Title

Benjamin and collecting

Abstract

Benjamin concluded his essay on book collecting by letting us know that collecting is the most profound relation that one can have to things. I will defend Benjamins views on collecting against the criticisms of his friends Gershom Scholem and Hannah Arendt. Drawing on Benjamins ideas on history, I will argue that true collecting treats the object historically. Collecting is a way of meditating on history. Benjamins criticism always required the particular in which to immerse itself. I will consider a particular collection-in this case, a collection of Surrealist books and publications. This example will allow for a reading of Benjamins essay on Surrealism alongside his essay on book collecting (both published in the same venue less than two years apart), for which it will be necessary to consider the development and afterlife of Surrealism, and Surrealisms influence on Benjamin.

Department(s)

Philosophy

Document Type

Article

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1080/13642529.2016.1134919

Keywords

Benjamin, coffeehouse intellectuals, collecting, Hannah Arendt, object-centered history, Surrealism

Publication Date

1-2-2016

Journal Title

Rethinking History

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS