““All art is quite useless”All art is quite useless”

ART FOR ART SAKEART FOR ART SAKEOscar WildeOscar Wilde

Wildes biographyWildes biography Born on October 16, 1854 in Dublin. Born on October 16, 1854 in Dublin. Was a good student.Was a good student. Wrote lots of poems, plays, children stories Wrote lots of poems, plays, children stories

and only one novel: and only one novel: The picture of Dorian The picture of Dorian Gray.Gray.

Had two children with his wife ConstanceHad two children with his wife Constance Died from meningitis on November 30, Died from meningitis on November 30,

1900.1900.

He got a lot of criticism for “The picture of He got a lot of criticism for “The picture of Dorian Gray”.Dorian Gray”.

To To defend thedefend the reputation of the reputation of the novelnovel he wrote he wrote a a prefacepreface, with , with statementsstatements about the about the role of the role of the artist, the art itself and the value of beautyartist, the art itself and the value of beauty..

Also an Also an indicator of how Wilde intends the indicator of how Wilde intends the novel to be read.novel to be read.

Idea of aestheticism.Idea of aestheticism.

AestheticismAestheticism: european : european movement of the 19th century movement of the 19th century which gave more importance which gave more importance to aesthetic values than to to aesthetic values than to moral or social values.moral or social values.

Oscar Wildes position in front Oscar Wildes position in front of art: of art:

“ “art for art sake”art for art sake”

Statements taken from the preface :Statements taken from the preface : ““No artist desires to prove anything”No artist desires to prove anything”

““No artist has ethical sympathies”No artist has ethical sympathies”

““All art is at once surface and symbol. Those All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors”;mirrors”;

““We can forgive a man We can forgive a man for making a useful for making a useful thing as long as he does thing as long as he does not admire it. The only not admire it. The only excuse for making a excuse for making a useless thing is that one useless thing is that one admires it intensely”;admires it intensely”;

ConlusionConlusion

There are more important things in life than There are more important things in life than beauty.beauty.