The Preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray

[chevalierdelame]

The Preface is a defense of Aestheticism as well as an introduction to the 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'.

"The artist is the creator of beautiful things."
" We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it. The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely.
All art is quite useless."

The great debate in the Victorian period was; is the object of Art the creation of Beauty, or is it social reform?
Any thoughts? Please vote and share your ideas. Thanks

[YesNo]

I voted art for art's sake, but it's probably the wrong answer. I'm not politically minded, so social reform isn't very interesting. I do think art could be a way to personal reform.

[chevalierdelame]

Thanks for voting.
It's not the wrong answer, as far as I am concerned. Trying to reform society (or politics) most of the time ends up in the artist taking a side.
Art as a way to personal reform, would you mind explaining?
Thanks