An artistic movement or philosophy that emphasizes beauty, art, and sensory pleasure for their own sake, independent of moral or social value.
From 'esthetic' + '-ism'. A major 19th-century movement, especially in literature and visual arts, that rejected utilitarian art.
When 'Art for Art's Sake' became a real movement in the 1800s, it was radical—artists were literally saying beauty doesn't need to teach you morals or be useful, it just needs to be beautiful!
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