西方艺术的精神历程

The Spiritual Course of Western Art

西方艺术经历了一个漫长的旅程,在这个旅程的各个时期,艺术的精神是非常不同的,它们分别是:古代的或古典的、近代或浪漫与现实的、现代或表现与抽象的和当代或大众的。西方的古代艺术和近代艺术总体上讲是一脉相承的,在这里,我们可以时时看到那种田园景色以及感受到牧歌式的欢娱。现代西方艺术生活在工业时代,我们明显感到金属机械与水泥建筑对它的影响乃至逼迫。不过,西方艺术精神更大的转折还是在当代,因为它直接关系到艺术主人的归属或姓氏问题。这时的西方艺术乃至整个人类艺术的基本特性是商业化的,而它的标准则是大众趣味。

Western art has experienced a long journey. During the different phases of its long journey, Western art shows different spirits and has different styles, which are respectively known as: ancient or classical, modern or romantic and realistic, modern or abstract, and contemporary or popular. Broadly speaking, ancient Western art and modern Western art can be traced to the same source. Here we can always see that kind of rural or pastoral scenery and experience pastoral joy and happiness. When modern Western art lived in the Industrial Age, we clearly felt the influence and even coercion of metal machines and cement buildings upon it. However, it is the contemporary epoch that has seen a greater turn in the spirit of Western art, which is directly related to the art owner's permanent home, or to his or her surname. In the present times, Western art and even the entire art of humanity are basically characterized by commercialism while the artistic criteria are the popular tastes.