Aesthete

An Aesthete is an person who is deeply appreciative of and sensitive to art and beauty.

• Context:
  • They can (typically) be an individual with a heightened sensitivity to the aesthetics of their environment.
  • They can (typically) appreciate and seek out artistic expression and aesthetic experiences.
  • They can (often) have a deep understanding and appreciation of artistic techniques and artistic styles.
  • They can (often) engage in artistic criticism or art appreciation.
  • They can be involved in the artistic creation process.
  • …
• Example(s):
  • An individual who spends their free time visiting art galleries and museums.
  • A writer who focuses on the beauty of language and literary aesthetics.
  • A fashion designer who prioritizes aesthetic appeal over practicality.
  • …
• Counter-Example(s):
  • A Utilitarian, who values practicality over aesthetics.
  • A Philistine, who is indifferent or hostile to art and culture.
  • …
• See: Art History, Aesthetic Philosophy, Cultural Criticism, Fine Arts, Aestheticism, Aesthetics, Art Lover, Connoisseur.

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References

2023

• (Wikipedia, 2023) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aestheticism Retrieved:2023-11-21.
  • Aestheticism (also known as the aesthetic movement) was an art movement in the late 19th century which valued the appearance of literature, music and the arts over their functions. According to Aestheticism, art should be produced to be beautiful, rather than to teach a lesson, create a parallel, or perform another didactic purpose, a sentiment best illustrated by the slogan "art for art's sake." Aestheticism originated in 1860s England with a radical group of artists and designers, including William Morris and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. It flourished in the 1870s and 1880s, gaining prominence and the support of notable writers such as Walter Pater and Oscar Wilde. Aestheticism challenged the values of mainstream Victorian culture, as many Victorians believed that literature and art fulfilled important ethical roles. Writing in The Guardian, Fiona McCarthy states that "the aesthetic movement stood in stark and sometimes shocking contrast to the crass materialism of Britain in the 19th century." Aestheticism was named by the critic Walter Hamilton in The Aesthetic Movement in England in 1882. By the 1890s, decadence, a term with origins in common with aestheticism, was in use across Europe.

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