Nietzsches Italien

A guide through the winding traces that the country has left in the works and letters of the famous philosopher. Thomas Mann held the prejudice that Friedrich Nietzsche was at best only marginally interested in the visual arts and architecture, despite his stays in Italy's great art cities – Genoa, Venice, Rome, Florence, and Turin. This book follows the anything but straightforward traces of Nietzsche's passionate connection to Italy, its historical buildings, and its artworks as reflected in the philosopher's works and letters. Nietzsche not only acknowledged the diversity of cultural artifacts in Italy's cities: it was through their interpretation that essential components of his philosophy became meaningful. Conversely, throughout the vicissitudes of his own philosophy, he repeatedly modified his view of Italian art.