@philosophyminis: In #Chinese #folklore , there is a story which beautifully explains the power of great art. It's known as the story of the Emperor and the Artist. Once upon a time, the Emperor Xuanzong invited the greatest #artist of the land, Wu Daozi, to create a beautiful work of art on one of his palace walls. For weeks and weeks, Wu Daozi works on the mural and finally calls the emperor to see. And it was breathtaking. There were mountains and forests, lakes and waterfalls, monkeys and eagles. Beautiful. ‘What's this?’ The emperor said, pointing to the bottom. ‘That is a cave,’ Wu Daozi said, ‘and it'll house a spirit.’ Wu Daozi walked into the painting and he stood by the cave. ‘Come, Emperor, join me,’ the artist beckoned. But the emperor hesitated, and he stepped back. The beautiful work vanished in a flash, and Wu Daozi disappeared with it. And the wall was blank again. All great works of art will have a certain gravitational pull. A song, a painting, a book, or whatever will tug at your being, and it will call you. For the #philosopher Gu Xi, there exists an #aesthetic other world — an art world which runs parallel to ours, which we can enter into. But as the Emperor found out, you can resist the pull of art. You can take a step back and break the spell. And when you do so, the art disappears. A portrait becomes dried paint. A song becomes notes. The story of the Emperor and the Artist argues that the best way to enjoy great #art is to lose yourself in it. #beauty #music #philosophy

Jonny Thomson

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Friday 22 November 2024 14:35:08 GMT