Art in Context: Understanding Aesthetic ValueThe various lenses—ethical, political, sexual, religious, and so forth—through which we may view art are often instrumental in giving us an appreciation of the work. In Art in Context: Understanding Aesthetic Value, philosopher David Fenner presents a straightforward, accessible overview of the arguments about the importance of considering the relevant context in determining the true merit of a work of art. Art in Context is a systematic, historically situated, and historically evidenced attempt to demonstrate the importance of considering contexts that will, in the vast majority of cases, increase the aesthetic experience. While focusing on distance, detachment, aestheticism, art for art’s sake, and formalism can at times be instructive and interesting, such approaches risk missing the larger and often central issue of the piece. Based on the findings of philosophers and critics, and on artwork throughout history, Art in Context provides a solid foundation for understanding and valuing a work of art in perspective as well as within the particular world in which it exists. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
A Theory of The Aesthetic | 17 |
The Value of Art | 43 |
Disinterest Theory and Formalist Theory | 80 |
Contextualist Theory | 122 |
Issues of Definition | 167 |
Issues Concerning the Power of Art | 196 |
Issues of Meaningfulness | 228 |
Science and Contextualist Aesthetics | 262 |
A Review of the Arguments and Evidence | 285 |
NOTES | 307 |
| 331 | |
| 345 | |
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actually aesthetic experience aesthetic object aesthetic properties appreciation approach architecture argument art objects artist artworks aspects attention attitude audience Beardsley beauty believe chapter character claim common concerns connection consider consideration context correct course create Criticism cultural dance definition described different discussion disinterest distance emotion engagement essentially evaluation example existence expression fact feel film find first focus focused formal formalist function given greater human identification important individual interest involved Journal judge judgment least look matter means merely moral motivated move museum nationalist nature offer original particular perhaps person perspective play pleasure political position practical present production properties pure qualities question reason regard relations religious requires rituals seems sense social sort taste theorists theory thetic things tion true understand University viewer writes