Ricerc@Sapienza

In contrast to the rise of naturalist currents in the late 19th century, also
in anti-symbolist function, Maurras and Barrès devote attention to the
cultural traditions of Europe, rediscovering, in their travel reports, the
value and meaning of the Classic. The two writers set themselves to
deduce this concept from the comparison between the archaeological
remains, the ancient texts and the cultural and political needs of their
present. Through their reflections, they strive to determine both the
ontological roots of ancient art and the possibility of applying them to
a political vision of the future, without yet calling into question those
aberrant or rigidly ideological perspectives that would later compromise
the reception of their best works.