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
Who would dare assign to art the sterile function of imitating nature?
Interpretation
What this quote means
Art should not merely copy nature but engage and transform it.
In this quote, Charles Baudelaire challenges the notion that the purpose of art is merely to replicate the natural world. Instead, he suggests that art should transcend imitation, serving a more profound function that engages with, interprets, and ultimately transforms the essence of nature, allowing for creative expression beyond mere representation.
Themes
ArtNatureImitationCreativityExpression
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a discussion about the role of art in society at an art gallery opening.
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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