Art for Art's Sake

For Aestheticists, visual composition, rather than didacticism, was the most important part of any work of art. Aesthetic art explored mood, color, and detail. Artists drew from a diverse pool of sources, such as Ancient Greek, Japanese, and medieval art. Their motto, ‘Art for Art’s Sake,’ was their rallying cry and indicated that their art was to be evaluated on its own terms and enjoyed for itself and not any message or moral.

In an effort to create a sophisticated ambience, Aesthetes borrowed from Western and non-Western sources, filling their homes and studios with Japanese fans, screens, woodblock prints, and silk paintings, Chinese blue-and-white porcelain, sunflowers, and peacock feathers, among other things.