8.6.26 | Aniela Jaffé : Symbolism in the Visual Arts | Free Reading Discussion

Man and His Symbols was intended to serve as an introduction to Jung’s work and ideas. It is an examination of man’s relation to the unconscious, emphasizing the importance of dreams in the life of the individual. The last year of Jung’s life was devoted almost entirely to this book, which he finished just 10 days before his final illness.The book was first published in 1964 and is divided into five parts, four of which were written by Jung’s closest associates in the world of analytical psychology.

In Part 4, “Symbolism in the Visual Arts,” Aniela Jaffé demonstrates man’s recurring interest in the symbols of the unconscious. She describes the artist as the spokesman of the spirit of his age and takes the reader through a history of art through the lens of analytical psychology.