The Philosophy of Fine Art, volume 3 (of 4): Hegel's AesthetikHegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich
Philosophy
The Philosophy of Fine Art, volume 3 (of 4): Hegel's Aesthetik
Hegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich
Aesthetics
merely indicative of the spleen of the artist, who, after entrusting a
profound significance to his work, instead of making the exposition of
the same free, transparent, and buoyant, deliberately makes it hard to
follow. A trade in mysteries of this kind is also nothing but another
form of affectation, and a spurious alternative to the complaisance we
have criticized.
It is pre-eminently in the work of the French school that we find
this tendency to flatter, attract, and create effect, and they have
in this way elaborated this easy-going and complaisant attitude to
the public as the main object of their efforts. They seek to find
the real importance of their artistic work in the satisfaction such
affords others, whose interest they would arouse and whom they would
duly impress. This tendency is particularly marked in their dramatic
poetry. Marmontel, for example, gives us the following anecdote in
connection with the performance of his drama "Dénis, the Tyrant." The
crisis culminated in a question asked the Tyrant. Clairon, in whose
mouth this question was put, when the moment for asking it had arrived,
and when actually in conversation with Dionysius, made a forward step
in front of the audience and dramatically addressed them instead. By
this rhetorical effect the enthusiastic support of the entire piece was
assured.
We Germans, on the other hand, require too much a content in our works
of art, in the depths of which the artist finds a deliverance from
himself, without troubling himself about the public, who is just left
to look at it, take trouble over it, and help himself out with it, as
he pleases or is able.
DIVISION OF SUBJECT
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