Cover of What Is Art? by Leo Tolstoy Ebook What Is Art?
Ebook · Sovereign

What Is Art?

Author
Leo Tolstoy
Series
Ideas for Life
Language
English
Length
188 pages
ISBN
9781910558171
Published
15 September 2014
Imprint
Sovereign
  • philosophy of art
  • aesthetic pleasure
  • universal communication
  • human emotions
  • societal critique
  • accessibility
  • truthfulness
  • spiritual growth
  • moral development
  • elite vs. common

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Description

In "What Is Art?", Leo Tolstoy delves into the philosophy of art, challenging the conventions of his day. Through incisive argumentation, Tolstoy proposes that true art transcends mere aesthetic pleasure, serving instead as a medium for communicating the deepest human emotions and experiences universally. He criticizes art that caters only to society's elite, advocating for art that is accessible, truthful, and capable of fostering spiritual and moral growth among all people.

Author

Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) was born to a titled family at Yasnaya Polyana, served in the Crimean War, and wrote the two novels that made Russian fiction a world event: War and Peace and Anna Karenina. The first holds a nation at war and at home; the second holds a marriage until it breaks. Later he turned from the worldly novel toward essays and moral tales, arguing with church, property, and his own fame. One hundred and six titles here.

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