After modernist formalism, contemporary artworks are often assigned a critic function: they are said to “question”, “reconsider”, “call for reflection” on the world… Such formulas refer to the Socratic foundation of philosophy, whereas the philosopher was the one who brought to light the fragility of opinions, discovered prejudices, undid ordinary beliefs and convictions that were not grounded in reason.

Thus, after the preeminence of philosophy on art, as in the philosophical systems that dominated the 19 th century, we observe nowadays a predominance of art on philosophy’s very task, that is, critical questioning. This paper attempts to reconstruct the historical origin of this new theoretical attitude, and to evaluate its pertinence through an examination of the conditions under which art can carry out such critical programme.