Sign-In
Cart
What Is Art?
Paperback
Publisher Price: $24.95
Publisher: Lushena Books
Published: Jan 16 2026
Pages: 224
Weight: 0.78
Height: 0.61 Width: 5.50 Depth: 8.50
Language: English
What Is Art? (1897) by Leo Tolstoy is a philosophical critique of traditional aesthetics and a moral redefinition of art.
Tolstoy argues that true art is not about beauty or technical skill, but about the sincere expression and transmission of human feeling from artist to audience. Art is good when it communicates emotions that unite people, especially feelings that promote love, compassion, humility, and moral clarity. He criticizes much of elite art-opera, classical music, and high literature-as artificial, exclusive, and morally empty, serving only the upper classes.
For Tolstoy, the highest form of art is religious or ethical art, which helps humanity progress morally. Art that is incomprehensible, elitist, or disconnected from everyday human experience, he concludes, fails its true purpose.
4 different editions
Also available
Also from
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Divine and Human: And Other Stories by Leo Tolstoy
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Sekirin, Peter
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich
Paperback
The Greatest Short Stories of Leo Tolstoy: Collectable Edition [Paperback]
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Anna Karenina: Love, Betrayal, and the Cost of Desire (Large Print Deluxe Hardcover Edition For Easy Reading) (Large Print Edition)
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
The Death of Ivan Ilyich: A Profound Meditation on Life, Mortality, and Meaning (Large Print Deluxe Hardcover Edition For Easy Reading) (Large Print Edition)
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
Hadji Murat: A Gripping Tale of Courage, Betrayal, and Honor (Large Print Deluxe Edition For Easy Reading) (Large Print Edition)
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Where Love Is There God Is Also: A Pocket Edition of Leo Tolstoy's Timeless Tale
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
The Death of Ivan Ilyich: A Classic Meditation on Mortality, Meaning, and the Life Unexamined
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
Hadji Murat: A Gripping Tale of Courage, Betrayal, and Honor (Large Print Deluxe Hardcover Edition For Easy Reading) (Large Print Edition)
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
Briefe: Einblick in Die Gedanken Tolstois?: Patriotismus Oder Frieden? + Brief an Die Frau Baronin Rosen + Brief an Einen Polen + Brief an Die Redakti
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Gesammelte Autobiografische Und Politische Schriften: Meine Ersten Erinnerungen + Eine Schande + Zur Frage Von Der Freiheit Des Willens + Satirisches
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Master and Man: A Story of Greed, Redemption, and the Power of Compassion (Large Print Deluxe Hardcover Edition For Easy Reading) (Large Print Edition)
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
Three Days in the Village and Other Sketches, Written From September 1909 to July 1910
Maude, Louise Shanks
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Maude, Aylmer
Paperback
Leo Tolstoi: Der Tod des Iwan Iljitsch. Vollständige Neuausgabe
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Leo Tolstoi: Der Tod des Iwan Iljitsch. Vollständige Neuausgabe
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
Leo Tolstoi: Wieviel Erde braucht der Mensch? Neuausgabe
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Der Tod des Iwan Iljitsch: von Leo Tolstoi Format Taschenbuch
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Meine ersten Erinnerungen sowie verschiedene kleine Schriften: in Großdruckschrift
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Meine ersten Erinnerungen sowie verschiedene kleine Schriften: in Großdruckschrift
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
Tolstoi's Love Letters: With A Study On The Autobiographical Elements In Tolstoi's Work
Biryukov, Paul
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
Leo Tolstoi - Katia: Deutsche Übersetzung
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Beksinski, Vladek
Paperback
Leo Tolstoi - Was sollen wir denn tun? Deutsche Übersetzung
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Posmertnyia khudozhestvennyia proizvedeniia; Volume 2
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Childhood, Boyhood, Youth: A Coming-of-Age Journey Through Innocence, Growth, and Self-Discovery
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Boyhood (Tolstoy's Autobiographical Trilogy Book 2) - (Deluxe Hardbound Edition)
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
War and Peace: A Louise and Alymer Maude Translation (Grapevine Edition)
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Maude (Translator), Louise
Maude (Translator), Aylmer
Paperback
Tolstoi's Love Letters: With A Study On The Autobiographical Elements In Tolstoi's Work
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Biryukov, Paul
Paperback
Tolstoi For The Young: Select Tales From Tolstoi (1916)
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
Tolstoi's Love Letters: With A Study On The Autobiographical Elements In Tolstoi's Work
Biryukov, Paul
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
The Complete Works of Count Tolstoy, Volume 16
Wiener, Leo
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Christian Martyrdom in Russia Persecution of the Spirit-Wrestlers in the Caucasus
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Chertkov, Vladimir Grigorevich
Paperback
On Life And Essays On Religion
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
Confesion: Edición anotada con texto de lectura continua
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Tolstói, León
Paperback
Auferstehung: Der Letzte Roman Von Lew Tolstoi Über Die Ungerechtigkeit Der Menschengemachten Gesetze Und Die Heuchelei Der Institutionalisierten Kirc
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Hadschi Murat (Das letzte Meisterwerk von Tolstoi): Lew Tolstoi: Chadschi Murat
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Gesammelte Erzählungen: Die Kreutzersonate + Herr Und Knecht + Ein Präludium Chopins + Vater Sergius + Albert + Luzern + Polikei + Glück Der Ehe Und M
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Der Lebende Leichnam: Das Spannende Theaterstück/Drama Des Russischen Autors Lew Tolstoi
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
The Complete Works of Count Tolstoy; Volume 23
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
The Compete Works of Lyof N. Tolstoi; Volume 3
Dole, Nathan Haskell
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
The Complete Works of Count Tolstoy; Volume 11
Wiener, Leo
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
The Complete Works of Lyof N. Tolstoï Volume 3-4
Dole, Nathan Haskell
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
The Complete Works of Lyof N. Tolstoï Volume 5-6
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Dole, Nathan Haskell
Paperback
The Compete Works of Lyof N. Tolstoi; Volume 7
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Dole, Nathan Haskell
Paperback
The Compete Works of Lyof N. Tolstoi; Volume 4
Dole, Nathan Haskell
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Pis'ma Petra Vasil'evicha Ol'khovika
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Ol'khovik, Petr Vasil'evich
Paperback
The Complete Works of Count Tolstoy; Volume 2
Wiener, Leo
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Childhood, Boyhood, Youth: A Coming-of-Age Journey Through Innocence, Growth, and Self-Discovery - (Deluxe Hardbound Edition)
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
Resurrection: A Powerful Story of Guilt, Redemption, and Social Justice (Large Print Deluxe Edition For Easy Reading) (Large Print Edition)
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Resurrection: A Powerful Story of Guilt, Redemption, and Social Justice (Large Print Deluxe Hardcover Edition For Easy Reading) (Large Print Edition)
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
The Kreutzer Sonata: A Dark Exploration of Love, Jealousy, and Moral Struggle (Large Print Deluxe Edition For Easy Reading) (Large Print Edition)
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
The Kreutzer Sonata: A Dark Exploration of Love, Jealousy, and Moral Struggle (Large Print Deluxe Hardcover Edition For Easy Reading) (Large Print Edition)
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
The Novels and Other Works of Lyof N. Tolstoi: Childhood, Boyhood, Youth
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
The Novels and Other Works of Lyof N. Tolstoi: Childhood, Boyhood, Youth
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
The Complete Works of Lyof N. Tolstoi: Patriotism, Slavery of Our Times, General Articles
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
The Complete Works of Lyof N. Tolstoi: Patriotism, Slavery of Our Times, General Articles
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Leo Tolstoi: Worin besteht mein Glaube? Vollständige Neuausgabe
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Leo Tolstoi: Worin besteht mein Glaube? Vollständige Neuausgabe
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
Leo Tolstoi: Wieviel Erde braucht der Mensch? Neuausgabe
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
Christianity and Patriotism With Pertinent Extracts From Other Essays
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
The Forged Coupon: A story about how a small evil gives birth to a big one
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Paperback
Christianity and Patriotism With Pertinent Extracts From Other Essays
Tolstoy, Leo Nikolayevich, 1828-1910
Hardcover
Also in
Philosophy
Solidarity: The Past, Present, and Future of a World-Changing Idea
Hunt-Hendrix, Leah
Taylor, Astra
Hardcover
In the Beginning Was the Deed: Realism and Moralism in Political Argument
Williams, Bernard
Paperback
The American Indian Mind in a Linear World: American Indian Studies and Traditional Knowledge
Fixico, Donald Lee
Paperback
Dreaming of Cinema: Spectatorship, Surrealism, and the Age of Digital Media
Lowenstein, Adam
Paperback
Machine Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm: Spiritual Freedom and the Re-Animation of Matter
Lafitte, Luke
Paperback
The Sociogony: Social Facts and the Ontology of Objects, Things, and Monsters
Worrell, Mark P.
Paperback
On Quality: An Inquiry Into Excellence: Unpublished and Selected Writings
Pirsig, Robert M.
Pirsig, Wendy K.
Hardcover
The Electromagnetic Brain: Em Field Theories on the Nature of Consciousness
Joye, Shelli Renée
Paperback
Philosophy in Turbulent Times: Canguilhem, Sartre, Foucault, Althusser, Deleuze, Derrida
Roudinesco, Elisabeth
Paperback
The New Science of Giambattista Vico: Unabridged Translation of the Third Edition (1744) with the Addition of Practic of the New Science
Vico, Giambattista
Paperback
The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy
Giridharadas, Anand
Hardcover
The Dream of Reason: A History of Philosophy from the Greeks to the Renaissance
Gottlieb, Anthony
Paperback
The Modes of Scepticism: Ancient Texts and Modern Interpretations
Annas, Julia
Barnes, Jonathan
Julia, Annas
Paperback
Friendship and Society: An Introduction to Augustine's Practical Philosophy
Burt, Donald X.
Paperback
Suffering and the Search for Meaning: Contemporary Responses to the Problem of Pain
Rice, Richard
Paperback
Essays V2: Moral And Entertaining On The Various Faculties And Passions Of The Human Mind (1815)
Clarendon, Edward Hyde Earl of
Paperback
The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living
Hanselman, Stephen
Holiday, Ryan
Hardcover
The Mattering Instinct: How Our Deepest Longing Drives Us and Divides Us
Goldstein, Rebecca Newberger
Hardcover
The Obstacle Is the Way Expanded 10th Anniversary Edition: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials Into Triumph
Holiday, Ryan
Hardcover
Self-Help from the Middle Ages: What the Seven Deadly Sins Can Teach Us about Living
Jones, Peter
Hardcover
Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness
Godfrey-Smith, Peter
Paperback
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse Fifth Anniversary Limited Edition: The Global Bestseller
Mackesy, Charlie
Hardcover
Bless & Release: The physics of letting go-and wanting what's meant for you.
Laporte, Danielle
Paperback
The Ethical Slut, Third Edition: A Practical Guide to Polyamory, Open Relationships, and Other Freedoms in Sex and Love
Easton, Dossie
Hardy, Janet W.
Paperback
Eight Million Ways to Happiness: Wisdom for Inspiration and Healing from the Heart of Japan
Yoda, Hiroko
Hardcover
Self-Reliance and Nature: The Complete First and Second Series of Emerson's Essays
Emerson, Ralph Waldo
Hardcover