Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: the genius with a thousand faces
This site was created with the intention of raising awareness of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, one of the greatest exponents of European culture, whose work spanned centuries, disciplines and borders, leaving a profound mark on Western thought.
Goethe was not only an extraordinary poet, author of Faust, Sorrows of Young Werther and an immense lyrical, dramatic and narrative output. He was also a curious and rigorous scientist, able to devote himself passionately to fields such as botany, mineralogy, anatomy and optics, going so far as to develop a color theory in controversy with Newton.
His work also extended to the philosophy of nature, where he sought a harmony between science and feeling, reason and intuition, anticipating some instances of Romantic and contemporary scientific thought.
But Goethe was also an enlightened politician and administrator, active for decades at the Weimar court, where he contributed to the modernization of the state and supported the arts and education. And finally, he was an indefatigable traveler, open to the world, deeply impressed by Italian and Mediterranean culture, as the pages of his Journey to Italy, a diary of his education and artistic revelation, show.
A site to explore a living legacy
Through this portal, we offer a journey into the heart of Goethe’s complex and fascinating personality, collecting:
- texts and documents concerning the biography and work of the artist and scientist,
- Critical and biographical contributions,
- Visual and multimedia materials,
- reflections on how his thought continues to speak to our time.
Because Goethe does not belong only to Germany or the eighteenth century: his is a universal figure, capable of anticipating the tensions of modernity and still offering today a rich, free and profound vision of human beings.
We invite you to explore, discover, be inspired.
Because to know Goethe is, after all, to know ourselves better as well.
Goethe Haus Palermo
Much more than a holiday home, a one-of-a-kind experience of culture and hospitality.
Via tal dei tali,
Palermo
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