I recently wrote a blog series on Leo Tolstoy’s essay “What is Art”. The blogs mainly dealt with Tolstoy’s critique of his contemporary art and the art of the upper-classes.
Last week I wrote a thorough analysis presenting Tolstoy’s aesthetic theory for The Collector; a website devoted to art from antiquity to modernity.
Here are links to the articles and blog series
Article for the Collector
Blogs
Antonisch 
“ART IS A HUMAN ACTIVITY CONSISTING IN THIS, THAT ONE MAN CONSCIOUSLY, BY MEANS OF CERTAIN EXTERNAL SIGNS, HAND ON TO OTHERS FEELINGS HE HAS LIVED THROUGH, AND THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE INFECTED BY THESE FEELINGS AND ALSO EXPERIENCE THEM.” Thanks for writing these pieces. I like Tolstoy’s spirit above. Its funny and interesting to listen a writer discuss painting. Its a different perspective. Like “feelings one lives through” is very much like story telling, things that happen over time. But painting is like thee moment, with no beginning or end, and more how the optics work. Too bad that good painters rarely write well. Or composers. I look foreword to spending more time reading your pieces here. Its a wonderful dialog you offer.
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Michael , thank you so much for your comments. I agree with you, it would be great to be able to read more good theory coming from artists and their point of view. That is why I wish you all the best with your own writing project!
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IF THE RIVER FLOWS AT ALL, IT MUST HAVE A DIRECTION. IF A SOCIETY LIVES, THERE MUST BE A RELIGIOUS PERCEPTION INDICATING THE DIRECTION IN WHICH, MORE OR LESS CONSCIOUSLY, ALL ITS MEMBERS TEND
I thought this was the better take-away for me from Tolstoys definitions. You could probably improve it by replacing religious with moral perception to avoid any mis-interpretation of what Tolstoy means by Religious Perception. Great well written article, though, enjoyed it (is that art??)
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Good point! Religious perception as a term is a bit confusing. Glad you enjoyed the article!!
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