What is Aestheticism ? A short note on Aestheticism: Characteristics or Aesthetic Movement\Major writers of Aestheticism\Mjaor Works of Aesthetic Movement

What is Aestheticism?

Characteristics of Aestheticism or Aesthetic Movement

Major Writers of Aesthetic movement

Aestheticism is an intellectual and art movement. It is an emphasis of aesthetic values more than social-political themes for literature, fine art, music and other arts. Art should have beauty rather than having a deeper meaning- art for art’s sake. It was particularly prominent in Europe during the 19^th century. It was supported by Oscar Wilde.In the 19^th century, it was related to other movement such as symbolism or decadence.

Characteristics:

· Arts should provide refined sensuous pleasure rather than convey moral or sentimental messages.

· They did not accept John Ruskin and Mathew Arnold’s conception of art that “Art for truth’s sake”.

· They believed that Art did not have any moral purpose.

· They considered nature as crude and lacking in design when compared to art.

· The Aesthetes developed a cult of beauty, which they considered the basic factor of art.

· They asserted that life should copy art.

· Blue and green sometimes gold as colors.

· Peacock feathers and peacocks were common in paintings.

· Interest in Japanese prints, with their flat perspective.

· Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Aubrey Beardsley, Edward Burne-Jones are famous artists.

· The main characteristics of the style were suggestion rather than statement, sensuality, great use of symbols.

· Important design consideration: Taste, Smell, Appearance, Texture, colour.

· The picture of Dorian Gray’ is also example of massive use of symbolism.

· Aesthetes claimed that there is no space for morality in art.

· ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ is the clear example of aestheticism. Wild is social satirist, whereas he is not seriously criticizing the society in the play, but makes them laugh at themselves. ‘The happy Prince and Other Tales’ is a collection of stories for children by Oscar Wilde. In Happy Prince he very artistically develop the story theme for the level of children

· The British decadent writers were much influenced by the oxford professor Walter Pater, essayist, his essays published during 1867-68.

British writers:

Oscar Wilde & Harold Bloom (supporting leaders)

Aubrey Beardsley

John Barlas

William Morris(News from nowhere, The Well at the World’s End) remarkable work

Walter pater

Dante Gabriel Rossetti

John Ruskin

Predecessors: John Keats and P. B. Shelley.

Criticism: George Sand wrote in 1872 that “l’art pourl’art” means art for art sake, is an empty phrase and idle sentence. She asserted that artists had a ‘duty to find an adequate expression to convey it to as many souls as possible’, ensuring that their works were accessible enough to be appreciated.

Contemporary postcolonial African writer such as Leopold Senghor and Chinua Achebe have criticized the slogan as being a limited and Eurocentric view on art and creation.

Milan Tomic

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