Fifty years ago in etc.

Fifty years ago in etc. Any two art appreciators, even those of similar background andsensitivity to art, are likely to differ widely in their reactions to agiven work of art. The question is raised now: Why is it that twopersons from fairly similar social backgrounds, with an equal amount oftraining, will react so differently? The answer, to put it simply, wouldbe that each person is different. As simple as this sounds, it comesvery close to the truth, but we must look further into the matter. First of all: is it possible that a painting--for instance, the"View of Toledo View of Toledo, sometimes called Toledo in a Storm, is one of the two surviving landscapes painted by El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos). The other, called View and Plan of Toledo lies at Museo Del Greco, Toledo, Spain. " by El Greco--showing a definite subject,should be able to achieve one similar reaction in all onlookers? It is,after all, a view of a landscape, of a specific subject matter. Toledois indeed on a hill and has churches and trees. Is it not possible thatone could feel or evaluate a work of art for its own quality, for whatit attempts to convey? It appears, thus, that the subject matter of the paintings indeedindicates what the paintings portray, but the major vehicle in conveyingthe content of the work is the manner in which it is executed. Thecontent will be an emotional experience, an attitude to life, and thesubject will become only secondary, a support to the feeling to beexpressed. Thus the El Greco El Greco:see Greco, El. painting will have as the subject alandscape of a definite town, but how it is painted will convey ascontent a mood, an attitude of the artist. The apples of Cezanne willbecome not mere apples on a table but--to use Cezanne's ownexpression--a "pretext PRETEXT. The reasons assigned to justify an act, which have only the appearance of truth, and which are without foundation; or which if true are not the true reasons for such act. Vattel, liv. 3, c. 3, 32. " for the artist to express himself. Thegladioli glad��i��o��lus?n. pl. glad��i��o��li or glad��i��o��lus��es1. also glad��i��o��la Botany Any of numerous plants of the genus Gladiolus, of Soutine will not be just red flowers but the medium used bythis artist to convey his own emotion of torment and fear. We may establish with fair accuracy that the subject matter itselfis not the point of departure upon which the onlooker's emotionalreaction will be based. We have had to remove from our considerationthis very tangible thing and replace it with something which originatesin the human psyche with its intangible elements of moods andemotions--the real "content" of the work of art. If this contention is acceptable, then is it possible that theonlooker, by understanding or interpreting the various pretexts orpersonal symbols used by the artist and incorporated in his work, maygrasp exactly the same emotion that the artist tried to convey? There is no doubt that such an interpretation is generallyadmissible (algorithm) admissible - A description of a search algorithm that is guaranteed to find a minimal solution path before any other solution paths, if a solution exists. An example of an admissible search algorithm is A* search. . A Romanesque or Byzantine work, for instance, will convey amood of great religious fervor. No one with any amount of artappreciation would place the feeling radiating ra��di��ate?v. ra��di��at��ed, ra��di��at��ing, ra��di��atesv.intr.1. To send out rays or waves.2. To issue or emerge in rays or waves: Heat radiated from the stove. from such sculptures inthe realm of gaiety GaietySee also Cheerfulness, Joviality, Joy.Gallantry (See CHIVALRY.)butterfly orchissymbol of gaiety. or sensuousness sen��su��ous?adj.1. Of, relating to, or derived from the senses.2. Appealing to or gratifying the senses.3. a. Readily affected through the senses.b. . If the re-feeling of this religiousmood has been achieved, it is still questionable whether a 20th centuryman can recapture the all-pervading, all-embracing religious fervor ofthe 12th century artist. The latter's whole life was imbued withChristian teaching, expressing the feeling of his whole community. Theartist was often a priest or an employee of the church. Our religiousattitude, if it exists, is of comparatively superficial nature. Thisdifference in the intensity of feeling expressed by the artist is a veryessential factor. A contemplative con��tem��pla��tive?adj.Disposed to or characterized by contemplation. See Synonyms at pensive.n.1. A person given to contemplation.2. A member of a religious order that emphasizes meditation. attitude is a passing one; a deeplyfelt fervor is the root of the personality. We have taken as examples works which by their subject and styleobviously radiate ra��di��atev.1. To spread out in all directions from a center.2. To emit or be emitted as radiation.ra an easily defined mood. We get into greater difficultywith El Greco or Cezanne or Picasso. It would seem rather evident fromthe foregoing that it is impossible to grasp the same emotional attitudewhich the artist started out to incorporate into his work. One of the reasons for this conclusion is that when the artistcreates, he may not be aware of any clearly definable emotions. If wetalk about "religious fervor" or about "torment," wemust ask: what do we mean by this? Can we be precise and make ascientifically correct statement as to the nature of any of theseemotions? Obviously, this is impossible. Emotions, with their origin inthe unconscious, are frequently vague; if they are given expression,they, too, may be of great variance. An enraged en��rage?tr.v. en��raged, en��rag��ing, en��rag��esTo put into a rage; infuriate.[Middle English *enragen, from Old French enrager : en-, causative pref. person, for instance,may express his anger by killing someone, breaking dishes, being unableto eat. Or he may simply bury his rage within himself and suffer thefrustrations of not being able to express his feeling for fear of theconsequences. Now the artist, for argument's sake, may also havestarted with a feeling of "rage" but his"expression" may not be that of breaking dishes but, instead,the "breaking of the surface of a plane" in his painting. Isit not conceivable that when Rembrandt, for instance, left theacceptable type of great realism of his period and began to paint withbroken-up color surfaces, that this was his own way to"protest" against the well established order of his society?For Rembrandt, the well-made drapery or well-modeled face may have stoodfor the prevailing social order; his protest may have manifested itselfby a revolt against this type of artistic rendition ren��di��tion?n.1. The act of rendering.2. An interpretation of a musical score or a dramatic piece.3. A performance of a musical or dramatic work.4. A translation, often interpretive. , and he may havebeen asserting himself by breaking with tradition and finding anindividual type of expression. Now the very same artistic expression maymean, for another onlooker, simply Rembrandt's experimentation withcolor, light, and shade and would evoke admiration for his greatachievements in this domain only. What we are endeavoring to show with this example is that it isextremely difficult to recapture in its true nature exactly the samemood that the artist expressed in his work. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In a field that has not been noted for lack of pompous pom��pous?adj.1. Characterized by excessive self-esteem or exaggerated dignity; pretentious: pompous officials who enjoy giving orders.2. dogmatism dog��ma��tism?n.Arrogant, stubborn assertion of opinion or belief.dogmatism1. a statement of a point of view as if it were an established fact.2. ,Mr. Osborne's essay seems refreshingly placid plac��id?adj.1. Undisturbed by tumult or disorder; calm or quiet. See Synonyms at calm.2. Satisfied; complacent.[Latin placidus, from and unexaggerated.Its initial profession of purpose is simply stated: It is offered in all modesty and hesitation, not with any illusion that it solves the problem of aesthetics nor even in the belief that my own views will not change in many particulars still. But it is offered with some conviction that in it the way is shown by which the united work of many men over many years could yield genuine progress and build a fruitful science. For of this I am sure, that by the methods which are now employed no progress towards a better understanding can accrue. Although such welcome modesty ModestySee also Chastity, Humility.Bell, Laurareserved, demure character. [Br. Lit.: Pendennis]Biancagentle, unassuming sister of Kate. [Br. Lit. cannot fairly be called timidity TimiditySee also Cowardice.Alden, John(c. 1599–1687) too timid to ask for Priscilla’s hand in marriage. [Am. Lit.: “The Courtship of Miles Standish” in Benét, 230]Bergson, Emil (whoever saw a timid "aesthetician aes��the��ti��cianor es��the��ti��cian ?n.1. One versed in the theory of beauty and artistic expression.2. One skilled in giving facials, manicures, pedicures, and other beauty treatments. "?), there does seem to runthroughout the book an undercurrent of whistling in the dark--againsttwo possibilities. The first: a fear for the very existence of a successful"independent science aesthetics," which the author himselfsays we do not yet have. Against one theory he appears to object becauseit "rejects the possibility of an independent science ofaesthetics." Against another he warns that if we accept it "weare bound to recognize that there is no science or philosophy ofaesthetics other than the history of taste and the psychology ofemotions." He remarks that a certain hypothesis must hold or"there is no science of aesthetics." He chides other theoristsfor having "degraded de��grad��ed?adj.1. Reduced in rank, dignity, or esteem.2. Having been corrupted or depraved.3. Having been reduced in quality or value. aesthetics from an autonomous science into asubsidiary branch of some other science." On behalf of a givendefinition he cautions that "unless this, or some other suchdefinition, is accepted and is found to work, aesthetics will neverbecome more than an empirical study of the linguistic habits ofmankind." Now, what indeed if there should never be an"independent science of aesthetics"? Would this be so tragic?Does either creative production or the enjoyment of it conceivablydepend on the formulation of such a science? The other fear referredto--perhaps more fairly called an overmodest apology--seems implicit in Adj. 1. implicit in - in the nature of something though not readily apparent; "shortcomings inherent in our approach"; "an underlying meaning"underlying, inherent the author's statement that, if his somewhat complex conclusion, or"view," is rejected, then "I do not think that thearguments this essay, or any arguments which have come to my noticeoutside it, are of very great importance." This strikes the presentreviewer as a quite unjustified insistence that the essay's onlyvalue lies in the complete acceptability of its theoretical conclusions. NORMAN T. NEWTON, BOOK REVIEW OF THEORY OF BEAUTY BY HAROLD OSBORNE EDITOR: NORA MILLER