Fetish Worship in the Fine Arts: A Pamphlet

Published at the close of the nineteenth century, Fetish Worship in the Fine Arts by Sidney Whitman is a sharp and provocative critique of aesthetic idolatry—the elevation of art, form, and beauty to the level of religious obsession. In this daring pamphlet, Whitman examines how the veneration of art objects, artistic genius, and idealized beauty can become a modern form of fetish worship, displacing moral substance with sensual admiration.

Drawing parallels between ancient cults of image-worship and the refined tastes of modern society, Whitman exposes the psychological and cultural allure of the idol, whether carved in marble or painted on canvas. His essay blends social criticism, philosophy, and aesthetics, questioning where devotion to beauty ends and superstition begins.

A fascinating document of fin-de-siècle thought, this work captures the tension between spiritual faith and artistic reverence, reflecting the moral and intellectual anxieties of an age that sought divinity through art.

Complete edition of Sidney Whitman’s rare aesthetic and philosophical pamphlet

Explores the idea of art as modern idolatry and cultural obsession

Blends art criticism with social and moral commentary

Essential for readers of aesthetics, philosophy, and cultural history