And again from the same paper, on the value of art:
In The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis involuntarily philosophizes on the value of Art. In order to better illustrate the “arbitrariness and irresponsibility” of friendship, he writes, “Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create). It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.”[1] Art may not be necessary to sustain life, but it is necessary in order to enrich it sensually or aesthetically.[2] Art’s value is found in the value that it adds to living.
The author adds that the value of art is not found in the form or in principles, but in the moods and spirits they express. He feels this is why an enthusiastic botanist, or “worse” a landscape painter, is dreadful companion on a hike.[3] The artist has a tendency to compare scenes in “novelties of colour and proportion” and completely lose what really matters—“the ‘moods of time and season’ and the ‘spirit’ of the place.”[4] Thus, an artist should not preoccupy his/her mind with the endless calculations that determine the aesthetic value of a work. They should simply allow the mood and spirit of the work to work in or through them.
I agree with Lewis, but only to an extent. There must be a balance. Artists are intellectuals. Landscape Artists must study their craft, and therefore it is almost essential for them to compare scenes in “novelties of colour and proportion,” for how else would they learn to reflect the Beauty of God Himself and His creation in their artwork?
I believe no artist is truly creative; we cannot create out of nothing, in either resources or ideas. We must be inspired and influenced. We must study our environment, but we must find balance in also remembering to enjoy the mood and spirit of our surroundings. I cannot help but to wonder if Lewis’ irritation towards “enthusiastic botanist” and landscape artists (in regards to hiking) stems from a personal disinterest in detail (specific types of plants or color or proportion), interrupted walks (investigating that detail), or science.
[1] The Four Loves, pg 71.
[2] The Four Loves, pg 15-16.
[3] The Four Loves, pg 17-18.
[4] The Four Loves, pg 18.
In The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis involuntarily philosophizes on the value of Art. In order to better illustrate the “arbitrariness and irresponsibility” of friendship, he writes, “Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create). It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.”[1] Art may not be necessary to sustain life, but it is necessary in order to enrich it sensually or aesthetically.[2] Art’s value is found in the value that it adds to living.
The author adds that the value of art is not found in the form or in principles, but in the moods and spirits they express. He feels this is why an enthusiastic botanist, or “worse” a landscape painter, is dreadful companion on a hike.[3] The artist has a tendency to compare scenes in “novelties of colour and proportion” and completely lose what really matters—“the ‘moods of time and season’ and the ‘spirit’ of the place.”[4] Thus, an artist should not preoccupy his/her mind with the endless calculations that determine the aesthetic value of a work. They should simply allow the mood and spirit of the work to work in or through them.
I agree with Lewis, but only to an extent. There must be a balance. Artists are intellectuals. Landscape Artists must study their craft, and therefore it is almost essential for them to compare scenes in “novelties of colour and proportion,” for how else would they learn to reflect the Beauty of God Himself and His creation in their artwork?
I believe no artist is truly creative; we cannot create out of nothing, in either resources or ideas. We must be inspired and influenced. We must study our environment, but we must find balance in also remembering to enjoy the mood and spirit of our surroundings. I cannot help but to wonder if Lewis’ irritation towards “enthusiastic botanist” and landscape artists (in regards to hiking) stems from a personal disinterest in detail (specific types of plants or color or proportion), interrupted walks (investigating that detail), or science.
[1] The Four Loves, pg 71.
[2] The Four Loves, pg 15-16.
[3] The Four Loves, pg 17-18.
[4] The Four Loves, pg 18.
posted by yogeert at 2:34 PM
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