Johann Georg Hamann (1730-88) is a pivotal yet often misunderstood figure in German thought and literature, influencing notable figures such as Goethe, Schiller, Kant, and Kierkegaard. His writing style is notoriously dense and allusive, which has led to mixed receptions. Recently, literary theorists have recognized him as a precursor to the linguistic turn. The focus here is on Hamann's final work, Entkleidung und Verklärung (1786), intended as a culmination of his "kleine Autorschaft" and a defense against his critics. This analysis reveals previously unnoticed manuscript alterations that address longstanding questions in Hamann scholarship while opening new avenues for exploration. Notably, Hamann emerges as an early theorist of the virtual, using the term "virtualiter" to articulate his ideas. He connects this concept to the notion of masks or disguises, viewing texts as textiles woven from threads. The study emphasizes Hamann's grasp of intertextuality and links his understanding of virtuality to Deleuze's idea of a plane of immanence, illustrated by the image of a knotted bundle of thread. This perspective contributes to contemporary discussions on the nature of virtuality, offering fresh insights into Hamann's legacy.
