Max Picard

2.1. Early Life and Education

Max Picard was born into a Jewish family on June 5, 1888 (though some sources indicate June 15, 1888), in Schopfheim, a German village in the Baden region, near the Swiss border. He pursued medicine as his field of study, attending several prominent German universities, including the University of Freiburg, Humboldt University of Berlin, and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. He completed his medical degree in 1911, following an apprenticeship at the University of Heidelberg and qualifying as a physician in Munich.

2.2. Medical Career and Shift to Philosophy

After obtaining his medical degree, Picard began practicing as a physician, initially in Heidelberg and later in Munich. However, he grew increasingly dissatisfied with the dominant positivist and Darwinian orientations prevalent within the medical profession of his era. This disillusionment led him to gradually distance himself from medicine, beginning around 1915, to focus more on philosophy. By 1918, he had ceased his medical practice entirely to dedicate himself to philosophical writing.

2.3. Emigration to Switzerland and Personal Life

In 1919, Max Picard immigrated to Switzerland, settling first in Locarno and later in Brissago, both located in the southern Ticino canton, near Lake Lugano. A significant personal development occurred in 1939 when Picard converted to Roman Catholicism from the Judaism of his youth. During the late 1930s, he developed a close friendship with fellow immigrant and artist Gunter Böhmer. Picard also established a lasting friendship and consistent correspondence with the French philosopher Gabriel Marcel, beginning in 1947. Their extensive correspondence was later published in 2006. Marcel notably contributed the foreword to the first French translation of Picard's influential work, Die Welt des Schweigens (The World of Silence), published in 1953.

3.1. Key Books

Max Picard authored numerous significant works throughout his career, often exploring themes related to human existence, culture, and spirituality. His major publications include:

• 1914 Der Bürger.^German
• 1916 Das Ende des Impressionismus.^German (The End of Impressionism)
• 1917 Expressionistische Bauernmalerei^German (Expressionist Folk Painting)
• 1919 Mittelalterliche Holzfiguren.^German (Medieval Wooden Figures)
• 1921 Der letzte Mensch^German (The Last Man)
• 1929 Das Menschengesicht^German (The Human Face). This work saw multiple editions, with the second to sixth editions appearing from 1941 onwards.
• 1933 Die Ungeborenen, Rundgespräch zwischen M. P., Otto Gemlin, Paul Alverdes, Fritz Künkel, Hermann Herrigel, Wilhelm Michel.^German (The Unborn, Round Table Discussion between M. P., Otto Gemlin, Paul Alverdes, Fritz Künkel, Hermann Herrigel, Wilhelm Michel.)
• 1934 Die Flucht vor Gott^German (The Flight From God). An English translation was published in 1952.
• 1937 Die Grenzen der Physiognomik.^German (The Limits of Physiognomy), also known as Man and His Face in some translations.
• 1942 Die unerschütterliche Ehe.^German (The Unshakable Marriage)
• 1946 Hitler in uns selbst^German (Hitler in Our Selves)
• 1948 Die Welt des Schweigens^German (The World of Silence)
• 1951 Zerstörte und unzerstörbare Welt.^German (Destroyed and Indestructible World)
• 1953 Wort und Wortgeräusch.^German (Word and Word Noise)
• 1953 Die Atomisierung in der modernen Kunst.^German (The Atomization of Modern Arts)
• 1955 Der Mensch und das Wort.^German (Man and the Word)
• 1955 Ist Freiheit heute überhaupt möglich?^German (Is Freedom Possible Today?)
• 1958 Die Atomisierung der Person.^German (The Atomization of the Person). This work is also known in some translations as The World of Noise and Atomization.
• 1961 Einbruch in die Kinderseele.^German (Break-in into the Child's Soul)
• 1965 Fragmente. Aus dem Nachlass 1920-1965.^German (Fragments. From the Estate 1920-1965)
• 1967 Nacht und Tag.^German (Night and Day)
• 1970 Briefe an den Freund Karl Pfleger.^German (Letters to Friend Karl Pfleger)
• 1974 Das alte Haus in Schopfheim. Aus dem Nachlass.^German (The Old House in Schopfheim. From the Estate)
• 1988 Wie der letzte Teller eines Akrobaten, Auswahl aus dem Werk, hrsg. von Manfred Bosch.^German (Like the Last Plate of an Acrobat, Selection from the Work, edited by Manfred Bosch)
• 1989 Nach Santa Fosca. Tagebuch aus Italien.^German (After Santa Fosca. Diary from Italy), which is identical to Zerstörte und unzerstörbare Welt.^German

Picard also contributed numerous articles to various magazines and had his works translated into other languages.

3.2. Philosophical Themes

At the core of Max Picard's philosophy was a deeply Platonic sensibility, which informed his views on art, culture, and the human condition. He maintained a consistently conservative and religious perspective in his art theory, cultural philosophy, and cultural criticism. Picard's work often served as a profound critique of modernity, lamenting what he perceived as the increasing alienation and dehumanization of individuals in contemporary society. He argued against the atomization of the person and the arts, advocating for a return to fundamental truths and a deeper understanding of phenomena like silence, which he believed were being lost in the noise and fragmentation of the modern world. His writings, such as The Flight From God, reflect a concern with spiritual decline and the societal consequences of a departure from traditional values.

4.1. Awards and Academic Recognition

Max Picard received significant accolades for his contributions to philosophy and literature. In 1952, he was awarded the prestigious Johann-Peter-Hebel-Preis, a German literary prize. His work also gained recognition from prominent philosophers of his time. The French philosopher Gabriel Marcel not only maintained a close friendship and correspondence with Picard but also provided the foreword for the French translation of Picard's The World of Silence. Additionally, Emmanuel Levinas, another influential French philosopher, praised Picard's work in his 1976 collection, Noms propres (Proper Names).

4.2. Legacy and Impact

Max Picard's thought and writings have left a lasting impact on subsequent philosophers, artists, and broader cultural discourse. His incisive critique of modernity, his emphasis on the spiritual dimension of human existence, and his explorations of concepts like silence and the human face continue to resonate. His work contributes significantly to discussions concerning societal fragmentation, the dehumanizing effects of certain modern trends, and the importance of a contemplative, value-driven approach to life and art.