What is Art? By Leo Tolstoy
Summary
TLDRIn the late 1800s, Leo Tolstoy explored the complex nature of art through his book 'What is Art?', challenging its value and impact on society. His visit to an opera rehearsal led to profound questions about the sacrifices made for art, including stunted lives and compromised morality. Tolstoy criticized the harsh working conditions, salary discrepancies, and government funding of art, questioning its relevance and accessibility to the masses. He also addressed the hypocrisy of art patrons, suggesting that art was enjoyed by neither the cultured nor the working class, but perhaps only by those aspiring to upper-class status. This video script invites viewers to consider Tolstoy's views and their applicability to today's art world.
Takeaways
- 🎨 Leo Tolstoy, born on September 9, 1828, in Russia, is renowned as one of the greatest writers of all time, known for works like 'Anna Karenina' and 'War and Peace'.
- 🤔 Tolstoy's book 'What is Art?', published in 1897, was inspired by his visit to an opera rehearsal and challenged conventional views on art, causing offense among some readers.
- 👷♂️ Tolstoy observed the harsh working conditions of laborers in the opera house, questioning whether their lives were being stunted in the service of art.
- 🎭 He noted the dedication of performers who spent their lives perfecting their craft, often at the expense of a well-rounded life, leading to the question of whether art justifies such sacrifice.
- 👀 Tolstoy was morally disturbed by the backstage scenes, where performers dressed in revealing costumes and engaged in behaviors that he found inappropriate.
- 💬 He questioned the morality of art, particularly the lewdness he perceived in dance performances, and the anger and mistreatment of performers by directors.
- 💸 Tolstoy pointed out the discrepancies in salaries, with some earning significantly more than others, highlighting the economic disparities within the art world.
- 🏛️ He critiqued government funding for art, suggesting that it was a luxury enjoyed by the few and funded by the many, including the working class.
- 🤥 Tolstoy accused art patrons of hypocrisy, suggesting that they did not truly appreciate art but engaged with it to appear cultured.
- 📚 The professor encourages USC students to read 'What is Art?' and prepare to discuss Tolstoy's points and their relevance to today's art scene in the next class.
Q & A
Who is Leo Tolstoy and what is his significance in literature?
-Leo Tolstoy, born on September 9, 1828, in Russia, is renowned as one of the greatest writers of all time, known for his monumental literary works such as 'Anna Karenina' and 'War and Peace'.
What was the inspiration behind Tolstoy's book 'What is Art?'?
-The inspiration for 'What is Art?' came from Leo Tolstoy's visit to an opera rehearsal, which led him to question the nature and purpose of art.
What were the three vital questions Tolstoy asked about art?
-Tolstoy's three vital questions were: 1) Should lives be stunted in the service of art? 2) Should we compromise our morality for art? 3) Is art enough justification for anger?
How did Tolstoy perceive the working conditions of laborers in the opera house?
-Tolstoy noticed the harsh working conditions of laborers, such as carpenters working long hours, and considered their lives to be stunted by their service to art.
What moral concerns did Tolstoy raise about the performers in the opera?
-Tolstoy found the backstage behavior of performers, including undressing in front of others and wearing skimpy costumes, to be morally disturbing.
How did Tolstoy feel about the treatment of actors by directors during the opera rehearsal?
-Tolstoy was deeply bothered by the inhumane treatment of actors by directors, who shouted at and insulted them, which led him to question if anger should be justified by art.
What were the issues Tolstoy pointed out regarding art during his time?
-Tolstoy pointed out issues such as discrepancies in salaries, government funding for art, and the hypocrisy of art patrons.
What was Tolstoy's view on the accessibility of art to the general public?
-Tolstoy questioned the accessibility of art, suggesting that it was enjoyed by only a few and was incomprehensible to the working class.
How did Tolstoy's opinions on art differ from the mainstream views of his time?
-Tolstoy's opinions were radical for his time, as he challenged the conventional views by questioning the value and morality of art, which was often seen as a cultural necessity.
What was the reaction to Tolstoy's book 'What is Art?' upon its publication in 1897?
-The book 'What is Art?' was controversial and offended readers upon its publication due to its critical stance on the art of the time.
What assignment does the speaker give to their USC students regarding Tolstoy's 'What is Art?'?
-The speaker asks their USC students to read the book 'What is Art?' and be prepared to discuss whether they agree with Tolstoy's points and if they are still relevant today.
Outlines
🎭 Tolstoy's Critique of Art's Impact on Lives
In this paragraph, the script introduces the renowned Russian writer Leo Tolstoy and his exploration of the concept of art. Born on September 9, 1828, Tolstoy, known for his literary masterpieces like 'Anna Karenina' and 'War and Peace', ventured into the philosophical realm with his book 'What is Art?' published in 1897. The book was inspired by his visit to an opera rehearsal, which led him to question the value and impact of art. He observed the harsh working conditions of laborers and performers, suggesting that their lives were stunted in service to art. Tolstoy also noted the extensive off-stage work required for a performance, such as costume adjustments and set preparations, and questioned the sacrifice of personal lives for the sake of art. He pondered whether the dedication of performers to their craft, often at the expense of a well-rounded life, was justified.
🤔 Tolstoy's Challenges to Art's Morality and Justification
The second paragraph delves deeper into Tolstoy's critique of art, focusing on moral issues and the justification of anger in artistic contexts. Tolstoy was disturbed by the backstage scenes where performers dressed in revealing costumes and engaged in inappropriate behavior, which he found morally questionable. He also criticized the treatment of performers by directors, who he observed as being verbally abusive and demeaning. These observations led him to ask whether art justifies compromising morality or inciting anger. The paragraph concludes with Tolstoy raising broader questions about art, such as salary discrepancies, government funding for art, and the hypocrisy of art patrons. He questioned the relevance and accessibility of art to the general public, suggesting that it catered to a select few rather than the masses. The script ends with a call for students to read Tolstoy's book and prepare to discuss its relevance to today's art scene.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Art
💡Leo Tolstoy
💡Defining Art
💡Opera Rehearsal
💡Laborers
💡Morality
💡Anger
💡Discrepancies of Salaries
💡Government Funding
💡Hypocrisy
💡Cultural Relevance
Highlights
Art is difficult to define, even for philosophers and art experts.
Leo Tolstoy, born in Russia on September 9, 1828, was a great writer known for works like 'Anna Karenina' and 'War and Peace'.
Tolstoy's book 'What is Art?' was controversial upon its publication in 1897.
Tolstoy's inspiration for 'What is Art?' came from his visit to an opera rehearsal, which he did not enjoy.
Tolstoy questioned whether lives should be stunted in the service of art, noting the harsh working conditions of laborers in the opera house.
He observed that many performers dedicate their lives to their craft, potentially neglecting other aspects of life.
Tolstoy found the backstage environment morally disturbing, with performers undressing in front of others.
He criticized the skimpy costumes and provocative movements of dancers, deeming them lewd.
Tolstoy questioned whether anger should be justified by art, after witnessing directors berating actors.
He pointed out the discrepancies in salaries, with some earning significantly more than others in the art world.
Tolstoy questioned the government funding of art when the working class was taxed for something they rarely enjoyed.
He criticized the hypocrisy of art patrons, suggesting that only a select few could appreciate the art they funded.
Tolstoy's views on art were not impressed by the art forms of his time, and he had strong opinions about it.
Students are encouraged to read 'What is Art?' and prepare to discuss Tolstoy's points in a future meeting.
Discussion questions for students include whether they agree with Tolstoy's points and if they are still relevant today.
The instructor expresses anticipation for the students' ideas on Tolstoy's views on art.
Transcripts
[Music]
as we have learned in our previous
discussion
art is very difficult to define
philosophers and art experts alike
couldn't agree on everything about art
except one
that defining art is near impossible
but towards the last part of the 1800s
one great writer tried his hand on this
enigmatic pursuit
born in russia on september 9 1828
lev nicoleovich tolstoy or leotostoy
had proven himself to be one of the
greatest writers of all time
producing monumental pieces in
literature such as
anna karenina and warren peace among
others
known for his straightforward and
unabashed writing
it is no wonder why his book what is art
offended readers upon its publication in
1897.
the inspiration of this book was leo
tolstoy's visit to an
opera rehearsal now what could go wrong
you may ask
well it turns out that leo tolstoy was
not
a big fan of it moreover this experience
led him to ask three vital questions
and these questions are so haunting that
they put
art defenders and art enthusiasts of
then
and now to their niece
the following are leo tolstoy's
questions
number one should lives be stunted in
the service of art
number two should we compromise our
morality for art
number three is art enough justification
for anger
[Music]
lives stunted by art upon entering the
opera house
tolstoy instantly noticed the harsh
working conditions of the laborers he
saw carpenters
who seem to have been working for extra
long hours
just to make sure that the stage and the
props were ready
this was probably one of his first
encounters
with the sometimes harsh and oftentimes
demanding world of art
he looked at the laborers and he
immediately thought
that these workers were not in any way
consumers of the art
that they are trying to painstakingly
build and yet
their lives were stunted by it
he continued to track his way towards
the stage of the opera house
and he realized that an opera has
more components off stage than on
he saw sowers who were constantly
adjusting
mending and stitching costumes painters
who were retouching
painting over and painting a new
non-stop
and finally on stage he saw actors
singers and dancers standing for hours
awaiting their turn to perform a new
question surfaced
what for he also mentioned the fact
that most of these performers spent all
of their lives perfecting their craft
and as a result there is a possibility
that they have a little to no knowledge
about anything else
and morality as tolstoy continued to
explore the dark halls towards the main
stage
he saw some performers backstage waiting
for their turn
for tolstoy the sight was far from being
pleasant
he noticed how men were dressed in
tights
and how some women were not hesitant
undressing
and bearing their almost naked bodies
to everyone in the room
he found these things morally disturbing
he also took a jab on the dancers who
according to him
were wearing skimpy costumes while
making voluptuous movements
lewd is the term that the prude leo
used to describe the performance this
scenario
made him ask the question should we
sacrifice
our morality to art
[Music]
anger justified by art when liu tolstoy
finally reached the stage he saw the
directors
organizing a part of the performance
he was deeply bothered by how the
directors
shouted at the actors calling them names
insulting them berating them as if there
was an exchange between a god
and insignificant beings he found
discomfort on how
inhumane the situation was which
led him to asking another question
should anger be justified by art
in his visit to an opera rehearsal
dostoev was able to ask questions that
many of the people during those times
were too scared to ask
it was like the emperor's new clothes of
that time
not many were brave enough to point out
some flaws because they're too afraid to
be branded or to be seen
as someone uncultured or crass
but leo tolstoy did not let anyone hold
him
back aside from the three questions he
was able to ask in our previous
discussion
he also pointed out the following issues
number one discrepancies of salaries
tolstoy did not shy away from discussing
things such as compensation
he mentioned that the dancing master's
salary per month
is equal to the salaries of 10 laborers
in a year number two
government funding he also questioned
how the russian government during those
times
allocate huge amount of funds for art
he furthered by stating that the working
people of russia
during those times were being taxed for
something that only a few
can enjoy number three
the hypocrisy of art patrons towards the
end of the first chapter
tolstoy was able to say probably one of
the most controversial statements in the
entire book
and here is the quote
[Music]
so one is quite at a loss as to whom
these things are done for
the man of culture is heartily sick of
them while to a real working man
they are utterly incomprehensible
if anyone can be pleased by these things
which i am doubtful
it can only be some young footmen or
depraved artisan
who has contracted the spirit of the
upper classes
but is not yet satiated with her
amusements
and wishes to show his breeding
now one thing is for certain leo tolstoy
was not at
all impressed with the art forms during
those times
and he has strong opinions about it
but how about you do you agree with his
ideas about art
now to my usc students i was able to
post
a pdf file of the book what is art in
your portal
please read it and next meeting be
prepared to answer the following
questions
number one do you agree with the points
raised by leo tolstoy number two
do you think the points made by leo
tolstoy are still relevant to the art
scene today
i cannot wait to hear your ideas about
it
that's why my friends see you in our
synchronous
lesson next meeting in the meantime
thank you for watching and have a good
day
you
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