Modernism's mythic pose

the long version

The ancient world served as an unconventional source of inspiration for a generation of modernists. Drawing on examples from literature, dance, photography, and film, this book argues that a strain of antimodern-classicism permeates modernist celebrations of novelty, shock, and technology. The touchstone of this study is Delsartism - the popular transnational movement which promoted mythic statue-posing, poetic recitation, and other hybrid solo performances for health and spiritual development. Delsartism shaped modernist performances, genres, and ideas of gender.