There was once a time when art divided. Masterpieces were reserved for the rich and elite, and an artist's main responsibility was to communicate ethical or socio-political statements. But one day, someone decided that there was a lot more to their talent.
Enter: the Aesthetic Movement. It was all about "art, for art's sake!" Instead of focusing on narratives, messages or tales, aesthetic painters chose to concentrate on seeking beauty through colors, structure, and composition. But the movement wasn't just about paintings.
"Art, according to the Aesthetic Movement, should not be limited to sculpture, painting, or architecture, but should be commonplace in every sphere of life," explains the Art In Context site. "Aestheticism encompassed not only the 'high' arts, but also pottery, metalwork, clothing, furnishings, and interior design."
The movement’s supporters became known as Aesthetes, and according to the site, are credited with increasing the artistry and cohesion of many sectors of society.
"They claimed that life should imitate art instead of the other way around," notes Art In Context. "These reformers introduced forth new concepts that would influence the design world for the following century."
Needless to say, not everyone was impressed. Some believed that if art lacked moral or narrative meaning, it was a threat to the Victorian public. The very purpose of art, they argued, was to convey a story. How on earth could art be created purely for beauty or enjoyment?
"The Aesthetic Movement’s emphasis on beauty and luxury made it a target for satire," reports Artsology.com. "Gilbert and Sullivan’s opera Patience mocked its extravagance, while critics like John Ruskin dismissed its works as frivolous and morally void."
Despite its critics, the Aesthetic Movement made a massive impact on the arts and society as a whole.
"Although it emerged more than 150 years ago, it’s still active today, and very powerful too," reveals Artsper Magazine. "Every time when an art movement that rejects pure aesthetical approach towards art emerges, supporters of aestheticism raise their voices, questioning the quality of such art. So, aestheticism is not some art movement that existed in history and disappeared – it’s still alive."
An article in House And Garden reveals that the Aesthetic Movement "look" has recently made a major comeback, especially in interior design. It explains that originally, aesthetes aimed to have beauty in all spaces by only purchasing quality items that they considered to be either beautiful or useful.
"In the 1960s and 1970s, this notion was revived in bohemian circles as a reaction against the conservative values and styles of the 1950s—once again, people looking to be free of moral or stylistic limitations," reads the piece, as the author ponders what we might be reacting against in this day and age.
House And Garden's team notes that while we spent a long time in a boring, beige minimalist bubble, things are finally shifting. Interiors have started to evoke the spirit and motto of the Aesthetic Movement: ‘Art for Art’s sake,’ they explain.
"In other words, people are putting more of themselves and what they love into their spaces, rather than living within spaces that don’t allow any sort of personal expression," reads the site. It goes on to reference the more liberal use of color as proof of the Aesthetic Movement comeback.
For example, ochres, dull reds, peacock blues, golden browns, and sage greens, which were all popular during the historic era, have made their way back onto our walls again.
