The Severed Head

Capital Visions

By: Julia Kristeva, Jody Gladding (Translator)

Write A Review

Paperback | 4 March 2025 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Paperback
176 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
2.16 x 1.4 x 0.13

Paperback

$42.75

or 4 interest-free payments of $10.69 with

Ships in 15 to 25 business days

Informed by a provocative exhibition at the Louvre curated by the author, The Severed Head unpacks artistic representations of severed heads from the Paleolithic period to the present. Surveying paintings, sculptures, and drawings, Julia Kristeva turns her famed critical eye to a study of the head as symbol and metaphor, as religious object and physical fact, further developing a critical theme in her work--the power of horror--and the potential for the face to provide an experience of the sacred.

Kristeva considers the head as icon, artifact, and locus of thought, seeking a keener understanding of the violence and desire that drives us to sever, and in some cases keep, such a potent object. Her study stretches all the way back to 6,000 B.C.E., with humans' early decoration and worship of skulls, and follows with the Medusa myth; the mandylion of Laon (a holy relic in which the face of a saint appears on a piece of cloth); the biblical story of John the Baptist and his counterpart, Salome; tales of the guillotine; modern murder mysteries; and even the rhetoric surrounding the fight for and against capital punishment. Kristeva interprets these "capital visions" through the lens of psychoanalysis, drawing infinite connections between their manifestation and sacred experience and very much affirming the possibility of the sacred, even in an era of "faceless" interaction.

Industry Reviews

Through her wonder and her doubt, Kristeva sets forth a compelling account of the sacred and of the intimate visionary capacity of the human soul. * The Ecclesial University Blog *
The Severed Head is a reminder that art can be the best teacher, particularly when the topic is an uncomfortable one. * NewPages *
This beautifully written and richly layered meditation on mortality and representation will undoubtedly appeal to those readers interested in semiotic and psychoanalytically informed readings of art. * Library Journal XPress Reviews *
The Severed Head considers a remarkable range of representations of the severed head in art historical, religious, and mythological contexts. * Times Literary Supplement *

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $0.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.