What Is Art? (1897) is a nonfictional essay by Leo Tolstoy in which he argues against numerous aesthetic theories which define art in terms of the good, truth, and especially beauty. In Tolstoy's opinion, art at the time was corrupt and decadent, and artists had been misled.
First, he separates art from non-art by requiring that art create a special emotional link between artist and audience, one which "infects" the viewer with the same emotion of the artist. To be real art, Tolstoy believes that it must unite people. Next, he distinguishes good art from bad art by examining whether that emotional link corresponds with the religion of the time. Good art, he claims, fosters those feelings which fit with the particular religion, while bad art inhibits such feelings.
The problem Tolstoy sees is that the upper class has entirely lost its religion, and thus clings to the art which was good according to another religion. To cite one example, ancient Greek art extolled virtues of strength, masculinity, and heroism according to the values derived from its mythology. However, since Christianity does not embrace these values (and in some sense values the opposite, the meek and humble), Tolstoy believes that it is unfitting for people in his society to continue to embrace the Greek tradition of art.
Among other artists, he specifically condemns Wagner and Beethoven as examples of overly cerebral artists, who lack real emotion. Without this emotion in the creation of their art, there is no way that they can "infect" their audience with it. Thus he views their art as counterfeit, and harmful to society, since it damages the people's ability to separate good art from bad art.
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