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Since humanity acquired profound cognitive abilities, philosophy has been an integral aspect of civilization. This discipline accounts for the attempts to fathom the sophisticated nature’s existence with its complex ideas and phenomena. Philosophy has concerned life, death, purpose, and meaning, among other key aspects. In a way, these features resemble those of religion, but the two notions can barely be deemed synonymous. In its general understanding, philosophy reflects humanity’s desire to synthesize knowledge in order to explain abstract ideas beyond materialistic perception. In this regard, it also resembles art as a means of expression that dives beneath the surface and requires a considerable level of critical thinking.
As a concept, philosophy has existed for millennia, but the exact nature of this expression has undergone major transformations, shaped by common experiences, scientific knowledge, and historical events. After the Medieval Period, as humanism gained importance in developed societies, the ideas of the meaning behind pain and suffering became prevalent in philosophical discussions. These feelings are complex and profound, with multiple layers that constitute the overall picture. The necessity of expressing them has translated into the art of the time. More specifically, the preferences in the art are inherently related to the profound experiences of a person or society, as pieces of art become the medium for the expression of various feelings, including pain.
Philosophy of Pain
Pain and suffering have been major components of the philosophical body of knowledge. These feelings are strong, associated with major negative changes in life, whether they occur on the scale of one individual or humanity in general. Evidently, pain originates from the material plane, explained as a neural response to external factors (Bueno-Gomez 2017). It may range from minor conveniences to excruciating suffering, but it is not determined solely by physical factors. Pain can also be mental, stemming from personal hardships and empathy. Bueno-Gomez (2017) argues that, in spite of the physiological origins of pain, it is the perception of it that becomes the determining factor. In this case, pain is an originally physiological phenomenon that causes a cognitive response in the form of suffering. This renders the two notions inherently connected by a complex relationship that determines the individual’s reaction to it. In this case, the response is conditioned by the personal framework of values and principles that account for subjective experiences. An insufferable tragedy for one person can be seen as a minor inconvenience for the other, and both perspectives are equally valid.
Furthermore, similar trends are observed on the higher level of communities and entire societies. In this case, the emphasis is on the prevailing nature of the shared reaction to painful, both physically and mentally, occurrences that acquire shape when passing through the lens of philosophy. This way, the philosophy of pain becomes both proactive and reactive, remaining in a state of constant development. On the one hand, past experiences and views prescribe the societal response to pain. At the same time, the way in which new tragedies are perceived affects the development of new philosophical tenets.
Art and Pain
Art has always played a role of paramount importance in the development of human civilization. From the earlier petroglyphs to antique sculptures and modern masterpieces, people have desired to express their artistic aspirations. Paintings, carvings, poems, novels, and other media have served to become the embodiment of a variety of feelings. Through them, sophisticated, complex ideas became translated into a tangible form. Beneath the surface of these works, an inquisitive mind can unravel a series of strong messages that form a comprehensive picture. This way, intense feelings are expressed in a comprehensible manner that can barely be shared otherwise. Naturally, pain is among the strongest experiences that can be encountered by a human being due to the complexity identified earlier. Physical, mental, and cognitive aspects of it intertwine in a complex unity. By expressing it through artistic media, people are able to relieve the pressure that is formed by coping with these experiences alone. Moreover, they also share their views on pain and suffering with society, contributing to the formation of philosophy.
Terrors and disasters always accompanied the development of humanity on both individual and global levels. In this regard, the focus of most philosophers has been not on the pain itself but on the reaction of the people. The work by Katherine Ibbett (2018) is concentrated on France as one of the most developed nations of the time. The author’s interests lie in the area of compassion and fellow-feeling, which means understanding the pain of others and attempting to soothe it. This data can confirm that there was not a well-established framework of compassion until the Early Modern period of European history. The topic itself is of high importance to the discussion, as it introduces a new dimension to it that goes beyond the constatation of pain and suffering.
Therefore, it is interesting to examine not only the pain of the people and its causes but also the reaction to it on behalf of society. Philosophy is considered to be the instrument that shapes the minds of communities and teaches them how to perceive the surrounding reality. The work by Slezak (2018) is highly important to establish a comprehensive perspective on the evolution of philosophy across the history of humanity. During different eras, the prevailing convictions of the people varied, as well. Slezak (2018) states that the development of philosophy has remained in line with social, political, and natural occurrences. Each period had its own prominent philosophers capable of engaging with wider audiences. By broadcasting their views on how suffering should be addressed, these philosophers dictated their tenets to the population. Thus, it is important to see the philosophical response to the pain and suffering of the people, as well as the way in which it shaped the societal reaction.
At the same time, the manner of this interaction has been one of the key determinants of its outcome. In most cases, the end goal has been to prompt people to adopt a certain philosophical perspective on suffering that would shape their response to painful events. For example, the tenets of the optimist movement dictated that hardships and tragedies should be taken with grace and dignity. While optimism determined the views of many European citizens at this time, it also had considerable opposition from other philosophers and people of art. Caro (2020) refers to these people who were mostly inspired by the pain and suffering of others. Optimists justified these terrors as God’s will, but critical thinkers like Voltaire thought that it was not the correct way. For them, it was important to attract the attention of the public to this suffering and demand actual help rather than prayers and consolations. As per their convictions, all events occur per God’s design and in the best possible manner. This means that complaints of one’s faith may be perceived as a lack of faith in divine intentions.
Amid the controversy of different philosophical perspectives, it would not suffice to present the tenets of a certain philosophy of pain in a strict, scholarly manner. First of all, most people would object to such teachings with a condescending dimension. Second, such complex feelings as pain require a better medium than words or lectures. In this regard, pieces of art have been integral to engaging the public in this difficult discussion. Literature is one of such artistic media that broadcasts powerful messages about the pain and hardships of life (Daeley 2021). Yet, visual means have also been actively utilized to express suffering and the effect of pain through paintings and other graphic media. In this regard, it appears relevant to investigate the expression of pain philosophy in the works of prominent artists.
Michelangelo
Michelangelo is one of the most famous sculptors in the history of the world and a renowned master of his craft. In his works, he has addressed a variety of complex topics that served to broadcast the creator’s view of the divine, spiritual, and materialistic aspects of life. As explained by Gilead (2016), Michelangelo’s art was largely inspired by neo-Platonic philosophy. The master shared Plato’s ideas of an “unbridgeable gap” between “the complete and the incomplete, the perfect and the imperfect, the eternal and the temporal, the divine and the mundane” (p. 3). For him, pain originated from this chasm as a realization of the incontinency between what is desired and the actual situation. In his later years, Michelangelo worked on a sculptural composition known as Pietà of Florence, which is shown below. It depicts the body of Jesus Christ surrounded by the Virgin Mary, Magdalene, and Nicodemus (Gilead 2016). For some reason, the master became enraged and attempted to destroy this work as it neared completion. It was his student who managed to prevent the teacher’s frenzy and save the masterpiece.
The work on its own is an embodiment of pain as this theme prevails in all of its elements. The plot behind the sculpture is filled with suffering on each level. Virgin Mary holds the corpse of her son, who was violently executed. This is a complex topic of maternal loss, which is usually perceived as unnatural by human civilization. In other words, it is always a tragedy when parents are to bury their children. At this point in the scripture, Mary is not certain of Christ’s resurrection, which puts her to the highest possible degree of grief and pain. Other figures in this composition are also in severe pain as they prepare to place Jesus to eternal peace. The execution of Christ equally became paramount to his terrestrial suffering, ending this stage of his existence in incredible pain. In this regard, death becomes the highest point of suffering and its ultimate end at the same time. The sculpture itself translates the unbridgeable gaps of Neo-Platonist philosophy favored by Michelangelo. It depicts the clash of the terrestrial and the divine, of life and death.
In addition, the meta-context beyond this piece of visual art contributes to its message on the philosophy of pain. The depicted scene combines two major varieties of pain, which are physical and mental. More specifically, the physical suffering endured by Christ causes his beloved ones to experience mental pain. Nevertheless, Michelangelo himself experienced similar feelings when producing the Pietà, which translated into his violent frustration that almost resulted in the destruction of the masterpiece. As identified prior, in the creator’s Neo-Platonist worldview, pain is the product of the unbridgeable gap. This gap often takes the form of an opposition between the perfect and the imperfect. Perhaps, Michelangelo felt that his life was coming to an end and wanted one of his final works to be his ideal of a sculpture. Yet, even though future generations see Pietà as a masterpiece, he was not content with his creation. He channeled the suffering of the sculpture’s characters through himself, combining it with his own artistic pain. It demanded to be expressed and caused violent frustration.
Conclusion
Overall, objects of art become the medium through which intense emotions of pain are channeled into the material world. These feelings are complex and abstract, being difficult to be expressed through words. In fact, the very concept of suffering extends beyond the physical manifestation of pain. It is largely connected to the mental response to pain dictated by the individual’s philosophy. In spite of the difference between various frameworks of pain philosophy, most of them align in terms of expressing themselves through art. Michelangelo was influenced by Neo-Platonist views of life as a constant clash of two extremes. At this gap, pain is born through the realization of the eternal chasm. His own works, especially the later ones, embodied both physical and mental suffering. Furthermore, the artist himself became overwhelmed by this Neo-Platonist pain, which almost resulted in one of his masterpieces being destroyed by the hand of its creator.
References
Bueno-Gomez, Noella. 2017. “Conceptualizing Suffering and Pain”. Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine 12: 7.
Caro, Hernan D. 2020. “The Best of All Possible Worlds? Leibniz’s Philosophical Optimism and Its Critics 1710-1755”. Brill’s Studies in Intellectual History 322.
Daeley, Justin J. 2021. Why God Must Do What Is Best: A Philosophical Investigation of Theistic Optimism. London, U.K.: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Gilead, Amihud. 2016. “A Philosophical Approach to the Riddle of Michelangelo’s Florentine Pietà”. Cogent Arts & Humanities 3 (1): 1-10.
Ibbett, Katherine. 2018. Compassion’s Edge: Fellow-Feeling and Its Limits in Early Modern France. Philadelphia, PA.: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Reuters. 2022. Reuters (website).
Slezak, Peter P. 2018. “Is There Progress in Philosophy? The Case for Taking History Seriously”. Philosophy 93 (4): 529-555.
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