Wonder, the Rainbow, and the Aesthetics of Rare Experiences

Why pause and study this particular painting among so many others ranged on a gallery wall? Wonder, which Descartes called the first of the passions, is at play; it couples surprise with a wish to know more, the pleasurable promise that what is novel or rare may become familiar. This text is about t [...]
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Why pause and study this particular painting among so many others ranged on a gallery wall? Wonder, which Descartes called the first of the passions, is at play; it couples surprise with a wish to know more, the pleasurable promise that what is novel or rare may become familiar. This text is about the aesthetics of wonder, about wonder as it figures in relation to the visual world and rare or new experiences. It argues that detailed familiarity is the ultimate meeting point for aesthetic and scientific encounters with novelty, rare experiences and the new.