Philosophy of Art

There are three underlying questions in the study here undertaken: first, What is Art? Second, What does Art do to the artist who creates? Third, What does Art do to the student who appreciates? The study deals primarily with the four great ideal types of art sculpture, painting, music and poetry. Architecture, so largely conditioned by utility, will be considered in comparison, as will the composite arts song, opera, dramatic portrayal.

This book is not a review of philosophy and criticism of art, but a study of selected masterpieces in each field, asking what these do to our senses, emotions, imagination and intellect. This is merely applying to the realm of art the method universally insisted upon in all natural science, namely, first finding the facts and then seeking to discover what these mean. This work offers the condensed result of twenty-five years’ study of works of art in each of the four fields.

The book is designed to serve as a companion to the study and teaching of the Philosophy of Art.