Schopenhauer’s philosophy of art and beauty

Artistic contemplation plays a major role in the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860). Art conveys reality in an immediate manner, enabling humans to grasp crucial elements without need of complex explanations. According to Schopenhauer, artistic contemplation enables people to escape the dire influence of the will (“life force”) and increase their self-awareness. In his books “The world as will and representation” (1818) and “Parerga and Paralipomena” (1851), Schopenhauer shows how to avert the influence of the will and improve one’s life by making better decisions. Artistic contemplation constitutes a method to step aside for a while from the relentless pressure exerted by the will. I view artistic contemplation as the easiest method for stepping aside, perceiving the whole picture, and assessing one’s actions. What are the advantages of artistic contemplation compared with intellectual analysis? There are several advantages. In the first place, immediacy; artworks can convey insights that every person can grasp right away without further explanation. Second, art’s power to command attention and make people forget temporarily about pressing problems. The will is making pressure all the time on humans to pursue their primal desires. It can wear people out and drive them into despair. Fortunately, art can draw and hold their attention for a while, giving them a respite from their preoccupations. Third, art enables humans to transcend individual desires or problems, engage into a state of contemplation, and become one with the world. Art enables individuals to feel at peace, in harmony with the universe, unaffected by the will. In “The world and will and representation,” Schopenhauer distinguishes between two types of artistic experiences. On the one hand, he speaks of “the experience of the sublime,” and on the other hand, of “the experience of the beautiful.” By “sublime,” Schopenhauer means feelings of grandeur or overwhelming awe, such as watching a sunset in the mountains or on the beach. By “beauty,” Schopenhauer means artworks that generate a feeling of harmony and pleasant proportionality, for example, watching a ballet performance, or looking at one of the villas built by Palladio in Vicenza. More often than not, beauty results from calculated, devoted actions of the artist. It typically entails idealising forms, shapes or sounds in order to enhance their harmony and proportion. It renders objects appealing and significant. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/schopenhauers-philosophy-of-art-and-beauty/