Includes bibliographical references (p. 169-172) and index.

Historical background: Maritain's personal development -- Theoretical background: Maritain's philosophical development -- The foundation of Maritain's epistemological uniqueness -- The fundamentals of Maritain's aesthetics -- Maritain's notions of poetry and poetic knowledge -- Two pathways discerned: the priority of poetry, 1920-1927 -- Two pathways clarified: Maritain's turn to poetic knowledge, 1927-1938 -- The perception of beauty: the key to resolution -- Maritain on contemplation and beauty -- The integration of poetry, beauty, and contemplation.

"Poetry, Beauty, and Contemplation provides a basic introduction to, and an extensive examination of, Maritain's philosophy of art and beauty. The book begins with a brief biographical sketch of Maritain's early years, including the early influences on his philosophy (Henri Bergson and Thomas Aquinas among them). The author explores key terms and ideas central to Maritain's aesthetics -- intuition, connaturality, Poetry, and beauty -- and traces their historical development. The book integrates the inherent relationship between Maritain's unique understanding of "Poetry," his aesthetic and metaphysical ideas about beauty, and his explanation of the distinction between natural and supernatural contemplation, resulting in a complete exposition of Maritain's aesthetics."--pub. website.