Lecture 9 : Modern Art, French Revolution and Freedom of Expression, What is Modern Art
Art for Art’s Sake
‘Art for Art’s Sake’ is a term that has swiped through the world changing the philosophy of man’s dream. It is considered as one of most remarkable social movement that began with a group of artist and creative people but affected the entire social life in Europe. In order to understand ‘Art for art’s Sake’ one needs to clarify the role of Modern Art that gave birth to the modern thinking. Before we discuss about the philosophy and the style of art that proposed the spirit of Art for Art’s Sake, we need to understand the genesis of such movement starting from the concept of Modern Art.
Modern Art
Modern Art includes artistic works produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the style and philosophy of the art produced during that era.The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of experimentation.Modern artists experimented with new ways of seeing and with fresh ideas about the nature of materials and functions of art. A tendency away from the narrative, which was characteristic for the traditional arts, toward abstraction is characteristic of much modern art. More recent artistic production is often called Contemporary art or Post-modern art.
Beginning of the 19th Century in Europe, French Revolution brought a new concept in art. Instead of royal patrons, the middle class society started dominating the social picture. They were landlords, businessmen, lawyers and journalists. They were rarely bold, challenging and adventurous. Rather they appeared to be conservative in their opinions and politics.
