Notes on Tolstoy, What is Art? Chapter 12

(Originally Written Mar. 3, 2008 in the Journal)

What is Art?
Leo Tolstoy

Chapter 12

Three things cooperate to cause the production of counterfeit art:
1. The professionalism of the artist for hire
2. Art criticism
3. Schools of art

When art became a profession it was due to the upper classes' obsession with art for their pleasure. In art becoming a profession the most fundamental quality of art was lost, its sincerity.

Art criticism has also led to counterfeit art because criticism is being done by perverted individuals. The critics claim it is their job to explain art, but if an artist produces a true work of art, he transmits his feelings to others. Therefore, what is there left to explain?

An artist's work is not open for interpretation.

The artist would choose to express his feelings with words if he could, but he could not. Therefore, he expressed it with art.

Universal art has a definite and indubitable criterion - religious perception. Because the upper classes lack this they must search for some external criterion for art and thus, critics exist. Universal art needs no interpretation and thus, no critics.

Art schools are also harmful. How can one teach one how to transmit a unique feeling? These schools teach how to transmit feelings of other artists' experience. The teach how to counterfeit.

"Infection is only obtained when an artist finds those infinitely minute degrees of which a work consists, and only to the extent to which he finds them" (Maude, 201).  These degrees of minuteness are only found when a man yields to his feelings. They cannot be taught to be found.

Schools may teach what is necessary to produce something resembling art, but not art itself. The teaching at schools stops exactly where art begins.

These three things, the making of art into a profession, art criticism and art schools have made most people unable to understand what is art by forcing them to become accustomed to counterfeits.