312TLP/@@vULf the human and its relation to the body, the body and its relation to the self. In !2,23N,2,22'!,,2222,22303,2240,22'",,2222,',! 2% 666666666666666666666666666666666666 6 66 6  6 66 6  6 66 6  6 66 6  6 66 6 66666666666666666666  $-.@Times New Roman-  2 o_+$ ^0 2 o+$ ^0 2 o+$ ^0 2 o+$ ^/ 2 o+$ ^0 2 oN+$ ^0 2 o~+$ ^/ 2 o+$ ^0 2 o+$ ^P2 .+$Geometry, Space, and the Human: Laszlo Moholy      2 +$-^:2 +$Nagy Revisits E. T. A. Hoffmann        2 +$ ^2 k +$Jennifer Low  2 +$ ^b2 :+$Associate Professor of English ý       2 O+$ ^ 2 +$ ^C2 %+$This paper examines how Laszlo Moholy     2 +$-^M2 ,+$Nagy draws on foundational Bauhaus theories   @Times New Roman--2 _ +$of bodies in 2 O+$space to develop sets and costume designs for a 1929 production of Offenbachs   -%2 '_+$Tales of Hoffmanni   - 2 '+$.^ 2 '+$ ^ 2 L_+$ ^02 LO+$Following the model of Oskar Schlemmers Triadic Ballet and other theatrical        (2 q_+$productions, Moholy  2 q+$-^b2 q:+$Nagy used geometric forms to depict the body in motion. B     2 qi+$ut what makes   2 _`+$the conjunction of Hoffmann and Bauhaus so important is the tension in the designers treatment      82 _+$of the puppet and the artist. h2 >+$The opera is based on the stories of E. T. A. Hoffmann, which       \2 _6+$overtly manifest the Romanticists anxious response to   I2 )+$ the Industrial Revolution. The Bauhaus e   >2 _"+$school, however, developed an anti  2 @+$-^j2 E?+$Romantic stand, skeptical of the uniqueness of the artist, the   2 *_h+$visitation of inspiration and, most of all, of the idea of the artist as set apart from his society and   2 O_ +$yet able to s2 O +$peak for it. 2 O+$ ^ 2 t_+$ ^0v2 tG+$In the opera, the body is particularly significant: in the first act,   )2 t)+$the very concept is 2 _a+$challenged by the youthful Hoffmanns mistaken conviction that he experiences a special affinity     \2 _6+$with the beautiful Olympia, whom he discovers, to his     %2 +$sorrow, is a lifei  2  +$-^12 %+$sized automaton designed i 2 __+$by amateur scientists. The real Hoffmanns treatment of this theme in his story The Sandman           2 _X+$was one of the first of many works about the puppet/automaton/robot, human images whose       82 -_+$lifeless animation has intrigu @2 -#+$ed artists, writers, and theoristsl   2 -+$^=2 -!+$among them Kleist, Craig, Freud, t    2 R_ +$and Harraway   2 R+$^t2 RF+$who have theorized about the human via the figure of the automaton.   2 R+$In the 2 v_R+$changing treatment of Olympia from 1817 to 1880 to 1929, one can see the changing     "2 _+$understanding o2 U+$f the human and its relation to the body, the body and its relation to the self. In s  "System-$$++$$++$$++##++##**##**##**##**##**""**""**""))""))""))""))""))!!))!!((!!((՜.+,0 hp  ý'  Title  !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKMNOPQRSVRoot Entry FpC/X1Table WordDocument4SummaryInformation(mDocumentSummaryInformation8LCompObjq  FMicrosoft Office Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.89q