When people are visiting the museum, they usually look only for the works of art that are considered to be masterpieces. They neglect to enjoy the works of less prominent artists. They are content afterwards, but that is not the point. In order to fully appreciate art, a person has to be able to find it in the most unusual places. There is general beauty and particular beauty (Baudelaire, 1964, p. 1).
Both the present and the past are interesting. The past has historical value and the present is happening right now. (Baudelaire, 1964, p. 1). However, inspiration can also be found in the future. This is especially true for the people who are ahead of their time. The genius always predicts and at the same time creates eternal beauty.
The purpose of art is of spiritual nature and it stems from humanity. The point is to create a work that will endure time and to reveal the truth and the beauty. Some people are the poets of their time, but their means of expression are different. However, all of them have something in common and that is the capability to observe and to create.
Baudelaire (1964) says that „man ends by looking like his ideal self“ (p. 2). It means that every person is an artist who creates art from his body. He chooses how to dress himself and how to behave. In the end all of that can be seen in his face.
Beauty is made up of an eternal element and of a relative, circumstantial element. The relative element depends on the current fashion. There is also the duality of man, because he has the soul and the body (Baudelaire, 1964, p. 3). This duality can also be seen in all works of art. The artists who want to represent the past, are at the same time influenced by the circumstances of modern time and vice versa. Time is relative, especially when we look for it in paintings or in literature.
Stendhal said that „beauty is a promise of happiness“ (Baudelaire, 1964, p. 3). That is why all people who are spiritual beings feel the need to create beauty. They look at the world around them and try to find what appeals to them most. Sometimes, they seek consolation, or approval and they can all find it in beauty. Each man is on their own pursuit of happiness. On that way, they look for beauty. Few people have such sensitive souls who can express themselves in an artistic manner and create masterpieces. Such souls are rare, but everyone can learn how to appreciate beauty.
Baudelaire said that „the more beauty that the artist can put into it, the more valuable will be his work“ (Baudelaire, 1964, p. 4). He also talks about a painter who never signed his drawings except with his soul. He thought that his originality could be seen in his work and he was right. That person enjoyed to observe the crowd and was the man of the world. He wanted to be anonymous, but that is not possible because his drawings showed his individuality and that had to reveal his personality. (Baudelaire, 1964, p. 5).
Artists, especially painters create their unique style throughout their whole lives. At first, their skills are not perfect, but they work on it all the time, except when they sleep. In the end they become the best version of themselves.
Some people believe that a genius is born, but it is much more correct to say that a person with certain qualities becomes a genius by developing those qualities. That is why most of the geniuses throughout history never had free time. Their work consumed their lives. Everything else was a waste of time for them.
In order to be a good artist, one must read a lot, travel a lot and always work on enriching their culture by getting to know other cultures. That means to be the man of the world. It is also important to be be able to observe the crowd in order to be able to develop critical thinking. During all these processes, the person's mind has to remain child-like because only children are capable of using their imagination in the most original and unusual ways.
Baudelaire says that Monsieur G. „wants to know, understand and appreciate everything that happens on the surface of our globe“ (Baudelaire, 1964, p. 7). He also says that the man of the world is the spiritual citizen of the universe. (Baudelaire, 1964, p. 7).
The whole point of art is to show the audience how spirituality can become tangible. Body and soul coexist in this material world, but it is much easier to see the body than the soul. Sometimes, people are able to see the soul themselves, sometimes they need someone to help them with that.
Another trait that all geniuses have is curiosity. It is not enough to develop craft, it is more important to develop soul. Muscles have to be trained and so does the spiritual part of the human being. The nourishment of both soul and body is crucial for the development of critical thinking skills.
All of this is a matter of habit. In the beginning there is a spark that initiates the curiosity and then the person develops the habits which help them grow. It is important to be careful not to create routine. Routine is what kills imagination and makes artist dull. Constant change is the only way a person can make progress. It is also inevitable.
Curious minds look for the unknown and that is how they are able to learn new things and acquire new skills. That sharpens the mind.
The child sees everything as new and absorbs it. The artist, the genius also has to do be able to do that. The difference is that the nerves of the child are weak, whereas the genius has strong nerves (Baudelaire, 1964, p. 8). This is the process of inspiration.
It is not possible to define inspiration, but it can be compared with the need for breathing. An man has to breathe in order to stay alive, but a genius also has to be inspired in order to create.
There are nine muses, based on the Greek mythology who help artist create. It can also be said that each artist has their own muse. Creating is an individual process and requires a lot of concentration, a lot of knowledge and a lot of personal strength and courage. Physical strength can also be useful because it helps build up mental strength.
An artist needs to endure a lot of pain because he cannot become numb and the world is cruel. He has to suffer a lot in order to achieve greatness. For true geniuses, success is irrelevant. They have the need to create in order to survive and their talent encourages them to go further, even beyond their capabilities.
Baudelaire writes about Monsieur G. that „his passion and his profession are to become one flesh with the crowd“ (Baudelaire, 1964., p. 9). An artist need to be passionate about his work which also becomes his life. If a person wants to depict the society, they have to be able to be in the center of the crowd and the world and at to keep the distance at the same time. The artist is a man with a unique vision. The crowd is the fuel. The artist uses it to make art and some of them make masterpieces.
Painting is a specific process. A painter has to find inspiration. There are many sources where he can look for it, but most of the painters find it in literature and other forms of art, such as dance and music. Another place where one can look for inspiration is everyday life. The most insignificant spectacle can trigger the creative spark.
The creative process is individual and it cannot be learned. However, the painting techniques can be learned and that is why a painter needs a lot of practice. One can also learn how to think, but they have to create their own vision.
Every true artist is unique, but all of them have many things in common. The most significant thing that connects all of them is passion. A true artist and a true genius has a force in his soul which pushes him to cross the boundaries and to create what was unimaginable before.
Baudelaire says that „material“ is an emanation of the spiritual which mirrors the spiritual reality from which it derives“ (Baudelaire, 1964, p. 14). That means that the spiritual world is much above the material, but they are also similar, since the material world is a reflection of the spiritual world. There are also so many bad things in the world and the spiritual is always associated with the good things. People should always try to make the world a better place, which means they should turn to the spiritual side of it.
Baudelaire admired Delacroix. They were friends. Baudelaire compares Delacroix with other great painters from different countries and he comes to the conclusion that all of them love the national as well as the universal (Baudelaire, 1964, p. 42). They love the national because they feel that they belong to the country of their origin and at the same time they feel like citizens of the world.
Paintings, as well as other works of art are created to provoke thinking. There is a great idea behind every masterpiece and it can be understood by each person differently. The true beauty of art lies in the freedom of interpretation.
There is also a matter of taste of each individual, but some works of art are universally appreciated. People usually like the concepts and the creations which are familiar to them, but sometimes they appreciate even more when they discover a new way of thinking through art.
The most important purpose of art is to create something that didn't exist before by using the ideas from everyday life. That process is magical. A new creation is brought to life using only imagination. Craft is also necessary and that is related to experience.
A genius is a person with passion, who finds pleasure in creating, and who deprives himself of everything so that he can only create until he becomes too tired. When he regenerates, he continues to create. He is also a person with a lot of life experience. A true artist is an unusual individual who knows a lot about the ordinary things in life and that is why he is capable of creating his own world.
References
Baudelaire, C. (1964). The painter of modern life and other essays. J. Mayne (Ed.). London, LDN: Phaidon
