Summary:
From Gombrich's perspective, this paper explores the criteria for artistic excellence and its impact on the evaluation of works of art. It begins with an introduction to Gombrich's theoretical foundations, including his understanding of art, culture, and history, as well as a definition of artistic excellence. Subsequently, the importance of the concept and meaning of the work of art is analyzed, and the importance of the work of art should have a deep ideological connotation and open diversity. Then, the implications of Gombrich's perspective on the criterion of artistic excellence for art evaluation are discussed, and it is pointed out that the evaluation of artworks should focus on concepts and meanings, and maintain an open aesthetic.
I. Introduction
With the continuous development of modern society and the deepening of cultural exchanges, the evaluation criteria of works of art have attracted more and more attention and controversy. In such a pluralistic and open cultural environment, people's understanding and evaluation of art are diverse, and the traditional standards of artistic excellence are also facing challenges and pressure to re-examine.
Against this background, Arthur C. Danto's views have attracted a lot of attention. As a famous American philosopher and art critic in the 20th century, Gombrich has had a profound impact on contemporary art theory by discussing the nature of art, the value of works of art, and the criteria for art evaluation in a series of works. In particular, in his defense of the traditional notion of the canon as a measure of excellence in the arts, Gombrich offers a number of novel and enlightening insights that are important for rethinking the framework and criteria of art evaluation.
II. Diversity and Challenges of Standards of Artistic Excellence
A. Pluralism and the relativity of standards in art
In Gombrich's view, his understanding of the criteria for artistic excellence reflects a pluralistic idea that art should be evaluated taking into account the intrinsic value of the work itself and its significance in a particular cultural and historical context. This pluralistic stance makes the criterion of artistic excellence no longer static, but rather diverse and relativity as time, space, and culture change.
First, the standards for excellence of a work of art can vary in different cultural and historical contexts. Gombrich argues that the meaning of a work of art is determined not only by its intrinsic aesthetic characteristics, but also by the cultural environment and historical conditions in which the viewer lives. As a result, the same work may be assigned different values and meanings in different cultural contexts, and its standards of excellence may change as a result. For example, a painting may be considered a classic in Western culture, while it may be considered ordinary in Eastern culture, and this cultural difference leads to a plurality and relativity in artistic evaluation.
Second, the standard of artistic excellence is also influenced by individual perspectives and aesthetic preferences. Each person's understanding and evaluation of art is influenced by their personal experience, educational background, cultural traditions, and other factors, so there may be differences in the evaluation of the same work. Some people may pay more attention to the technical level and presentation of the work, while others pay more attention to the emotion and connotation expressed in the work, and this individual difference leads to the relativity and diversity of the criteria for artistic excellence.
B. Analysis of the conflict between universal norms and individual creations
In Gombrich's view, while the criteria for artistic excellence are relative and diverse, he still argues for the existence of universal criteria for judging the merits of works of art. However, there may be conflicts and contradictions between such universal norms and individual creations.
First, universal norms may limit individual creative freedom and innovation. If too much emphasis is placed on universal standards and norms, it may inhibit the creative passion and individual expression of artists, and make them fall into routine and patterned creation. The standard of excellence of a work of art should respect the artist's personal style and creativity, rather than limit it to a uniform evaluation standard.
Second, the particularity of individual creation may challenge the authority and universality of universal norms. Each artist has his own unique creative style and way of expression, and his works may not meet the traditional evaluation criteria, but they have a unique artistic charm and intrinsic value. Therefore, art evaluation should focus on understanding and respecting the particularity and diversity of individual creations, rather than blindly pursuing universality and normativeness.
III. Gombrich's critique and defense of artistic norms
A. Opposition and Criticism of Absolutism
Gombrich emphasized the relativity and diversity of art evaluation in his views, so he opposed and criticized the art norms of absolutism. The absolutist view holds that there is a set of universally applicable standards and norms for evaluating the quality of a work of art, ignoring the intrinsic characteristics of the work itself as well as the cultural background and aesthetic preferences of the viewer. Gombrich believes that the art norms of absolutism are too rigid and rigid, which cannot fully reflect the diversity and relativity of works of art, and can easily lead to misunderstanding and misjudgment of works of art.
First, the art norms of absolutism ignore the diversity and relativity of works of art. The value and significance of a work of art is determined not only by its intrinsic aesthetic characteristics, but also by the cultural environment and historical conditions in which the viewer lives. Therefore, any attempt to evaluate a work of art based on a set of universally applicable criteria is one-sided and unreasonable. Absolutist art norms often impose a specific aesthetic standard on all works of art, ignoring the influence of different cultural backgrounds and individual experiences on art evaluation, leading to misunderstanding and misjudgment of artworks.
Secondly, absolutist artistic norms tend to lead to rigid and stereotyped evaluation of works of art. If too much emphasis is placed on universal standards and norms, it may inhibit the creative passion and individual expression of artists, and make them fall into routine and patterned creation. The standard of excellence of a work of art should respect the artist's personal style and creativity, rather than limit it to a uniform evaluation standard. Absolutist art norms may hinder the innovation and development of art, and bring art to a standstill.
B. Criticism and defense of extreme relativism
Corresponding to his critique of absolutism, Gombrich also attacked and defended extreme relativism. The view of extreme relativism that art evaluation is completely subjective, there are no objective standards and norms, and that any evaluation is reasonable, ignores the intrinsic characteristics and universal value of works of art, and can easily lead to confusion and confusion about works of art. Therefore, Gombrich believes that although art evaluation has a certain degree of subjectivity and relativity, it still needs a certain degree of objective standards and norms to guide and regulate.
First of all, Gombrich argues that although art evaluation has a certain subjectivity and relativity, there are still some objective standards and guidelines. The criterion of excellence of a work of art is not only determined by the subjective feelings and aesthetic preferences of the viewer, but also by the intrinsic characteristics and universal value of the work itself. Therefore, art evaluation needs to take into account not only the subjective feelings of the viewer, but also the intrinsic quality of the work itself, as well as its significance in a specific cultural and historical context. Gombrich advocates an open and inclusive approach to artworks, respecting the aesthetic views of the individual while maintaining an identity with universal values.
Second, Gombrich emphasized the relativity and diversity of art evaluation. He believes that the meaning and value of a work of art are pluralistic and relative, depending on the cultural environment and historical conditions in which the viewer lives. Therefore, any attempt to evaluate a work of art by a universally applicable standard is unreasonable and one-sided. Art evaluation should be open and inclusive, respecting the aesthetic views of the individual, while also taking into account the intrinsic characteristics and universal value of the work itself, as well as its significance in a specific cultural and historical context.
IV. The objective existence and utility of the criterion of artistic excellence
A. Exploration of the possibility of objective criteria in works of art
When discussing the possibility of objective criteria in a work of art, we need to recognize that although a work of art is influenced by the subjective feelings of the viewer, it also has a certain degree of objectivity. First of all, the creative background, technical level and expression techniques of the artwork can be the reference object of objective standards. For example, a painting's use of color, line composition, and ability to express its subject matter can all be objectively evaluated and compared. These technical elements make the works of art comparable to a certain extent, thus providing an objective basis for evaluating their excellence.
Secondly, the themes and emotions expressed in the work of art can also be an important part of the objective criteria. Although the understanding of emotions and themes varies from person to person, the emotions and themes that the artwork is intended to express are themselves objective. For example, an oil painting depicting the tragedy of war is intended to express the cruelty of war and the struggle of human nature, which exists objectively, and the viewer can evaluate its excellence by the emotions and themes presented in the work.
In addition, the significance of a work of art in a cultural and historical context is also an important criterion for its objective existence. Each work of art is a product of its time, carrying a specific cultural and historical connotation. Therefore, evaluating the excellence of a work of art needs to take into account its significance and impact in a particular cultural and historical context. For example, although Shakespeare's plays have evolved over the centuries, their exploration of human emotions and moral concepts still has important value and significance, and this cultural and historical continuity makes Shakespeare's works have an objective position in artistic evaluation.
B. Analysis of the significance of artistic norms for creation and appreciation
Artistic principles are of great significance for both creation and appreciation. First of all, artistic guidelines can provide artists with the direction and standards for their creation. The art code is a kind of guidance and norm for artists, which can help artists clarify their creative ideas and improve the quality and level of their works. For example, principles of composition, color matching, and emotional expression in painting can help artists better express their creative intentions and make their works more appealing and influential.
Secondly, the art code also has a guiding and inspiring role for the audience's art appreciation. When the audience appreciates a work of art, it is often influenced by subjective emotions and aesthetic preferences, and art guidelines can help them objectively evaluate the quality and value of the work. By learning and understanding the principles of art, the audience can better understand the connotation and meaning of the artwork, and improve the level and taste of art appreciation.
V. The Criterion of Excellence from Gombrich's Perspective
A. Gombrich's understanding and interpretation of artistic excellence
Arthur C. Danto was a well-known 20th-century aesthete and art critic with a deep and unique understanding of artistic excellence. From Gombrich's perspective, the excellence of a work of art is not solely determined by technical level or thematic expression, but more by focusing on the concept and meaning behind the work. Gombrich believes that the excellence of art lies in its reflection on human culture and history, as well as in the criticism and exploration of art itself.
First of all, Gombrich emphasizes the conceptual and meaningful nature of the work of art. In his view, a work of art is not only a formal expression, but also an expression of thought. The concepts and meanings to be expressed in a work of art can transcend specific forms and techniques, and have deeper connotations and implications. For example, Dalí's "The Eternity of Memory" expresses the relationship between time and memory through illusory images, triggering the viewer's thinking about time and existence, and this conceptual and meaningful nature makes the work remarkable.
Second, Gombrich is concerned with the historicity and culturality of the work of art. He believes that the value and significance of a work of art depends not only on its performance in the present, but also on its place and influence in history and culture. The historical and cultural connotations carried by works of art can provide viewers with richer thoughts and emotional experiences, making the works have vitality and charm across time and space.
For example, Van Gogh's "Starry Night" was not widely recognized at the time of its creation, but it later became a classic in the history of art, and its unique style and perception of nature deeply touched future generations, and this historical and cultural nature has given the work a preeminent status.
B. Gombrich's criterion of possibility and implications for artistic creation
Gombrich's criterion of possibility is another important way to understand and interpret a work of art. The criterion of possibility emphasizes the openness and diversity of works of art, and believes that a work of art is not only a definite expression, but also an exploration and display of possibilities. In Gombrich's view, the excellence of a work of art lies in its ability to open up the imagination and thinking of the viewer, providing them with a variety of possibilities and spaces for interpretation.
First of all, the criterion of possibility reminds artists to keep an open mind and creative attitude. The excellence of a work of art lies in its ability to transcend the constraints and limitations of tradition and to experiment with new ways of expression and expression. Artists should continue to explore and experiment, and open up their own creative fields, in order to create more innovative and unique works.
Second, the probability criterion encourages the audience to keep an open mind and aesthetics. When appreciating a work of art, the audience should not be limited to the superficial form and external expression, but should go deep into the connotation of the work and explore the various possibilities and meanings contained in it. The audience should have the courage to think and explore, and maintain an open attitude towards the artwork in order to gain a deeper understanding and experience.
VI. Conclusion
Through the analysis of the criteria of artistic excellence from Gombrich's perspective, we have a new understanding and thinking about the understanding and evaluation of works of art. First of all, we realize that the excellence of a work of art is not only determined by its technical level or thematic expression, but more importantly, by the concept and meaning contained in the work. A work of art should have a profound ideological connotation and rich cultural significance, which can trigger the viewer's thinking and reflection on life, history and culture. Secondly, we recognize that the excellence of a work of art is also reflected in its openness and diversity. A work of art should have a possibility that can provide the viewer with a variety of space for interpretation and imagination, so that the work of art has vitality and charm across time and space.
Author: Lu Xilin
Bibliography:
Carroll, N. (2001). Beyond Aesthetics: Philosophical Essays. Cambridge University Press.
Gadamer, H.G. (2004). Truth and Method. Bloomsbury Academic.
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