Tolstoy’s Art Definition

In the text “What Is Art?” (excerpts) I agree with Leo Tolstoy’s definition, art is an expression of a feeling, experience in such a way that audience to whom art is directed can share the same feeling or experience. For instance, many artist and many of us have can disagree and agree with this definition. Yet, art can be seen in may ways. For example, Tolstoy’s art must have three components….

#30. And the degree of the infectiousness of art depends on three conditions:

1. On the greater or lesser individuality of the feeling transmitted;
2. On the greater or lesser clearness with which the feeling is transmitted;
3. On the sincerity of the artist, i.e., on the greater or lesser force with which the artist himself feels the emotion he transmits.

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An example of art work consider to fit into Tolstoy’s category would be this image as presented. I don’t consider death as art, but I do consider this image to be art and it would fit into Tolstoy’s definition. For one at least everybody has lost somebody that meant the world to them. Individuality comes into play because not only you’ve been through this but you know the feeling of losing a loved one. And for the most part when somebody hasn’t experienced losing somebody meaningful they can’t relate to the feeling they don’t share individuality.

In this image clarity is present because as said before many of us can feel pain, sadness by simply remembering when you lost somebody. Therefore, I agree with Tolstoy how “art” can send a message and transmit the same feeling to others.

The third component that Tolstoy discussed was sincerity. I believe this is presented in this image by whether the artist being able to transmit his emotions to the the audience. For instance, many of us can agree on when you see this image if you have lost somebody in the past, you can relate yet, if you haven’t lost anybody meaningful to you then it makes things complicated to agree with Tolstoys definition of art. Therefore, artist and audience have to relate to the image that shares the same message. (Word Count 360).