MAGIE, ÉROS, IMAGE(S) VERS 1857 : ENJEUX ET RÉVERBÉRATIONS D’UN DÉBAT CULTUREL
Magic, Eros, Image(S)- Wagers and Echoes of a Cultural Debate

Summary/Abstract: Taking as a starting point the hypotheses of Ioan Peter Couliano on Renaissance magic, this paper tries to see if they could be transferred to other cultural contexts, i.e. 19th century or contemporary world. During the 19th century, with modernity emerging and developing on a planetary scale, two divergent cultural tendencies confront: the rationalism and scientific positivism on one side, and – on the other side – various sorts of magic inspired by Plato. Two seminal works, elaborated around 1857 are analyzed: the spiritualist contribution of Allan Kardec and the magic work of Éliphas Lévi. The first one is oriented towards a conciliation of his explorations in the realm of dead with scientific imperatives, and the second one elaborates an extremely interesting magic syncretism, based on the idea of the universality of the force that eroticism emanates. The influences of the works of Kardec and Lévi on romantic and post-romantic literature, but also on cinema are mentioned and briefly analyzed in the article.

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