Emozioni dell’arte ed emozioni reali nel pensiero di Du Bos. Riflessioni a partire da una lezione di Paolo D’Angelo

Abstract

This essay investigates Jean-Baptiste Du Bos’s theory of artificial emotions in light of Paolo D’Angelo’s recent reflections on the distinction between real and aesthetic emotions. D’Angelo critiques contemporary neuroaesthetic approaches, especially those grounded in mirror neuron theory, for neglecting the role of intellectual mediation in aesthetic experience. Revisiting Du Bos’s Réflexions critiques, the essay highlights his pioneering view that aesthetic pleasure can arise from negative emotions, such as sorrow or horror, provided they occur in a fictional and controlled context. Du Bos argues that the emotions evoked by art are artificial passions – intense, affective responses detached from real-life consequences. These emotions, while physiologically impactful, remain under the spectator’s control and do not translate into action. His emphasis on plausibility and rejection of deceptive illusion, like trompe-l’œil, supports an aesthetic model grounded in critical distance and emotional resonance. Ultimately, Du Bos’s insights remain relevant, offering a nuanced framework for understanding how fictional emotions can be both powerful and fundamentally distinct from real-life affect.