Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0004589, Thu, 18 Nov 1999 11:14:02 -0800

Subject
Re: CORRECTION re Paris VN Conference. November 1999
Date
Body
EDITOR's NOTE. Below is the correct abstract for
Gavriel Shapiro's <Shapiro@AmericanAcademy.DE> paper for the Paris
conference next week. My apologies for the confusion.
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NABOKOV'’S ACUITY

Nabokov'’s “intiable sight” determined, to a great extent, the
writer'’s unique place even in the predominantly ocula-centric world
cultural tradition. As I attempt to demonstrate, Nabokov inherently
possessed an exceptional power of observation and visual acuity.
These outstanding innate characteristics were further developed
and perfected in the course of Nabokov'’s study of the fine arts. By
his own admission, Nabokov'’s lessons with Mstislav Dobuzhinsky
exerted considerable influence on both his literary pursuits and
entomological research. Finally, Nabokov'’s entomological,
lepidopteral, studies, his examination of minutiae of butterfly
structure under the microscope, left their indelible mark on the
writer'’s world perception. Acuity of vision and power of observation,
indefatigably and indisputably, played the primary role in all creative
manifestations of this incomparable verbal artist.