ABSTRACT
From the outset of his career, Eric Rohmer made no secret of his preference for classicism, as far as both aesthetics in general and cinématic aesthetics in particular are concerned. One must hasten to add, however, that he never really conceived of “classic” and “modern” as two opposite concepts. Rather, he maintained that what is truly classic is also truly modern, because in either case genuine art is primarily about achieving a certain harmony with nature. What he exactly meant by this forms the main subject matter of this chapter, which also clarifies the degree to which Rohmer's aesthetics can be called “universalist” and “anti-evolutionist”, and why. In addition, Rohmer's views on the key notions of authorship and mise en scene are also summarily sketched.
