ABSTRACT

First published in 1938, An Essay on Critical Appreciation aims to provide a language suited for the explication on beauty. This explication is not based merely on emotion but is motivated by contemplation and discrimination. By virtue of being rendered in a discourse, an appreciation can claim to be critical or discriminating and ‘beauty’ can be said to have characteristics. The search of such a language takes the author through the contemplation on the meaning of ‘beauty’, entertaining contrary views, and reaching at an understanding of the aesthetic situation. This book will be of interest to students of English literature, philosophy and art.

chapter |23 pages

Introduction

chapter Chapter 1|69 pages

On the Meaning of “Beauty”

chapter Chapter II|15 pages

Some Contrary Views, and Beauty in Fact

chapter Chapter III|36 pages

Materials, Methods, and Aesthetic Materials in Painting

chapter Chapter IV|37 pages

Aspects of Aesthetic Form

chapter Chapter V|24 pages

Expression

chapter Chapter VI|46 pages

Value Theory and Criteria of Value

chapter Chapter VII|33 pages

The Aesthetic Situation