True Test of Greatness of a Work of Art Is Its Ability to Be Understood by the Masses

There is an ongoing controversy suggesting that the true test of greatness of a work of art is its ability to be understood by the masses. Many believe that the true greatness of art is not necessarily understood by the contemporary population, and instead its greatness is later discovered in the future beyond the current generation. There are those that believe that if art will never be great if it is not accepted by a particular population. After analyzing both sides of this argument, it seems art can be considered great even if at one time it was not understood by the greater population. An example of how art can be recognized as entertaining when initially it was shun by the contemporary population is Elvis Presley’s music. Initially his music was regarded as rebellious and his dancing gyrations as immoral. However, his music was later accepted and now is recognized as an integral catalyst to contemporary rock and roll. There should also be considerations to the contemporary beliefs of a population. Many people may not initially accept art due to their beliefs against an artist. For instance, many people rejected the music of Ray Charles because the color of his skin. For this reason, his music was not accepted maybe masses. However, Many people began to respect his music for its innovation as discrimination began to lessen across the country. Art is sometimes made to teach or explore. Galileo mad many instruments and drawings related to science. While these had substantial benefits to the scientific community, they also had artistic qualities. The general population did not accept his studies because of contemporary beliefs. However, his findings were later realized as the center piece for many of the scientific discoveries that our society finds today. In conclusion, art work may not initially be understood by the masses and a generation may reject these forms of art but only to find them resurface as icons