The Philosophy of Art: The Meaning and Relations of Sculpture, Painting, Poetry and Music

Contents: Introduction. 1. The Expression of Human, Life in Art. 2. The Interpretation of Human Life in Art. 3. Primitive Source of Art. 4. Defining Forces Behind Art: The Artist. 5. The Development of the Artist as Revealed in art. 6. Defining Forces Behind Art: The Epoch. 7. Defining Forces Behind Art: The Race. 8. The Unique Function of each fine Art. 9. The Meaning and function of Sculpture. 10. The Meaning and function of Painting. 11. The Meaning and function of Music. 12. Music and the Spirit. 13. The Meaning and Function of Poetry: The Relation of poetry to Sculpture and Painting. 14. The Meaning and Function of Poetry: The relation of poetry to Music. 15. The Unity of The Arts. 16. The Dangers of Art. 17. Beauty and the life of appreciation. 18. The study of Beauty in nature and art. 19. Art of life’s Sake. Index.

There are three underlying questions in the study here undertaken: first, what is Art? Second, What does Art do to the artist who creates? Third, What does Art do to the student who appreciates? The study deals primarily with the four great ideal types of art sculpture, painting, music and poetry. Architecture, so largely conditioned by utility, will be considered in comparison, as will the composite arts sing, opera, dramatic portrayal.

This book is not a review of philosophy and criticism of art, but a study of selected masterpieces in each field, asking what these do to our senses, emotions, imagination and intellect. This is merely applying to the realm of art the method universally insisted upon in all natural science, namely, first finding the facts and then seeking to discover what these mean. This work offers the condensed result of twenty-five year’s study of works of art in each of the four fields.

The book is designed to serve as a companion to the study and teaching of the Philosophy of Art. (Jacket)