Forma, forme e metamorfosi

The essay delves into French aesthetics, examining the perspectives of key figures such as Étinne Souriau, Raymond Bayer, Henri Focillon, and Jurgis Baltrušaitis on the role of form in art. Focillon and Baltrušaitis underscore the autonomy and morphological nature of form, recognizing its identity and function independently. The conceptual distinction between the process of transforming forms into signs and the life of forms allows for the continuous attribution of new meanings, infinite variations, and the creation of a unique narrative. The essay contends that the suspension of the artist in favor of perceiving art as a product of impersonal energies materializing into evolving forms is an enduring tendency. Art, in this view, emerges not solely from the artist’s will but also from the imposition and life of forms.