In art, the sublime is a feedback loop, evolving with whatever’s next to threaten us

The sublime describes the distinctive mix of awe, fear and serenity one might feel when confronted with imposing immensity. (Think: standing at the foot of a massive mountain.) But, as Sacha Golob, professor of philosophy at King’s College London, explores in this video, the concept of what humans consider – or ought to consider – sublime has long been subject to debate. Strolling through the National Gallery in London, Golob discusses the writings of philosophers of art including Immanuel Kant and Theodor Adorno, and pays a visit to works by painters of the Romantic movement, including Claude-Joseph Vernet and John Martin, to trace the evolution of the sublime. Ending by considering how it is expressed in modern art, Golob argues that the concept changes in response to humanity’s ever-changing relationship with the natural world.