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Single Idea 8119

[from 'History of Ancient Art' by Johann Winckelmann, in 21. Aesthetics / B. Nature of Art / 4. Art as Expression ]

Full Idea

According to Winckelmann, the law and aim of all art is beauty, independent of goodness. The three kinds of beauty are of form, of idea, and of expression (the highest aim, attainable only when the other two are present).

Gist of Idea

Art aims only at beauty, of form, of idea, and (above all) of expression

Source

report of Johann Winckelmann (History of Ancient Art [1764]) by Leo Tolstoy - What is Art? Ch.3

Book Reference

Tolstoy,Leo: 'What is Art? and Essays on Art', ed/tr. Maude,A [OUP 1975], p.93


A Reaction

This sounds very like 'art for art's sake', but a hundred years earlier. This is quite a good distinction, and I particularly like the 'beauty of idea', which is often overlooked.