Artistic Genius – The Platform for Defining Creative Threshold
What constitutes artistic genius? There is no one best answer to this. Understanding of what makes an artist stand out among the hordes of others is debatable. Whether it is the natural talent, passion & diligence, the dare to experiment, publicity & self-promotion, patronage of the mighty or something else, is questionable. Nevertheless, no matter how much the worldly perception, or definitions may vary, artistic genius is a definitive attribute that infuses life into an otherwise lifeless creation. It is the driving force behind a painter’s quest for adding that essential ingredient, which transforms a one-dimensional portrayal, devoid of any power of sound or music, into a mesmerizing expression of art.
One of the greatest painters of all times, Leonardo da Vinci is considered the model of artistic genius, whose technique of the gestural representation of profound emotions and human traits has been the most distinguished quality of his works. His renowned mural, “The Last Supper,” features Jesus with his twelve apostles, each displaying his/her disposition through body language. Judas, the traitor is the only figure, with his body inclined away from Jesus and his arms on the table, a practice highly unacceptable in the civic societies. Another masterpiece of his, “Mona Lisa,” remains an enigmatic wonder for the ordinary viewer and the critics alike. Her evanescent, yet beautiful smile, coupled with the expressions in her eyes that are open to interpretation, against a backdrop of an abstract arctic landscape, create a truly mystic aura, which continues to attract admirers from world over.
Dutch painting maestro Vincent van Gogh’s genius was to some extent a result of his disgust for the then prevalent commoditization of art, his personal situations, and the preference for his own style, which eventually led to the rise of ‘Expressionism,’ a genre, where expression of life took precedence over its physical connotations. His magnum opus, “The Starry Night,” was a true embodiment of an awe-inspiring blend of reality and Gogh’s figments of imagination, as it was created within the confines of a mental asylum. The sky is displayed, speckled with fiery planets, and well-defined galaxies. The bold and thick brush strokes appear to give vent to Gogh’s inner rage and the gush of emotions. Among the artistic greats of all times,
Pablo Picasso was a genius who owed his success more to his changing styles, explorations, and publicity, than anything else. His career could be demarcated into different phases, in the terms of style and themes. One of his most celebrated works, “Garçon à la pipe, (Boy with a Pipe)” highlights a common subject (a regular boy) with unique imagery and superficially added elements, like flowery garland around his head. This painting commanded one of the highest auction prices of all times.
The distillate of the above discussion can be zeroed upon a probable fact that artistic genius and its recognition is more a matter of subjectivity than definitiveness!
