Wittgenstein's proof copy

Wittgenstein, Ludwig, Austrian philosopher (1889-1951). Wittgenstein's proof copy of: Ludwig Hänsel, "Newton - Goethe - Pascal. Die Farbenlehre und das Problem der Mitte" (a treatise on Goethe's "Theory of colours").

[Vienna, 1949].

Offprint from: "Chronik des Wiener Goethe-Vereins", vols. LII and LIII. Pages 113-146. Original wrappers (spine defective, cover with multiple creases).

 12,000.00

Wittgenstein's proof copy of Hänsel's essay on Goethe's "Farbenlehre" with his often scathing autograph annotations (in German): "If you only would shut up and keep out of it!" (p. 122), "You are not Goethe" (p. 124), "Christian peoples are not Christianity" (p. 145).

Wittgenstein and Hänsel had met in the POW camp at Monte Cassino. Wittgenstein visited Vienna during Easter 1949, and Hänsel gave him the offprint to read. "The friendship between Wittgenstein and Hänsel had then lasted three decades, and during this time Wittgenstein uttered many a brusque word about Hänsel's ideas. To be sure, the aggressive, vicious tone is irritating" (cf. Christian Paul Berger, in: "L. Hänsel - L. Wittgenstein. Eine Freundschaft", Innsbruck [1994], p. 339).

"Hänsel was an uncommonly well-read man; above all, he appreciated Pascal, St. Augustine, Kierkegaard, and Goethe, about whom he wrote numerous essays. He studied modern issues of Christianity and the church, the philosophy of values, epistemology, and basic questions of education. Hänsel was considered a conservative: like Wittgenstein, he favoured 'tradition' in matters of literature, art, music, and 'the modern life' in general. For Wittgenstein, Hänsel embodied both the classical Austrian tradition and the faculty to perform an observant examination of current trends in culture and criticism. Harshly though Wittgenstein chastises Hänsel, his letters repeatedly end with his criticising the failures attributed to his friend even more sharply in himself" (cf. Ilse Somavilla, Der rechte Ton, in: ibid., p. 325).

Numerous pencil marginalia, underlinings, deletions and corrections by Wittgenstein.

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