An Essay Towards a Theory of Art

TABLE OF THE ARGUMENT

Part I

The Theory Largely Eclectic

Artistic Theory Yields Only Intellectual Satisfaction

Æsthetic and Art to Be Distinguished

Their First Distinction

But Art Supposes Æsthetic

Part II

Scope of Æsthetic

The Matter of Æsthetic

What Æsthetic Experience is

But Æsthetic Experience is not Itself Art

Distribution of Æsthetic Experience

Part III

Beauty Occurs Only in Æsthetic Experience

But Æsthetic Experience Need not be Beautiful

The Judgment of Beauty

Illustrated in a Locomotive

Evident Adaptation may be Judged Beautiful

Absolute Beauty

How it is the Type of a Work of Art

Part IV

Art is the Expression of Æsthetic Experience

Expression in Art is Communication

No Communication, No Art

Expression in Art is of Whole Experience

Compound Structure of Experience

No Imitation of Objects in Art

Why the Arts may be Classed Together

Beautiful Experience not Necessarily the Source of Art

But Beauty must be the Result of Art

Origin of Art is Impulsive Experience

Existence of Art is Expressive Experience

They are Distinguishable

Impulsive Experience the End as well as the Cause

Part V

Specific Beauty of Art is given by Expression

Fragmentary Beauty

Whole Beauty

It is Given by Evident Adaptation

Art not Created for the Sake of Beauty

Beauty not Specific to Art may Occur in Art

Possible Limitations of Art and Beauty

How Art is Disinterested

How it is Interested

Part VI

Nature of Artistic Expression

It is Symbolic

Its Means are Empirical

Artistic Conception

Artistic Technique

Technique gives Expressive Experience

This is Variable

Expressive Reveals Impulsive Experience

Part VII

Conception the Condition of Technique

Hence Technique has Two Aspects

Matter and Form

Form the Symbol of Unity

And the Completion of Artistic Expression

Form gives Art its Function

Significance

Form gives Significance to Expressive Experience

As Unity Does to Impulsive Experience

The Significant World is Æsthetic Experience

The Ideal World is Artistic Experience

Aesthetics