Parmigianino’s Simulacra: More Like an Angel Than a Man

Reaching Within: What traditional art offers the heart

“Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror” circa 1523–1524, by Parmigianino. Oil on poplar panel, 9.6 inch diameter. Museum of Fine Arts, Vienna, Austria. Public Domain

Not too long ago, my wife and I drove to a nearby city. Whenever we go anywhere, my wife is usually in charge of the radio, but this time, in a rare gesture, she asked if there was anything I would like to listen to on our journey. 

I suggested that we listen to a podcast by Stephen West called “Philosophize This!” We picked a random episode called “Simulacra and Simulation” and began our drive.

Baudrillard, Simulacra, and Simulation

West has a great ability to make complex ideas easily digestible for the general public. In “Simulacra and Simulation,” he breaks down the ideas of 20th-century philosopher Jean Baudrillard, and here, I’m going to share my very basic understanding of these ideas.