Download Corliss 1 Epistemology and Art Throughout the

Corliss
1 Epistemology and Art
Throughout the spacious halls of world-renowned museums, hungry eyes feast on
striking sculptures and pieces of art with captivating scenes and appealing colors. The splendor
of art is evident in museums and homes throughout the world. Does the beauty of art come from
within, or is it something that is acquired? Would something be beautiful without the knowledge
of true beauty? Perhaps knowledge is beauty. Or possibly, acquiring knowledge is an art.
Epistemology is the study of acquiring knowledge and understanding (“Epistemology”).
Philosophers have studied the ideas, concepts and questions that epistemology has sparked.
Authors and artists have developed new ideas and ways of thinking, attempting to seek the
understanding of life in a modern way. Writers like Fyodor Dostoevsky raised questions
concerning epistemology, and changed the customary way of viewing ideas, reasoning, and
logic. Meanwhile, artists were beginning to transform their techniques and approach their ideas
from a different position. The drastic change in art techniques in the eighteenth and nineteenth
century symbolizes an epistemological crisis, similar to that in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and
Punishment.
Dostoevsky’s novel, Crime and Punishment, depicts the internal battle of a murderer,
facing a dilemma that is tearing his mind in two. Raskolnikov, the protagonist of Crime and
Punishment, creates a theory that states superior beings have the supreme right to kill, and he
believes that because of his intellect, he is superior to all of society. Characters that he
encounters question his theory, and they challenge his beliefs and principles. He uses this
superhuman theory to justify the acts of murdering two women, but he did not consider the
consequences involved when committing a sin of murder. Now torn between life and death, hope
and despair, Raskolnikov isolates himself in order to cease his inner turmoil (Terzo).
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2 Raskolnikov uses his superhuman theory to challenge the social norms and to oppose what he
was taught to be correct. His epistemological struggle allows him to digress and form his own
new path. Dostoevsky’s character represents a new way of viewing life and ideas. Previous ways
of thinking and living were soon vanishing, and people around the world came to see things in a
new light.
Similarly, the evolution of art in the eighteenth century was becoming prominent; the
meaning of art was changing. In the twelfth century, art was defined as “any skill at doing
anything as a result of knowledge and practice” (Jirousek). Changing over the years, in the
eighteenth century, art’s new meaning was described as “a pursuit or occupation in which skill is
directed toward the ratification of taste or production of what is beautiful” (Jirousek). Art was
then associated with beauty, rather than skill. Art’s significance should be to appeal to the eye
and heart, and it should aim to please the soul.
The beauty of art appealed to some, yet the recognition of the artists is so very important.
Without the artist, there is no masterpiece. Artists had begun to interpret their art in original
ways; they began to take on an abundant amount of liberties, like new techniques, appropriate
subject matter, and different evaluation of their artwork (Jirousek). At the time, this was an
unprecedented notion. By pushing boundaries and challenging the norms, artists came to
symbolize the idea of the Avant Garde. The Avant Garde refers to artists, writers, musicians that
used experimental and innovative techniques. In particular, artists were daring, radical, and
unorthodox. The Avant Garde expressed that artists were seen as the inspiration of new cultural
ideas, and that their creative powers were at the center of what art is (Jirousek). Some believed
that these influential artists were ahead of their time. One idea of the Avant Garde was that artists
could not be fully appreciated until they are dead because not everyone can truly understand their
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3 impact at that moment. Artists of the time could not participate in certain aspects of society
because they were not all accepted. Therefore, they must have remained an outsider to fulfill
their critical, prophetic role (Jirousek). Comparably, Raskolnikov’s character symbolizes the role
of artists, as he too was an outlier from society. Raskolnikov attempted to reinvent what it meant
to be superior, and he then tried to reinvent his life after his internal struggle almost destroyed
him. Artists were reinventing the visual language to adapt to the ever-changing times, and they
provided leadership to show the beauty and meaning to the new era (Jirousek). These artists were
taking a huge risk, trying to convey their ideas of beauty to a society that did not yet accept their
beliefs.
The innovative ideas of regarding art as a form of beauty led to the onset of Modernism.
Modernism was the set of tendencies and cultural movements that embraced the new age
(Jirousek). In the nineteenth century, one movement under Modernism was Impressionism, a
form of art that used distinct techniques and approaches. Impressionism stems from the artist
Claude Monet, whose piece of art Impression, Sunrise gave name to the movement
(“Impressionism”). Monet and other artists studied how light affects the changes in color, and
used short brush strokes to attain vibrant colors. By painting in the open air, instead of in a
studio, these artists captured the significance of nature. They painted an overall visual piece,
rather than just focusing on one detail. The paintings were characterized by several features, and
had the appearance of a sketch (Schileru). They were imperfect and unrefined, yet they had an
elegance and poise to them. Perfection lied within the thick brush strokes and soft edges of
interlacing hues. The value of paintings was based upon tone harmony, which affected
perspective (Schileru). Also, the colors and hues were the center of the masterpiece. It is said that
the “painter no longer represents the color he knows, but the color he sees” (Schileru). Again,
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4 this idea of perspective is unmasked, and it shows that artists were beginning to paint from
within. Their ideas were no longer superficial, and instead they painted what they saw and what
impressed them. In a like manner, Dostoevsky’s character Raskolnikov had a vision and idea in
his mind, and put it to action. Like the impressionists, he no longer represented the society that
he was born into. Instead, he created his own perspective of how he should paint his world.
Painters in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries reinvented the ideals of art. This
revolution of new techniques and methods led to the birth of a new era and also a new
perspective. The meaning and beauty of art became the center of focus, and artwork came to
define what people deem as beautiful. Perspectives of what is beautiful began to change by these
alluring, vivid, yet simplistic pieces. Perhaps true beauty is found in a simple scene, rather than
an intricate one. By capturing the essence of the subject matter and the feelings that art
stimulated, artists captured the beauty that pierced the heart and mind.
Works Cited
“Epistemology.” Importance of Philosophy. Jeff Landauer and Joseph Rowlands. 04 Dec.
2011.
“Impressionism.” National Gallery of Art. National Gallery of Art, Washington DC.
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Web. 18 Dec. 2011.
Jirousek, Charlotte. “The Evolution of the Idea of Art.” Art, Design, and Visual
Thinking. Web. 16 Nov. 2011.
Schileru, Eugen. Impressionism. London: Murrays Sales and Service Co., 1978. Print.
Terzo, Sarah. “Literary Analysis: Raskolnikovs Journey from Murder to Redemption in
Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky.” Helium-Where Knowledge
Rules. Helium, Inc. Web. 18 Dec. 2011.
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