Difference between revisions of "Art, (man)splained"

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==Editor's comment==
 
==Editor's comment==
  
I have made <s>one</s> two small change<u>s</u> in the first paragraph. See if you can find <s>it</s> <u>them</u>. ^^
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[[File:Kunisada-woman-blackening-teeth.jpg|thumb|right|’Tooth blackening’<br /> from ’Mirrors of the modern boudoir’<br />[https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q467427 Utagawa Kunisada], ca. 1823]]
 
 
 
[http://www.gutenberg.org/files/26740/26740-h/26740-h.htm Wilde's book at gutenberg.org].   
 
[http://www.gutenberg.org/files/26740/26740-h/26740-h.htm Wilde's book at gutenberg.org].   
  
==Preface to ''The Picture of Dorian Gray''==
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The preface was originally printed in ''Fortnightly Review'', 1 March 1891, a year after the novel appeared in serial form.  This version comes from an authorized, non-pirated, 1916 printing.
[[File:Kunisada-woman-blackening-teeth.jpg|thumb|right|[https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q467427 Utagawa Kunisada], ca. 1823<br />  ’Tooth blackening’ from ’Mirrors of the modern boudoir’]]
 
 
 
Originally printed in ''Fortnightly Review'', 1 March 1891, this version of the text comes from an authorized, non-pirated, 1916 printing.
 
  
 +
I have made one small change early in the text.  See if you can spot it.  ^^
  
 +
==Preface to ''The Picture of Dorian Gray''==
 
<p><span style="font-variant:small-caps;">The</span> artist is the creator of beautiful things.<br />
 
<p><span style="font-variant:small-caps;">The</span> artist is the creator of beautiful things.<br />
 
To reveal art and conceal the artist is art's aim.<br />
 
To reveal art and conceal the artist is art's aim.<br />
The critic is ''she'' who can translate into another manner
+
The critic is he who can translate into another manner
or a new material ''her'' impression of beautiful things.<br />
+
or a new material her impression of beautiful things.<br />
 
 
 
<span style="margin-left: 6.5em;">The highest, as the lowest, form of criticism</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 6.5em;">The highest, as the lowest, form of criticism</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 6.5em;">is a mode of autobiography.</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 6.5em;">is a mode of autobiography.</span><br />
 
 
Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are
 
Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are
 
corrupt without being charming. This is a fault.<br />
 
corrupt without being charming. This is a fault.<br />
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<span style="margin-left: 7.5em;">beautiful things are the cultivated. For</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 7.5em;">beautiful things are the cultivated. For</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 7.5em;">these there is hope.</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 7.5em;">these there is hope.</span><br />
 
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">They are the elect to whom beautiful things</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">They are the elect to whom beautiful things</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">mean only Beauty.</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">mean only Beauty.</span><br />
 
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">book. Books are well written, or</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">book. Books are well written, or</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">badly written. That is all.</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">badly written. That is all.</span><br />
 +
The nineteenth century dislike of Realism is the rage of Caliban seeing his own face in a glass.<br />
  
The nineteenth century dislike of Realism is the rage
 
of Caliban seeing his own face in a glass.<br />
 
 
[[File:Stephano, Trinculo and Caliban dancing.jpg|thumb|right|Stephano, Trinculo and Caliban dancing.<br/>[https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q882599 Johann Heinrich Ramberg]<br /><br /> Caliban is the one with the webbed feet. :)]]
 
[[File:Stephano, Trinculo and Caliban dancing.jpg|thumb|right|Stephano, Trinculo and Caliban dancing.<br/>[https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q882599 Johann Heinrich Ramberg]<br /><br /> Caliban is the one with the webbed feet. :)]]
  
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<span style="margin-left: 7em;">is the rage of Caliban not seeing</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 7em;">is the rage of Caliban not seeing</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 7em;">his own face in a glass.</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 7em;">his own face in a glass.</span><br />
 
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">The moral life of man forms part of the subject-matter</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">The moral life of man forms part of the subject-matter</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">of the artist, but the morality of art consists</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">of the artist, but the morality of art consists</span><br />
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<span style="margin-left: 2em;">No artist desires to prove anything. Even</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">No artist desires to prove anything. Even</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">things that are true can be proved.</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">things that are true can be proved.</span><br />
 
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">No artist has ethical sympathies. An ethical</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">No artist has ethical sympathies. An ethical</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">sympathy in an artist is an unpardonable</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">sympathy in an artist is an unpardonable</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">mannerism of style.</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">mannerism of style.</span><br />
 
 
<span style="margin-left: 7em;">No artist is ever morbid. The artist</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 7em;">No artist is ever morbid. The artist</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 7em;">can express everything.</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 7em;">can express everything.</span><br />
 
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Thought and language are to the artist instruments</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Thought and language are to the artist instruments</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">of an art.</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">of an art.</span><br />
 
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">Vice and virtue are to the artist materials</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">Vice and virtue are to the artist materials</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">for an art.</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">for an art.</span><br />
 
+
[[File:Tuning-fork.jpg|200px|right|a tuning fork: '''''Bon appetit&nbsp;!''''']]
From the point of view of form, the type of all the
+
From the point of view of form, the type of all the arts is the art of the musician. From the point of view of feeling, the actor's craft is the type.<br />
arts is the art of the musician. From the point of
 
view of feeling, the actor's craft is the type.<br />
 
 
 
 
<span style="margin-left: 7em;">All art is at once surface and symbol.</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 7em;">All art is at once surface and symbol.</span><br />
 
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril.</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril.</span><br />
 
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">Those who read the symbol do so at their peril.</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">Those who read the symbol do so at their peril.</span><br />
 
 
It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors.<br />
 
It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors.<br />
 
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Diversity of opinion about a work of art shows</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Diversity of opinion about a work of art shows</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">that the work is new, complex, and vital.</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">that the work is new, complex, and vital.</span><br />
 
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">When critics disagree the artist is in accord with himself.</span><br />
 
<span style="margin-left: 4em;">When critics disagree the artist is in accord with himself.</span><br />
[[File:Tuning-fork.jpg|thumb|right|a tuning fork, ''bon appetit&nbsp;!'']]
+
We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it. The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely.<br />
We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as
 
long as he does not admire it. The only excuse for
 
making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely.<br />
 
 
 
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">All art is quite useless.</span></p>
 
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">All art is quite useless.</span></p>
 
 
<p style="font-variant:small-caps;margin-left: 12em;">&mdash;Oscar Wilde</p>
 
<p style="font-variant:small-caps;margin-left: 12em;">&mdash;Oscar Wilde</p>

Latest revision as of 01:47, 27 September 2020

Editor's comment

’Tooth blackening’
from ’Mirrors of the modern boudoir’
Utagawa Kunisada, ca. 1823

Wilde's book at gutenberg.org.

The preface was originally printed in Fortnightly Review, 1 March 1891, a year after the novel appeared in serial form. This version comes from an authorized, non-pirated, 1916 printing.

I have made one small change early in the text. See if you can spot it. ^^

Preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray

The artist is the creator of beautiful things.
To reveal art and conceal the artist is art's aim.
The critic is he who can translate into another manner or a new material her impression of beautiful things.
The highest, as the lowest, form of criticism
is a mode of autobiography.
Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming. This is a fault.
Those who find beautiful meanings in
beautiful things are the cultivated. For
these there is hope.
They are the elect to whom beautiful things
mean only Beauty.
There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral
book. Books are well written, or
badly written. That is all.
The nineteenth century dislike of Realism is the rage of Caliban seeing his own face in a glass.

Stephano, Trinculo and Caliban dancing.
Johann Heinrich Ramberg

Caliban is the one with the webbed feet. :)

The nineteenth century dislike of Romanticism
is the rage of Caliban not seeing
his own face in a glass.
The moral life of man forms part of the subject-matter
of the artist, but the morality of art consists
in the perfect use of an imperfect medium.
No artist desires to prove anything. Even
things that are true can be proved.
No artist has ethical sympathies. An ethical
sympathy in an artist is an unpardonable
mannerism of style.
No artist is ever morbid. The artist
can express everything.
Thought and language are to the artist instruments
of an art.
Vice and virtue are to the artist materials
for an art.

a tuning fork: Bon appetit !

From the point of view of form, the type of all the arts is the art of the musician. From the point of view of feeling, the actor's craft is the type.
All art is at once surface and symbol.
Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril.
Those who read the symbol do so at their peril.
It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors.
Diversity of opinion about a work of art shows
that the work is new, complex, and vital.
When critics disagree the artist is in accord with himself.
We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it. The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely.

All art is quite useless.

—Oscar Wilde