Nietzsche and ArtLudovici, Anthony M. (Anthony Mario)
Philosophy
Nietzsche and Art
Ludovici, Anthony M. (Anthony Mario)
Aesthetics, German -- 19th century; Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm, 1844-1900 -- Aesthetics
[30] T. I., Part 10, Aph. 24: "A psychologist asks what does all art
do? does it not praise? does it not glorify? does it not select? does
it not bring into prominence? In each of these cases it strengthens or
weakens certain valuations. ... Is this only a contingent matter?--an
accident, something with which the instinct of the artist would not at
all be concerned? Or rather, is it not the pre-requisite which enables
the artist to do something? Is his fundamental instinct directed
towards art?--or is it not rather directed towards the sense of art,
namely, life? towards desirableness of life?"
[31] See p. 119.
[32] _W. P._, Vol. I, p. 246. See also T. I., Part 10, Aph. 24, and _G.
E._, p. 145.
4. The Artist's and the Layman's View of Life.
If the artist's view of Life can no longer affect Life, if his
ordering, simplifying and adjusting mind can no longer make Life
simpler, more orderly and better adjusted, then all his power has
vanished, and he has ceased from counting in our midst, save, perhaps,
as a _decorator_ of our homes--that is to say, as an artisan; or as an
_entertainer_--that is to say, as a mere illustrator of our literary
men's work.
What is so important in the artist is, that disorder and confusion are
the loadstones that attract him.[33] Though, in stating this, I should ask
you to remember that he sees disorder and confusion where, very often,
the ordinary person imagines everything to be admirably arranged.
Still, the fact remains that he finds his greatest proof of power only
where his ordering and simplifying mind meets with something whereon it
may stamp its two strongest features: Order and Simplicity; and where
he is strong, relative disorder is his element, and the arrangement
of this disorder is his product.[34] Stimulated by disorder, which he
despises, he is driven to his work; spurred by the sight of anarchy,
his inspiration is government; fertilized by rudeness and ruggedness,
his will to power gives birth to culture and refinement. He gives of
himself--his business is to make things reflect him.
Thus, even his will to eternalize, and to stamp the nature of stability
on Becoming, must not be confounded with that other desire for Being
which is a desire for rest and repose and opiates,[35] and which has
found its strongest expression in the idea of the Christian Heaven.
It is, rather, a feeling of gratitude towards Life, a desire to show
thankfulness to Life, which makes him desire to rescue one beautiful
body from the river of Becoming, and fix its image for ever in this
world,[36] whereas the other is based upon a loathing of Life and a
weariness of it.
Defining _ugliness_ provisionally as disorder, it may have a great
attraction for the artist, it may even be the artist's sole attraction,
and in converting it--the thing he despises most--into _beauty_, which
we shall define provisionally as order, he reaches the zenith of his
power.[37]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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