Art begins when a man, with a purpose of communicating to other people a feeling he once experienced, calls it up again within himself and expresses it by certain external signs.
Leo TolstoyRead
To say that a work of art is good, but incomprehensible to the majority of men, is the same as saying of some kind of food that it is very good but that most people can't eat it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Art should be accessible and appreciated by everyone, not just a select few.
Tolstoy's quote suggests that the value of a work of art lies in its ability to be understood and enjoyed by the general public. Just as food should be nourishing and palatable for most people, art should not be reserved for an elite few but should resonate and connect with the broader audience. This highlights the importance of accessibility in art and the communal experience it can provide.
Themes
ArtAccessibilityAppreciationPublicValue
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about inclusivity in art galleries.
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People try to do all sorts of clever and difficult things to improve life instead of doing the simplest, easiest thing-refusing to participate in activities that make life bad.
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It's too easy to criticize a man when he's out of favour, and to make him shoulder the blame for everybody else's mistakes.
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Music is the shorthand of emotion. Emotions, which let themselves be described in words with such difficulty, are directly conveyed to man in music, and in that is its power and significance.
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A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbor — such is my idea of happiness.
Leo TolstoyRead
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