Lessing’s Laokoon (1878)

Lessing’s Laokoon is a book written by German philosopher and critic Gotthold Ephraim Lessing in 1766. The book is a treatise on the limits of painting and poetry and the differences between the two art forms. Lessing argues that painting and poetry have different strengths and weaknesses and that they should not be compared or judged by the same standards.The book takes its name from the Greek myth of Laokoon, a Trojan priest who was killed by sea serpents after warning his people not to bring the Trojan Horse into the city. Lessing uses this myth as a metaphor for the relationship between painting and poetry, arguing that each art form has its own distinct boundaries and limitations.Lessing’s Laokoon is considered a seminal work in the field of aesthetics and has had a significant influence on the development of modern art and literary criticism. The book is written in a clear and accessible style and is widely regarded as one of the most important works of German Enlightenment philosophy.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world’s literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.