Art, Prehistoric; Folk literature -- History and criticism
Nevertheless, all of them may assume esthetic values. Rhythmical
movements of the body or of objects, forms that appeal to the eye,
sequences of tones and forms of speech which please the ear, produce
artistic effects. Muscular, visual and auditory sensations are the
materials that give us esthetic pleasure and that are used in art.
We may also speak of impressions that appeal to the senses of smell,
taste and touch. A composition of scents, a gastronomical repast may be
called works of art provided they excite pleasurable sensations.
What then gives to the sensation an esthetic value? When the technical
treatment has attained a certain standard of excellence, when the
control of the processes involved is such that certain typical forms
are produced, we call the process an art, and however simple the forms
may be, they may be judged from the point of view of formal perfection;
industrial pursuits such as cutting, carving, moulding, weaving; as
well as singing, dancing and cooking are capable of attaining technical
excellence and fixed forms. The judgment of perfection of technical
form is essentially an esthetic judgment. It is hardly possible to
state objectively just where the line between artistic and pre-artistic
forms should be drawn, because we cannot determine just where the
esthetic attitude sets in. It seems certain, however, that wherever a
definite type of movement, a definite sequence of tones or a fixed form
has developed it must become a standard by which its perfection, that
is, its beauty, is measured.
Such types exist among mankind the world over, and we must assume that
if an unstandardized form should prove to possess an esthetic appeal
for a community it would readily be adopted. Fixity of form seems to be
most intimately connected with our ideas of beauty.
Since a perfect standard of form can be attained only in a highly
developed and perfectly controlled technique there must be an intimate
relation between technique and a feeling for beauty.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account