MCorte - 5C. From The Pre Raphaelite Brotherhood to The Anti Victorian reaction: Walter Pater Oscar Wilde Thomas Hardy - Preface of The Picture of Dorian Gray

COMPREHENSION
>> In Wilde's position the artist is the creator of beautiful things. In his way he has no any limits and he can express everything, without any moral interests. Wilde refuses morality in the novels, referring to them as well or badly written, morality is useless to the making of beautiful things. In Wilde's opinion, the critic is just someone who can translate his concept of beautiful things in another manner; he can express his concepts writing or commenting, instead of the artist who is creator . However Wilde recognizes art has not any practical purpose but it is only to get artist's interest.
>> According to Pater, art has not any useful aim but it simply creates the most high quality moments. These statements is clearly taken and proposed by Wilde; in his preface Wilde clearly explains that in his opinion art is quite useless.
>> This concept of art is in contrast with Victorianism because it has not any moral or educative purpose. In this concept art exists only to the individual's interest instead of Victorian art, interested in describing and making judgement.