The Relationship between the Art of the Word and the Illiterate. Manual Arts in Nicholas of Cusa’s Conception of the Arts

Abstract

The concept of art is a lens through which one can explore the thought of Nicho las of Cusa. He uses this notion throughout his work in order to address the pro ductive dynamism of the divine mind as well as the human mind. With a focus on the human arts as likenesses of the divine art, this paper studies the relationship between the art of the word and the illiterate manual arts. Firstly, we examine the  ars coniecturalis as a human art form that Cusanus presents for the first time in  extenso in “De coniecturis”. Secondly, we address the power of the art of the word  through the production of its most precious form, the spoken word. Thirdly, and  finally, we inquire into the power of the manual arts through the example of the  idiota’s making of wooden spoons in the “De mente” in order to show the relationship between this art and the art of the word.