Practical theology in light of analytic aesthetics (A theoretical examination of the mechanism of production for works of art)

Is it possible to create theological artefacts that are capable of producin g an aesthetic effect on a listener? The article that follows turns on this question. The author reflects on these issues using Saint-Savin's frescoes as a model of how one might emphasize a number of bizarre elements. On the basis of this discovery, he maintains that it is impossible to understand the aesthetic fascination that these frescoes occasion without some familia rity with the speculative theory of art criticism. He moves on to analytic aesthetics, which he then uses as a theoretical framework for the examinati on of the mechanism of the production works of art. In short, the work of a rt must be perceived as an aesthetic object before it is situated in a prec ise phenomenal field. Only afterwards, are we in a position to produce an o bject that works aesthetically. The processes involved are the same as thos e operatives in language in general, if language is understood not as a rep resentational system but rather as a way of worldmaking.