Beauty In Tolstoy's Theory Of Beauty

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The science of aesthetics cannot be well-defined until a certain set of “rules” are distinguished. Only then, will a theory of art be able to be established that will satisfy a specific set of individuals. Even if a work of art depicts something absurd or uncommon, someone is bound to find enjoyment in it as every individual has different perceptions of what should be deemed “good” or “bad”. Once this absurdity has been acknowledged and accepted, a new theory will surely emerge. Tolstoy goes on to say that because the theory of art is founded on beauty, it will only satisfy a certain group of individuals. In continuation of the former statement, Tolstoy explains that “beauty, or that which pleases us, can in no sense serve as the basis for …show more content…

The meaning of art will come to light once the viewer disengages himself from the notion that beauty prevails. With that said, even though numerous individuals have written about art, “no exact definition of art has been constructed. And the reason for this is that the conception of art has been based on the conception of beauty,” (Tolstoy 235). With the concept of beauty cast aside, a question remains. What exactly is art without the notion of beauty to help support it? How should it be defined and why? Like numerous terms in the English language, the word art holds varying interpretations from individual to individual. The physiological-evolutionary definition states that “art is an activity arising even in the animal kingdom, a, springing from sexual desire and the propensity to play, and b, accompanied by a pleasurable excitement of the nervous system,” (Tolstoy 235). The experimental definition claims that “art is the external …show more content…

He negates art as an idea of beauty, denies art to be a medium in which the artist can vent, refuses it to be an expression of exterior forces, rejects it to be a form of pleasure, and repudiates art for being creations of attractive pieces. As I alluded to earlier, Tolstoy suggests art as being a medium for togetherness among society, a way for humans to coalesce and for civilization as a whole to move forward. Art is present in a plethora of ways throughout the world, each form brings its own uniqueness to the table. As Tolstoy points out, “all human life is filled with works of art of every kind – from cradlesong, jest, mimicry, the ornamentation of houses, dress, and utensils, up to church services, buildings, monuments, and triumphal processions. It is all artistic activity,” (Tolstoy 237). Each individual has their own preferences, therefore, it is not necessary to analyze every artistic activity, only the ones deemed as

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