The Garden of Divided Delights

-Evaluation by Collingwood and Tolstoy

Yuxuan Chen

Philosophy of Art December 6th

Background on the Artist-Yuxuan Chen• 1994-Present • Started taking drawing lessons since four

years old• Took oil painting lessons at thirteen years

old • Continued art education in high school and

recipient of regional art awards • Worked as cashier/fry cook at McDonald’s

during high school• Worked generally on landscape/cultural

pieces• Amateur photographer

“The Garden of Earthly Delights”Hieronymus Bosch

“The Garden of Divided Delights”

• Oil, 12x16• Addresses the growing

unhealthy lifestyle of people today

• Aims to educate and draw people away from unhealthy foods

Expressionist Theorist: R.G. Collingwood • 1889-1943

• Educated and taught at Oxford University• Art is the expression of emotions• Exploration of emotion• The artist does not really know his or her true

emotion before working on the artwork• Expression of emotion involves the transition

from the vague to the clear as well as from oppression to alleviation

• Spectator does not necessarily have to experience the exact emotion as the artist, just the general emotion.

Expressionist Theorist: Leo Tolstoy

• 1828-1910, Russian• “Art is a human activity consisting in this, that

one man consciously, by means of certain external signs, hands on to others feelings she has lived through and that other people are infected by these feelings and also experience them.” (p.51)

• Communication of feelings• Goal of art is for the unity of humankind • Art should not be class-bound • Art must be sincere and should not be taught• Good art should be related to religious

perception

Evaluation Tolstoy and Collingwood: Could be art because…• Expression of emotion• Transition from vague to clear

expressions • Transition from oppression to

alleviation• Unification of humankind

However, Tolstoy argues…• Emotions of artist might not match those

of the spectator • Not “good” art because not religious• Imitation because of art lessons

Evaluation

Collingwood defends…• Emotions just have to be generally

the same • “Good” art because of imaginary

experience and expression of emotions

• Not imitation because individualization is brought through distinction of emotion

Evaluation

Questions?

Do you think there are flaws in the views of Tolstoy and Collingwood?

How well do you think this painting addresses unhealthy lifestyles and obesity?

What emotions did you feel when you saw this painting?

How important are emotions in the context of the artwork?

Bibliography

Art-color. Digital image. Http://school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart/images/art-color.gif. N.p., n.d. Web.

Art-supplies. Digital image. Http://tpmorinpainting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/art-supplies-ma.jpg. N.p., n.d. Web.

"Collingwood's Version of the Expressionist Theory of Art." Collingwood's Version of the Expressionist Theory of Art. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <https://people.creighton.edu/~ees33175/Aesthetics_course_website/Aesth_outlines/Expressionism_Collingwood_p2002.htm>.

Dayton, Eric. Art and Interpretation: An Anthology of Readings in Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art. Orchard Park, NY: Broadview, 1998. Print.

Emotions. Digital image. Http://www.longevitystrategist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/emotions.jpg. N.p., n.d. Web.

FullGarden. Digital image. Http://hassan331.tripod.com/Bosch/FullGarden.jpg. N.p., n.d. Web.

"Tolstoy’s What Is Art?" Www.angelfire.com. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.angelfire.com/md2/timewarp/tolstoy.htm>.

Tolstoy, Leo N. What is Art? Translated by Almyer Maude. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company, 1960.