Rudolf Arnheim Psychologist, one of the founders of modern psychology of art Date of Birth: 15.07.1904 Country: USA

Rudolf Arnheim: A Biography

Rudolf Arnheim was a psychologist and one of the founders of modern psychology of art. His contributions spanned three areas: the perception of art, the use of art in therapy, and visual cognition and problem-solving. Arnheim's approach to psychology was rooted in the contradiction between religious and scientific truths that dates back to the Middle Ages. His interests included general psychology, the history and philosophy of psychology, and theoretical psychology, with a particular focus on the psychology of art.

Arnheim obtained his PhD from the University of Berlin in 1928 with a dissertation on experimental visual perception. Following his doctoral studies, he worked as a deputy editor for a cultural magazine in Berlin from 1928 to 1933. He then moved to Rome to work in the International Institute of Scientific and Popular Films of the League of Nations until 1938. A year later, he worked as a translator for the BBC in London for almost a year. In 1940, he emigrated to the United States and joined the research service at Columbia University in New York, conducting studies on radio. He acquired American citizenship in 1946.

From 1943 to 1968, Arnheim taught at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York, as a faculty member in the psychology department. During this time, he also lectured and served as a professor at the New School for Social Research in New York. From 1968 until his retirement in 1974, he was a professor in the Department of Visual and Environmental Studies at Harvard University and also held a professorship at the University of Michigan.

Arnheim's contributions to the field of psychology encompassed three main areas: the perception of art, the use of art in therapy, and visual cognition and problem-solving. His approach to psychology was based on the contradiction between religious and scientific truths, which he sought to reconcile through artistic experience. He developed the theory of artistic behavior, which characterized artistic and aesthetic activities as a complex interplay between subjective and objective materials. Arnheim believed that artistic representation does not aim for a literal correspondence with the original object, but instead seeks to create forms through lines and contours, which then develop into a complex language of graphic representation.

Arnheim's work was heavily influenced by gestalt psychology, leading to an alternative approach to cognitive psychology and psychoanalysis. His psychology of art focused on the broader issues of cognition and could be applied as a problem-solving methodology. For example, he argued that problem-solving is not a sequence of static stages, but a dynamic process of change that moves from a simple initial foundation to a more complex structure, or from a distorted structure to a more adequate, simple form. He emphasized the perceptual force as a key aspect of problem-solving, asserting that a stronger gestalt leads to more reliable perception, memory, thoughts, and consciousness.

Throughout his career, Arnheim published numerous books and articles on psychology and art. Some of his notable works include "Art and Visual Perception" (1954, 1966, 1974), "Toward a Psychology of Art" (1966), "Visual Thinking" (1969), "The Dynamics of Architectural Form" (1977), "New Essays on the Psychology of Art" (1986), and "Beyond the Double Truth" (1991). He also contributed to journals such as Psychological Review, Gestalt Theory, and Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology.

Rudolf Arnheim's groundbreaking research and theories have made a lasting impact on the field of psychology, particularly in the study of art and perception. His work continues to shape our understanding of the psychological processes involved in artistic creation, aesthetic experience, and problem-solving.