Johann Nikolas Bohl von Faber, 1770-1836

About this book

"Johann Nikolas Bohl von Faber (1770-1836) is best known for his controversial dissemination of Schlegelian thought in Spain in the years 1814-1820. Yet, the intellectual contribution of this merchant-scholar from Hamburg amounts to far more than one single episode in the complex development of European culture. A Romantic 'Zerrissener', torn between two cultures, Bohl's impact as a critic and philologist was felt just as the emphasis of creative and scholarly endeavour shifted from Enlightenment rationality to the ideals of the Romantic age." "By tracing Bohl's intellectual development against the backdrop of the period, the author hightlights the significance of this figure to our understanding of European Romanticism. Whereas previous studies have focused on his work from a Hispanist perspective, this book provides a comprehensive analysis of Bohl's life and work in its entirety, and reproduces previously unpublished archival material. The study offers an assessment of Bohl as a mediator between cultures, establishing his importance as a pivotal figure in the development of European letters in the nineteenth century and beyond."--Jacket.