Monday 23 July 2007

L'art pour l'art

The aesthetic movement flourished in Britain in 1868 as a reaction to the Industrial Revolution and Victorian era. It was formed with a vast group of post-Romantic artists who tended to hold that Art's purpose wasn't didacticism but beauty. Art for them had nothing to do with moral, it should provide us pleasure, not ethic and that's why their works were filled with sensuality, symbols and synaesthetic effects.

"Synesthesia is a neurological condition in which two or more bodily senses are coupled. In one common form of synesthesia, known as grapheme, letters or numbers are perceived as inherently colored." And that's how children think, because their brains aren't mature enough. Some people keep that skill during the rest of their lives, and most of them use their experiences during creative processes. Synesthesia can also be experienced with some psychedelic drugs like acid.


Aesthetic fashion.

At the end of the XIX century, some writers and artists, like Ruskin, rose up against one of the most anti-hygienic garment ever: crinoline. They suggested looser cut and unstructured dresses in the style of medieval or Renaissance frocks with larger sleeves.

Lieder Ohne Worte by Lord Frederic Leighton

The corset free lady was thought Bohemian and immoral. The typical aesthetic woman had pale skin, green eyes, and long red hair (enhanced with henna).

Aesthetes introduced natural dyes, preferring faded colours, evoking nature as terracotta, indigo, salmon, green, etc...The dresses were adorned with large sunflowers and daffodils, made of silk with oriental silhouettes (Japanese kimonos and Indian pyjamas).

"A garden" by Albert Moore

The epitome of the male aesthete was Oscar Wilde. During his speaking tour of America, he liked to wear a velvet jacket, a flowing tie, and a wide-awake hat.


The aesthetic movement is considered to have ended with the trial of Oscar Wilde and the appearance of Art Nouveau.

"We are all in the gutter but some are looking at the stars" Oscar Wilde.



Chopin's music makes me cry.

6 comments:

- said...

personallyI prefer art nouveau because the 19th century and all its artictic movementsarent for me!

by the way I saw Morrisey, I saw him three times: one in FIB another iN Paredes de Coura festival and the last one here in London (it was hte best performance, a complete concert! it was awesome!) I WISH I COULD HAVE BEEN IN FIB THIS YEAR CAUSE MOST OF THE GROUPS THAT PLAYED THRE WERE REALLY INTERESTING!

Madelene said...

I adore Mr Wilde, he was and is completely timeless.

I always look to art for inspiration, right now I'm really interested in Art Deco and Surrealism. I've been listening to a bunch of university (from iTunes) art history lessons on my Ipod.

mahret said...

Thank you for sharing. I so much love chopin aswell... I miss my piano. I'll take it from my parent's house as soon as i know where I'm going to stay for the next five years...

@le portillon
hey that's a great idea, listening to art history lessons on the ipod.

mahret said...

I'm "listening" to your blog for about an hour know ;-( it's so beautiful.
You could also have written fnart, the actual website is called www.fnart.org I just redirected it, because for me it's so much easier to use the blogspot platform...
But fartguide is "nice" aswell.
Sorry, the "&" is a complicated sign sometimes. Haven't thought about it earlier. Thank you for linking be back, by the way ♥

Diana Coronado said...

Like a History class !!
I love your post!!

christina said...

Although I also love the Art Nouveau era, I also really love the art of the post-Romantics.
I really like the paintings you chose btw.

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