Beauty and Responsibility: A Philosophical Reflection on the Idea of “Art for Art’s Sake” in Théophile Gautier

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD student in Philosophy of Art, Department of Philosophy, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

10.22108/mph.2026.148553.1712

Abstract

The idea of “art for art’s sake” has been one of the most controversial ideas in the history of modern aesthetics, often reduced to a mere aestheticist slogan or criticized as an irresponsible stance toward morality and society. This article adopts a text-centered and analytical approach to reconstruct systematically this doctrine in the works of Théophile Gautier, the leading figure of this movement in the artistic sphere. Through analysis of his primary texts, the study seeks to extract the underlying conceptual framework of his position. The analysis demonstrates that, for Gautier, the idea rests upon five interconnected components: the autonomy of art, the primacy of pure beauty, the priority of form over content, an emphasis on the creative process, and the artist’s freedom from external pressures. The article argues that this position originally emerged as a radical response to the moral and political instrumentalization of art in the nineteenth century and played a decisive role in consolidating internal criteria of aesthetic judgment. At the same time, by situating this formulation within contemporary debates on art and ethics, the paper assesses its strengths and limitations, showing that defending the normative autonomy of art does not necessarily entail a denial of responsibility.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Metaphysics

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 12 October 2026

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History

  • Receive Date: 27 May 2026
  • Revise Date: 05 October 2026
  • Accept Date: 12 October 2026

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