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This Is Not a Pipe

Series: Quantum Books
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( 3,273 ratings, 234 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Michel Foucault's This Is Not a Pipe takes a playful and philosophical look at René Magritte's iconic painting, which features the phrase "This is not a pipe" emblazoned across a realistic depiction of a pipe. Foucault explores the complex relationship between image, language and meaning, revealing layers of nuance and ambiguity in Magritte's critique of visual and linguistic representation.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This title is ideal for readers interested in philosophy, art history, semiotics, and cultural theory, as well as fans of René Magritte and Michel Foucault's work.

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What does it mean to write "This is not a pipe" across a bluntly literal painting of a pipe? By exploring the nuances and ambiguities of Magritte's visual critique of language, the author finds the painter less removed than previously thought from the pioneers of modern abstraction.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

What does it mean to write This is not a pipe across a bluntly literal painting of a pipe? René Magritte's famous canvas provides the starting point for a delightful homage by French philosopher and historian Michel Foucault.

Much better known for his incisive and mordant explorations of power and social exclusion, Foucault here assumes a more playful stance. By exploring the nuances and ambiguities of Magritte's visual critique of language, he finds the painter less removed than previously thought from the pioneers of modern abstraction.

Series: Quantum Books

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  • This Is Not a Pipe
    What does it mean to write This is not a pipe across a bluntly literal painting of a pipe? René Magritte's famous canvas provides the starting point for a delightful homage by French philosopher and historian Michel Foucault. Much better known for his incisive and mordant explorations of power and social exclusion, Foucault here assumes a more playful stance. By...
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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

New York Review of Books hails the essay as a brilliant introduction to Foucault's thought and an insightful reinterpretation of Magritte. The New York Times praises the volume for its compelling combination of the philosopher’s essay, Magritte's letters, and excellent translations and reproductions. Leonardo highlights Foucault's original and thought-provoking take on pictorial reference worth engaging with.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780520236943

Publisher: University of California Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 July 2008

Country: United States

Imprint: University of California Press

Edition: 2nd edition

Illustration: 30 b-w illustrations, 3 line drawings

Contributors:

  • Edited by James Harkness
  • Translated by James Harkness
  • Illustrated by René Magritte

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 8.0mm

Width: 127.0mm

Height: 203.0mm

Weight: 136g

Pages: 104

About the Author

One of the most important theorists of the twentieth century, Michel Foucault's (1926-1984) many influential books include Discipline and Punish, The Archeology of Knowledge, The History of Sexuality, and The Discourse on Language.

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