A heart-to-heart confession of a monk who loves art

Author: Vakenrod
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: Many of the views in this book—such as art being "inspiration from the heart," that art is transcendent and independent yet superior to life—set the tone for German literature that followed and continue to be cited to this day. The fact that 20th-century modernist writers repeatedly drew inspiration and enlightenment from it is another manifestation of its classic significance. At the beginning of an article titled "The Eternity of Art," it says: "There are often situations where someone tries to crush our aspiration, by making us witness that everything related to humanity is meaningless and fleeting." In real life, we see 'the past as an abyss' and 'the future as an unknown eternity.' Faced with this, we 'feel afraid like foolish children' and develop a sense that 'everything is meaningless.' What can change this negative attitude toward real life? What can make life feel rich and diverse? What can give life meaning in this world? Art! The greatest function of art is to make what is fragmented perfect, and in the perfection of art, we see 'the purest, most wonderful image of a paradise-like world, free of any other.' Those who do not understand art feel melancholic because of death and the decay of things, and think life is hopeless. 'True art' is aimed at this mood. 'Therefore,' it concludes at the end, 'let us transform our lives into a work of art, so that we can boldly claim that we will live forever in this world.' Clearly, Vakenrod treats art as a substitute for life, allowing people to enjoy in art what they cannot in life: perfection, infinity, and eternity. He separates art from life, elevates art to an supreme position, and then unites art as a substitute for life with life, thereby—just as Schlegel said—overcoming the 'confusion and fragmentation of modern times.' Vakenrod would propose such views because...