Art For Art's Sake Analysis

Understanding The Phrase and The Philosophy behind it

Art for art’s sake, a slogan translated from the French l’art pour l’art, which was coined in the early 19th century by the French philosopher Victor Cousin. The phrase expresses the belief held by many writers and artists, especially those associated with Aestheticism, that art needs no justification, that it need serve no political, didactic, or other end.
Art for art’s sake is primarily a phrase to differentiate art as a class apart from the society. Art is basically an attempt to trace the untamed imagination of mankind and envisage it on paper. This can be done in myriad ways. Some might like to express their imagination in the form of sculptures, some in paintings, novels, short
The story behind its inception
The story of the phrase began as a mere journal entry on the 11th of February 1804. Benjamin Consonant a French Philosopher wrote it down as a part of its many observations. Originally “l'art pour l'art. ” The phrase was then adopted, translated and popularised by Theophile Gautier during his many literary movements.
The phrase soon found its calling in progressive modernist artists. Those revolutionaries who unlike their conservative counterparts, believed in rapid change. Art, during the ancient times was all about maintaining and sticking to traditions in every sense of the word. However, progressive modernists were those who aimed to educate masses, about the society’s problems with the means of creativity. Over a period of time, they came to a conclusion that art was neither about sustaining traditions nor educating masses. It was more than just that. It was to be able to express individual’s will irrespective and without succumbing to any pressures of the society. Art for art’s sake during this time became the rallying cry of the freedom of an
Many Indian writers have written for the aesthetic beauty of art rather than serving any purpose. Examples of this can be enumerated from the following great artists: -
Kalidas: - Kalidas’ “Meghadoot” is a collection of literary poems meant only to describe beauty; in its variant forms. Besides this, many works many works of Kalidas like Ritusamhita mainly evolved around the pleasures of human life; admiring the beauty of nature; and beauty in every essence of the world. It serves no specific purpose to the society. Thus, art here can be said only for the sake of its beauty and serving no other purpose beyond it.
Rabindranath Tagore: - Rabindranath Tagore’s short story “a wrong man in worker’s paradise” grasps the actual meaning of this philosophy in the most precise manner possible. The story involves a young man who is an artist. According to the author, this man has not done anything substantial in his life except painting and drawing. Although after his death, he is put into worker’s paradise by mistake. After entering here, he lies down on grass and gazes at the passersby all day. Soon, a curious girl approaches him and offers him some work. In turn he offers to make a ribbon for her. The girl accepts his offer and eventually spends hours of her precious time on dressing up every day. The girl’s near and dear ones ask her the purpose behind it and she replies “nothing.” This shocks other residents of the worker’s paradise