Tolstoy on Art: Beyond Pleasure

Tolstoy's Rejection of Pleasure as a Criterion for Art

• Tolstoy critiqued art valuation based solely on pleasure.
• Art's primary role, for Tolstoy, is uniting people through shared emotions, surpassing mere aesthetic enjoyment.
• Tolstoy advocated for a moral basis in art accessible to all, not just the elite.
• According to Tolstoy art should uplift humanity and contribute to collective well-being.

Art's Broader Implications and Unifying Force

• Tolstoy believed art has societal and moral dimensions that extend beyond aesthetics and personal pleasure.
• Art functions as a unifying force within humanity and plays a role in humanity's moral evolution.
• He viewed art as fundamentally about connection, allowing shared emotional experiences between artist and audience.
• The shared experience enabled by art fosters empathy and understanding between people.
• Art connects disparate individuals to transcend isolation.
• Emotional "infection" through art facilitates a sense of unity.
• Art dissolves boundaries, making all feel part of a larger community.
• Without art, humanity would struggle to find meaning and connection.
• Absence of art would lead to a fragmented existence where people would live in isolation.
• Tolstoy asserts that mankind could not exist without art.
• Art is essential for emotional and psychological well-being and promotes survival and growth.

Religious Perception of Art & Morality

• Art is a tool for moral and ethical progress to elevate society by fostering kindness, compassion, and understanding.
• According to Tolstoy art should challenge individuals to reflect on values/behaviors and encourage moral improvement.
• "Religious perception of the age" guides artistic expression with society's prevailing moral and ethical beliefs.
• Art must align with moral values, resonate with the ideals of brotherhood and collective well-being.
• The highest value in art is promoting a sense of brotherhood among people by inspiring a shared understanding of humanity.
• Art contributes to a moral framework that encourages cooperation, compassion, and mutual support.
• Art enables individuals to empathize and work toward a more compassionate society.

Tolstoy's "What is Art?"

• Leo Tolstoy's essay "What Is Art?" was originally published in 1897. In this work, he covers the definition of art, its purpose, and significance to uniting humanity.
• Art is essential for human existence and facilitates empathy and understanding, serving as a means of communication.

Art as Communication

• To correctly define art, viewing it solely as pleasure must stop, recognize it as a fundamental condition of human life.
• Art facilitates a unique form of communication connecting individuals beyond verbal language.
• Art allows individuals to share emotions, enabling one person to experience the feelings of another.
• Transmission of feelings is crucial for relationship building and understanding across differing experiences.

Nature and Characteristics of Art

• A key trait of true art is its infectiousness.
• Art evokes an emotional response that connects the audience to the artist and others who experience the work.
• The ability to unite people in shared feelings and break down barriers between individuals qualifies a work as art.
• Experiencing the emotions expressed by the artist enables recipients to unite, not only with the artist, but others engaging with the work too.

Characteristics of Real Art

• Three essential conditions distinguish real art from counterfeit art: Individuality, clearness, and sincerity.
• Individuality is the uniqueness of the feeling expressed by the artist.
• Clearness is the clarity with which the feeling being expressed is communicated.
• Sincerity is the genuine and heartfelt expression of emotions from the artist.
• The degree to which a work of art satisfies these conditions determines its quality and impact.

Understanding Philippine Art

• Philippine art represents the country's diverse cultural heritage shaped by indigenous traditions, colonial history, and global trends.
• Artistic expressions provide insight into the values, beliefs, and experiences of Filipino communities.
• Art plays a key role forming and expressing national and local identities and allows artists explore their cultural roots to share their perspectives.

Forms of Philippine Art

• Visual arts include painting, sculpture, installation art, and photography. Juan Luna, Fernando Amorsolo, Benedicto Cabrera, and Jose Joya have significantly contributed to visual arts.
• Performing arts includes theater, dance, and music for cultural expression. Traditional and contemporary performances address modern themes/issues.
• Literature, like poetry, novels, and essays, articulates artistic expression reflecting history/cultural diversity challenges.
• Traditional crafts such as weaving, pottery, and woodworking are critical in Philippine art.
• Contemporary design, including fashion, reflects modern elements while embracing traditional ones.

Cultural and Social Significance of Philippine Art

• Philippine art mirrors the nation's identity, portraying its history, traditions, and values.
• Artists draw inspiration from cultural roots to celebrate Filipino heritage.
• The diverse artistic expressions from various ethnic groups promote unity while acknowledging differences.
• Many contemporary artists address social issues like poverty through their art.
• Philippine art encourages critical reflection and engagement by connecting local narratives to global conversations.

Historical Approach

• Hippolyte Taine proposed a framework for art analysis reflecting the context and its creation.
• His approach gave valuable insights into the interplay between an artwork, its creator and the broader cultural landscape.
• The framework considers the effect of class, practices, and factors that influence experiences.
• Primary evaluation focuses on the piece's context/background, including history, politics, formalist traditions, and creator's background.
• "Zeitgeist" translates to "spirit of the age," referring to the prevailing intellectual, moral, and cultural climate.
• It aids understanding motivations, influences, and meanings behind art
• Symbols/motifs in art carry specific meanings with help deciphering elements.

Framework of the Historical Analysis

• Race: Inherited physical and mental characteristics of a group to acknowledge the complex and diverse nature of identity. In this case ethnicity, philosophy and cultural heritage.
• Milieu: Social environment/context the art is created in includes themes, symbols, and techniques. For example, pop art, mass media, and social change.
• Moment: Refers to the historical and cultural period reflecting the prevailing events of a time for example, post world war themes of labor and consumerism.

Race

• Refers to the traits and feelings that affect how people create art.
• These shared cultural traits influence individuals impacting the choices they make in their art.

Milieu

• Denotes circumstances and environments modifying an artist's inherited dispositions.
• Includes social, political, and economic factors influencing themes/techniques employed by an artist.
• It contextualizes artwork within societal norms of the time, revealing deeper meaning,

Moment

• Encompasses historical and cultural forces influencing a artist's work including their own life.

The Pintados

• Tattooing faced suppression during Spanish colonization, as Spanish colonizers viewed it as barbaric.
• Filipino tattoos symbolize identity, connecting wearers to ancestral spirits honor and invoke blessings.
• Tattoos gained popularity among the Filipino diaspora, showing cultural pride.
• Tattoos reflect ethnic identity, serving as symbols of bravery, status, and cultural identity among indigenous groups.
• Art was primarily influenced by their societal structure, where tattoos marked identity and accomplishment.
• The community viewed tattoos as protective symbols or marks of beauty due to tribal warfare/social class.
• Spanish colonial authorities imposed European cultural norms, leading to a decline in traditional tattooing.

The Philippine Dish Sisig

• The dish reflects ethnic influences, Filipino practices utilize every part of the pig showing respect for resourcefulness.
• During American colonial rule Filipinos used discarded pig parts thrown by Americans in order to be resourceful.

New Historicism

• Arose in the 1950's with history of ideas/shifting views away from formalism and structuralism through the 1990's
• In the 1990s, this approach was originally referred to as "cultural materialism."
• Historical Approach analysis relies on objective artwork analysis, based on facts, movements which contrast with New historicism.
• New Historicism Approach embraces subjectivity recognizing multiple readings from differing perspectives
• Both methods also look to power dynamic and how art creates resistance
• General points include that there is no single culture and work is to be interpreted when it was made.
• Michel Foucault came up with theory of Panopticism with is the based on the Panopticon Prison and the pressure to comply with moral rule.
• Key Questions to ask include What customs, behaviors, and aspects of society are connected to praising or criticizing art.

Moral Approach

• Proponents such as Aristotle believed are ability to create art is represent and reflect humanity.
• Horace believed that it needed be pleasing, useful form function.

Morals that Inspire

• Emphasizes art's true significance is found in inspired moral lessons.
• Highlights strong themes such as justice and Compassion.
• General principles
• The Aesthetics of a piece lies in the moral that imparts
• A piece is is seen as source of knowledge values and lessons
• Didactic refers to the ability of instruct Moral

Manosa and Kubo Houses

• In response to question of family home, functionality is most important.
• The house design and function works.
• Roofing that drained to avoid rain.
• Stills keep house on site and protect ground.
• Silong area for storing items and is burial area.
• Floors allowed for good ventilation.
• Biomimicry means art copies shapes/patterns/functions found in nature that are attractive.

Leo Tolstoy

• Born in Russia on 1828, died in 1910 due to pneumonia.
• He was a Christian anarchist who believed that art promotes equality.
• Art allows people to understand feelings.

Juan Luna's Spoliarium

• Was the product of the art of that moment

Philippine Art

• Philippine art is a diverse cultural heritage with traditions, experiences from colonization with unique cultural expression.
• This art also allows artists to explore cultural roots.

Aspects of Philippine Art

• A variety of visual arts such as filming ,installation and photography.
• Theatrical and musical expression.
• Literature and poetry.
• Wood Carvings.