Aesthetic Emotion Essay

1050 Words3 Pages

AA theory by Clive Bell suggests the pinpoints the exact characteristic which makes a work true art. According to Bell, an artwork must produce “aesthetic emotion” (365). This aesthetic emotion is drawn from the form and formality of an artwork rather than whether or not it is aesthetically pleasing or how well it imitates what it is trying to depict. The relation of objects to each other, the colors used, and the qualities of the lines are seemingly more important than what emotion or idea the artwork is trying to provoke. Regardless of whether or not the artwork is a true imitation of certain emotions, ideals, or images, it cannot be true art unless it conjures this aesthetic emotion related to formality (367). Of course, this argument cannot be held to all art. If that were the case, then a majority of artwork would be then considered worthless. Bell’s principle of aesthetic emotion is far too specific to define such a wide array of visual art. Not to mention, everyone’s interpretation of what …show more content…

If we were to ask a critic to critique a work of art, we would expect them to actually remember the contents of the work. Would we be satisfied with a critique that did not mention what the art was depicting, only detailing the quality of lines and ranges of color? I, personally, would expect one who sees true art in a visual to be able to depict the image the art is conveying and be able to interpret these images. When hearing others describe art in great detail, yes, it is expected that they recognize the form and function of the piece, but rarely do they completely disregard the main idea the visual is meant to communicate. This, again, is where Bell is false. I feel you cannot declare a piece of work art if you are only looking at the small details rather than the visual as a

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