Bohemians: the glamorous outcasts

Abstract

This book explores the social and cultural history of the ‘bohemian’ – the archetype of the unconventional artist. The bohemian emerged in the early 19th century as a distinct social actor, whose lifestyle was defined by its difference from bourgeois norms and values. The author argues that the bohemian archetype was shaped by a number of factors, including the rise of industrial capitalism, the transformation of art into a commodity, the romanticization of the artist as a ‘genius’, and the increasing visibility of urban life. In addition to examining the historical development of the bohemian, the author analyzes the persistent contradictions of the bohemian identity, exploring the reasons for its allure and examining the lasting impact of the bohemian on modern society. – AI-generated abstract.