Quote by Oscar Wilde

The public make use of the classics of a country as a means of checking the progress of Art. They degrade the classics into authorities.... A fresh mode of Beauty is absolutely distasteful to them, and whenever it appears they get so angry and bewildered that they always use two stupid expressions--one is that the work of art is grossly unintelligible; the other, that the work of art is grossly immoral. What they mean by these words seems to me to be this. When they say a work is grossly unintelligible, they mean that the artist has said or made a beautiful thing that is new; when they describe a work as grossly immoral, they mean that the artist has said or made a beautiful thing that is true.

The public make use of the classics of a country as a means

Summary

This quote by Oscar Wilde addresses the public's reaction to new and innovative works of art. According to Wilde, the public often looks to classical works as a measure of artistic progress, treating them as authorities. However, when confronted with a fresh and unconventional form of beauty, they become confused and angry, using two common criticisms: claiming that the work is unintelligible or immoral. Wilde suggests that these reactions actually stem from the public's discomfort with the artist introducing something new and beautiful, whether it challenges traditional understanding or presents a profound truth.

Topics

Truth Art Beauty Creativity Public Opinions Attitudes

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