Artists. From the Work to the Person

Lectio Magistralis by Nathalie Heinich

Over the centuries the perception and evaluation of art has been moving further and further from the work created to the creator.

Two opposing principles can be identified in attributing artistic greatness: on the one hand the principle of ”personalism”, privileging the intrinsic merit of the author of the work of art, with the latter representing simply one manifestation among the many possible. On the other hand the principle of “operalism”, privileging the excellence of the artwork, where the author represents simply the opportunity, the designated tool among the many available, the accidental actor.

It is thus clear that the issue posed here – from the artwork to the person – must not be taken on a purely factual level, via a description of the stages that western art has consecutively passed through in moving from an interest in the work of art to an interest in the person.

This issue must also take into account the respective values of the various categories of admirers and, according to the different space-time contexts, these two objects of admiration, which are the creator and their creation. Only a careful consideration of the question of value and of values will allow us to fully understand the scope of this phenomenon.

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