That which is not slightly distorted lacks sensible appeal; from which it follows that irregularity β that is to say, the unexpected, surprise and astonishment, are a essential part and characteristic of beauty.
Charles BaudelaireRead
All forms of beauty, like all possible phenomena, contain an element of the eternal and an element of the transitory - of the absolute and of the particular. Absolute and eternal beauty does not exist, or rather it is only an abstraction creamed from the general surface of different beauties. The particular element in each manifestation comes from the emotions: and just as we have our own particular emotions, so we have our own beauty.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Beauty is a blend of eternal and fleeting elements, shaped by personal emotions.
In this quote, Charles Baudelaire reflects on the nature of beauty, suggesting that it is not a singular, absolute concept but rather a complex interplay of both timeless and transient qualities. He emphasizes that beauty is subjective, influenced by individual emotions and experiences, and that every manifestation of beauty is unique to the observer's feelings, thus illustrating the diversity of aesthetic appreciation across different contexts and cultures.
Themes
BeautyEmotionsArtSubjectivityPhenomena
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared at an art exhibition to provoke thought about the diverse perceptions of beauty.
More from Charles Baudelaire
All quotes βThe dance can reveal everything mysterious that is hidden in music, and it has the additional merit of being human and palpable. Dancing is poetry with arms and legs.
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Who among us has not dreamt, in moments of ambition, of the miracle of a poetic prose, musical without rhythm and rhyme, supple and staccato enough to adapt to the lyrical stirrings of the soul, the undulations of dreams, and sudden leaps of consciousness.
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There is no sweeter pleasure than to surprise a man by giving him more than he hopes for.
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The priest is an immense being because he makes the crowd believe astonishing things.
Charles BaudelaireRead
I consider it useless and tedious to represent what exists, because nothing that exists satisfies me. Nature is ugly, and I prefer the monsters of my fancy to what is positively trivial.
Charles BaudelaireRead
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