Section 1 Several important theories about the occurrence of art in history

First, the representative theory.

Representative theory holds that art originated from human imitation of nature or real life, which is the oldest theory about the origin of art.

In the 6th century BC, Heraclitus said that "art imitates nature". Later, democritus, Socrates, Plato and others demonstrated this. Finally, Aristotle made a systematic theoretical demonstration, which had a great influence.

Aristotle's main point about the origin of art from imitation is:

First of all, all art categories are imitations of nature, and their differences are only in the objects and ways of imitation.

Painters and sculptors imitate with lines and colors, poets and dramatic actors imitate with words, and singers imitate with voices. Because of the imitation of "taking different things", comedy and tragedy have been formed. Comedy imitates people who are worse than us today, and tragedy imitates people who are better than us today.

Secondly, art may imitate three things: imitating things as they are; Imitate what people imagine; Imitate things as they are. Aristotle believed that art should imitate things as they are.

Finally, why should art imitate? Because imitation is human nature.

Experience has proved this point: although things themselves seem to cause pain, vivid images seem to bring us pleasure.

Representative theory contains reasonable factors:

Firstly, it is affirmed that art originates from the objective world, and this simple materialistic view has reasonable content.

Secondly, the artistic remains in ancient primitive caves are indeed imitations of animal images in real life.

But the representative theory also has some theoretical difficulties:

First of all, primitive art is not all the products of imitation, such as songs and dances expressing emotions and abstract geometric patterns.

Secondly, there is no scientific explanation for why people imitate one thing instead of another. Imitation is only a means of artistic creation, not the real motive of artistic creation.

Second, the game says.

It was put forward by Schiller in Germany (18th century) and Spencer in Britain (19th century), also known as Schiller-Spencer theory.

Schiller believes that the real reason for the occurrence of art is the game impulse for the purpose of representation.

Appearance is an important category in Schiller's aesthetics. He believes that people are not free in real life, that is, they are forced by natural forces and material needs, and bound and forced by rational laws. At this time, people just observe the outside world for utilitarian purposes, and it is impossible to get happiness for appearance. Only when people demand material and rational coercion will they prefer appearance to reality.

When people discover the pure appearance without any interests, freedom begins, aesthetics begins, games begin, humanity begins and art begins. This is the last sign that people are separated from the animal kingdom.

He said: "What phenomenon does the barbarian declare that he has reached humanity? No matter how far we go, this phenomenon is always the same in all nations that have got rid of animal slavery: they like appearance, love decoration and love games. " People can only play if they become people in the full sense; Only when he plays games can he be a man in the full sense.

Why do you play games? Games are an outlet for excess energy. Only when people get rid of the actual utilitarian purpose can they produce free games. It is this kind of free game without utility and purpose that promotes the occurrence of art. The irregular jump of joy gradually turns into dance, and the voice from emotion gradually turns into song. )

Spencer further developed Schiller's theory. In his view, games and aesthetics have a common feature, that is, they cannot directly help maintain life and have nothing to do with utility.

In lower animals, all the strength is spent on performing the functions necessary to sustain life. Only utilitarian activities, no extra energy. But in higher animals, not all the energy is used to meet the direct needs, and those excess energy that is not consumed produce games.

Games have no utilitarian value, but they are of biological value to individuals and the whole nation. Games are imitations of real activities, so is art, and aesthetic activities are essentially games.

Plekhanov made a fierce criticism of game theory in Art-Letters Without Addresses. He believes that the real motivation of the game is not too much energy but labor. Game precedes labor in form, but it is the product of labor in content. (Wild hunting game, personally speaking, the game precedes the labor, but from the perspective of the whole society and tribe, the labor precedes the game. Barbarian warfare reproduces the movements of various animals in dance, which is nothing more than experiencing the happy impulse in hunting labor again. )

Plekhanov's obliteration is wrong. Game theory contains some valuable ideas and reveals some aspects of art:

First, only after people meet the utilitarian needs of food, clothing, housing and transportation-even at a very low level-can they have extra energy to engage in artistic activities.

Second, there are many similarities between games and art: both are super-utilitarian and cannot meet people's actual material needs; Are all assumptions; They can all make people feel happy. Therefore, game theory also reveals some characteristics of art to a certain extent, and the entertainment function of art includes the factors of game.

Thirdly, through the artistic investigation of primitive people who still exist in today's world, it is found that art is indeed related to games. Such as group carnival, singing and dancing, strong feelings and cheerful rhythm.

But there are essential differences between art and games:

First of all, the purpose of the game is to vent excess energy or practice an activity, while the purpose of art is profound;

Secondly, the game is short-lived, while the vitality of art is long-lived;

Thirdly, the game does not need an audience, it is personal entertainment, art is emotional communication, and there must be an audience;

Finally, children like games but not necessarily art, and artists like art but not necessarily games.

Therefore, game theory can't reveal the origin and real mystery of art scientifically and comprehensively.

Third, witchcraft theory.

It was first put forward by British anthropologist Taylor in Primitive Culture, and it is the most influential theory in western art genesis in the 20th century.

Primitive art originates from primitive witchcraft, which is rooted in primitive animism. How did primitive people control objects with their souls? This is witchcraft.

Fraser said in the Golden Branch: "If we analyze the ideological principles on which witchcraft is based, we will find that they come down to two aspects: the first is that' the same species are born' or the consequences are necessarily the same; The second is' once objects touch each other, they will maintain long-distance interaction after interrupting physical contact'. The former can be called' similarity rate' and the latter can be called' contact rate' or' contact rate'. According to the first principle, that is,' similarity rate', a wizard can achieve anything he wants by imitating; Starting from the second principle, he came to the conclusion that he can influence a person through an object, as long as the object has been touched by that person, whether it is a part of this person's body or not. Spells based on similarity are called homeopathic witchcraft or simulated witchcraft. Spells based on contact rate or contact rate are called' contact witchcraft'. "

The so-called simulated witchcraft means that the wizard exerts witchcraft on the image of the thing he created in order to influence it; Contact witchcraft (sympathetic witchcraft) refers to witchcraft that affects the whole or other parts of an object, even if it is a trivial part.

Reinach, a Frenchman, first used witchcraft theory to reveal the origin of cave murals in Paleolithic age.

First of all, cave murals are often in the depths of dark caves, so these murals are not for appreciation, but for witchcraft. Witchcraft believes that what is painted in the cave before hunting will be what is obtained during hunting.

Secondly, whether the outline of cave murals is clear or not, they are repeated over and over again. This has achieved the expected results, and people expect everything.

Thirdly, the stronger evidence is that there are traces of being stabbed by spears or struck by sticks on animal images, which is related to sympathetic witchcraft.

It is an undeniable objective fact that the occurrence of art is influenced by witchcraft. But it can't be said that art happens in witchcraft.

[If! Support list] First,? [endif] Not all primitive arts are influenced by witchcraft.

Primitive song and dance, such as satisfaction or sexual impulse after a full meal.

Second, influence is not the root cause.

If the occurrence of art is attributed to witchcraft, it is essentially attributed to consciousness. How did witchcraft happen? According to historical materialism, witchcraft eventually developed in the practical activities of material production.

Fourth, labor theory.

Wallas Chek studied the music and dance of primitive people, and pointed out that primitive people's songs and dances depended on rhythm and were produced in collective labor. Therefore, if the rhythm of the chorus is strictly observed, if this ability is not improved by collective labor, it will not be so obvious in the art of primitive tribes.

Bichel said: "In the initial stage of its development, labor, music and poetry are closely related to each other. However, the basic component of this trinity is labor, and other components only have subordinate significance. " Labor determines the rhythm. Rhythm also contributes to music and dance, which is not unconditional. This condition is collective labor.

Primitive plastic arts such as painting and sculpture also originated from primitive hunting life.

Art occurrence and labor are undoubtedly correct propositions. But how to demonstrate it is another matter. Bichel and plekhanov saw the direct and superficial connection between primitive art and labor, but did not see the extensive, comprehensive and profound influence of complex factors such as consciousness, concept, emotion and aesthetics produced in labor on art.

From labor to art, it has experienced numerous intermediaries such as witchcraft etiquette, totem song and dance, which is a very long historical process. Finally, human beings have created art with pure aesthetic value without practical value.

Section 2 The Fundamental Motive Force of Art

What is the motive force of art?

First, the motive force of art is complex, not single. Everything in primitive society, such as labor, emotion, witchcraft, imagination, fantasy, etc. Contact and restrict each other, form a system, and promote the occurrence of art.

Second, in this dynamic system, not every dynamic factor is in an equally important position. The production and labor practice of human beings determines the emergence and development of other factors and becomes the fundamental driving force for the occurrence of art.

Engels said that the brand-new philosophical school founded by Marx for the proletariat is "a new school that has found the key to understand all social history in the history of labor development", and the proletarian worldview is that religion, state, law, morality, science and art are "just some special modes of production, which are dominated by universal production laws."

1. Productive labor practice creates the premise for the occurrence of art.

Productive labor practice creates the subject of artistic creation-man, which provides the premise for the occurrence of art.

First of all, labor turns ape claws into human hands and ape brains into human brains, which is a decisive step in the transformation from apes to humans.

The manpower created by labor is not only the premise of human occurrence, but also the premise of artistic occurrence. And the hand is in turn promoting labor. Walking upright provides the possibility for the perfection of the brain, and labor makes this possibility come true, and the ape brain has evolved into a human brain.

Secondly, labor promotes the production of language, and labor and language further promote the production of consciousness. "This is the last essential difference between man and other animals."

Third, labor promotes the manufacture of tools. Man becomes an animal that makes tools for production, and the production of tools is a sign that apes become people.

But we are faced with a difficult problem: we say that labor promotes the production of tools, and we say that labor begins with making tools. Engels said that the labor before tools and human society came into being was "budding labor", and the labor after tools and human society came into being was "real labor". With the appearance of tools, the former is transformed into the latter, but both are labor, so Engels said, "Labor creates man himself."

Second, productive labor practice promotes the generation of thoughts and feelings and creates the first necessary conditions for the occurrence of art.

Labor is an activity that people consciously and purposefully use tools and conquer nature to meet their material needs, which is the fundamental difference between people and animals.

After the end of labor, people will inevitably compare the results of labor with the ideas at the beginning of labor to see if they are consistent. There are two different results, which have different effects on people's ideas and emotions.

The first result is that the result of labor is inconsistent with the original expectation, leading to the emergence of totem and witchcraft.

The first step of primitive people's world outlook is that the soul is independent, the soul is immortal, and the soul controls people themselves. Then primitive people personified natural phenomena and everything was animistic, which was the main feature of primitive people's world outlook. In the eyes of primitive people, the world is full of "elves", and labor failure is the punishment for elves. This led to the emergence of totem and witchcraft. (See Taylor's Primitive Culture)

The combination of immortal soul, animism, totem and witchcraft finally contributed to the occurrence of primitive art.

The second result is that the result of labor is consistent with the original expectation, which will inevitably lead to people's desire to conquer, transform and create.

Thirdly, productive labor promotes the emergence and development of aesthetic consciousness and creates the second necessary condition for the occurrence of art.

The process of aesthetics has roughly gone through three stages: only practice without aesthetics; Both practical and beautiful; Only aesthetics.

Tiger skin, bear claws and horns are both aesthetic (decorations) and practical (amulets). Primitive people thought it was aesthetic, not because of "the unique combination of colors and lines of these things", but because of the association of complex concepts, which was determined by the labor of hunting life.

History develops and changes through labor, productive labor practice, and the concept of people determined by productive labor also develops and changes, so the aesthetic object of people also develops and changes. In the hunting era, people mainly regarded animals as beauty; In the farming era, people not only regarded animals as beautiful, but also regarded plants as beautiful.

The biggest historical leap in the process of aesthetic feeling is that people finally get rid of the practical value and utilitarian content of objects and only regard the form of objects as aesthetic objects. At this time, people's aesthetic consciousness has changed.

Above, the premise and conditions of art are investigated. In a certain sense, art is a spiritual product created by people with aesthetic value and expressing thoughts and feelings. Therefore, people are the premise of the occurrence of art, and aesthetics and emotion are the necessary conditions for the occurrence of art. When the preconditions and conditions are met, the occurrence of art is inevitable.

Fourth, productive labor practice is the direct cause of the occurrence of primitive art.

Productive labor not only creates the premise and conditions for the occurrence of art, but also becomes the direct driving force for the occurrence of art.

How primitive art happened on the basis of productive labor, lacking of information, can only outline the general outline.

(1) Architectural Art ..

Hegel said that the starting point of art history is architecture.

For primitive people, vast space is a potential threat to their survival. With the development of hunting, architecture is not only a safe hiding place, but also a post station for hunting wild animals. But primitive architecture cannot be called architectural art.

The leap from architecture to architectural art is the solidification of beauty and emotion in architecture.

Architecture is a great victory for human beings to conquer nature, and it is the objectification of human essential strength, which will cause people great spiritual pleasure. Fish food beautifies it on the basis of practicality and makes architecture enter the palace of art. In this way, the oldest art category of human beings is produced on the basis of labor.

(2) plastic arts.

Plastic arts is the oldest art that we can see created by human beings, because the media materials it uses are the most durable and therefore the easiest to preserve.

The main features of primitive plastic arts are:

First, the theme of primitive plastic arts is animals rather than plants, which is determined by primitive hunting life.

Second, it is highly realistic. This is also determined by the primitive hunting life.

There are two necessary conditions for the emergence of highly realistic plastic arts: one is the keen and correct observation ability of objective objects; The second is to apply the creative ability of sensory organs and motor organs. These two conditions are obtained in hunting life.

(3) decorative arts ..

? The original decorative art, several accessories attached to objects, mostly beautified the objects themselves.

1, imitating human or animal form.

Gross said: "The change from animal decoration to plant decoration is indeed a symbol of important progress in cultural history-that is, the change from hunting to farming."

2. Geometry.

It originated from the social production practice at that time. These geometric figures can be divided into two categories, one is a simplified animal image, and the other is a simplified compiled image.

3. Graphics engraved on weapons.

It's a symbol of the tribe and also comes from hunting activities.

First of all, it is a symbol of the owner of the prey. The beast in the middle may not die immediately, and the mark on the weapon can prove his possession of the beast.

Secondly, it is a symbol of totem. Primitive people regarded totem as a "demon" to protect the tribe and prayed for its blessing. So the graphics of these animals don't have to be natural, it's just a symbol of animals. After repeated imitation from generation to generation, primitive people are getting farther and farther away from the original.

(4) Dance.

Primitive dance is a straightforward and powerful expression of primitive aesthetic feelings. Primitive dance can be divided into imitation and practice, both of which originated from productive labor practice.

The so-called imitation dance is the imitation of the movement rhythm of animals and humans, which is rooted in hunting life. Primitive people want to experience the joy of hunting again and convey this emotion to others, which is the direct motivation of dance.

The so-called drill dance is a warm and grand prayer ceremony and witchcraft ceremony. Primitive people thought that ruthless nature could be conquered by witchcraft and dance. Dance is rooted in witchcraft and witchcraft is rooted in hunting life, so witchcraft dance is rooted in hunting life in the final analysis.

(5) music.

In the primary stage of human development, the most prominent feature of music is not melody but rhythm.

First of all, this is determined by the role of music. Primitive music is mostly accompanied by dance, and there is no dance without music, and there is no music without dance, but dance must have a distinct rhythm.

Secondly, it is determined by the types of musical instruments. The original musical instruments of any nation are percussion instruments.

It is precisely because rhythm is a prominent feature of primitive music that it cannot express complex thoughts and feelings, so the trinity form of music, dance and poetry becomes inevitable. This is determined by a certain stage of social material production. It exists in all primitive national art forms without exception.

Music not only comes into being with production practice, but also develops with the development of production practice.

First of all, the development of production practice enriches people's thoughts and feelings;

Secondly, the development of production practice has created more and more musical instruments to express thoughts and feelings;

Thirdly, the development of production practice promotes the development of social division of labor, separating some people from material production to improve their musical skills.

All these have promoted the differentiation of music, dance and poetry and become their own independent art forms.

(6) poetry.

The need of primitive people in the process of labor is the direct motivation of primitive art, and the soil of primitive poetry is the labor life of primitive people, so it is qualitatively different from the poetry of civilized society:

First, in any civilized nation, praise for nature has become an indispensable theme of poetry; But not in the original poem.

Second, in any civilized nation, the praise of love is an inexhaustible theme of poetry; However, in the original poem, the direct and rude description of obscenity and lewdness replaced the lingering love.

Third, in any civilized nation, the content of poetry is more important than the form. Without content, there is no poetry. But in primitive poetry, form is more important than content, such as rhythm and action.

Section III Historical Process of Art Occurrence

Art happened before civilized society. There are essential differences between civilized society and previous art. Before civilized society, there was no clear distinction between philosophy, morality, religion, art and other social ideologies.

The striking feature of primitive art is chaos. How did primitive art get rid of chaos and produce "pure" art in civilized society?

First, the upper limit of art-the first tool created by people.

The first tool and the first work of art have only one thing in common, that is, they are all created by people and are all artificial. Artificiality is indeed an important feature of works of art, but not all works of art are artificial. As a work of art, it is not only a human creation, but also an image creation with aesthetic value and emotion. Tools are only created for practical purposes. Production precedes art, which is the viewpoint of Marxist historical materialism.

Since tools are not works of art, why should there be an upper limit?

First, both tools and art are human creation, and artistic creation is the logical development of tool creation.

Second, tools are the starting point of human society. The premise and conditions for the occurrence of art are based on people's use of tools to transform nature.

Third, tools promote the formation of formal aesthetic feeling. People's favorite forms gradually break away from practical concepts through the accumulation of generations and become independent aesthetic forms.

Fourth, tools promote technological development. In the process of making tools, people exercise and improve the dexterity of their hands, the intelligence of their brains and the coordination of their hands and brains, which all lead to the emergence of skills and techniques in plastic arts.

From the appearance of tools to the occurrence of art, there are about three stages:

The first stage, pure practical products, is marked by the first stone knife made by human beings.

In the second stage, it is both a practical product and a work of art, or it is neither a pure practical product nor a pure work of art. This is the beginning of art. In Hegel's words, it is "quasi-art", "prehistoric art" or "art before art".

The fundamental difference between "quasi-art" and practical products is that it permeates the spiritual connotation of primitive people's thoughts, feelings and aesthetic consciousness in practical products. The process in which art occurs is the process in which the practical connotation gradually declines and the spiritual connotation gradually rises in the products manufactured by people, that is, the process in which spiritual products are gradually distinguished from practical products.

The third stage, pure art, is the art of civilized society.

Second, the occurrence of "quasi-art".

? "Quasi-art" occurred in the late Paleolithic period based on hunting economy, about 40,000 to 30,000 years ago. The symbol of "quasi-art" is the appearance of human body decoration, sculpture and rock painting.

Third, the prosperity of "quasi-art"

One of the characteristics of "quasi-art" is its transition and development. For example, in the process of the transformation from hunting economy to farming economy, the appearance of pottery, ceramic materials are easier to shape and preserve than stone, and people's thoughts, feelings and aesthetic consciousness can be more fully reflected.

Pottery products can be divided into three categories according to the shape of utensils: one is pottery used as utensils, which has obvious practical value; The second category is quasi-shaped pottery, which has both practical value and obvious aesthetic value; The third category is animal sculpture, whose practical value declines and aesthetic value rises, and "pure" art stands out.

There are about four patterns of pottery: one is plant patterns, which originated from the transition from hunting economy to farming economy, and plants have gradually become people's aesthetic objects; The second is geometric pattern, which is rooted in production practice, such as compilation; Three kinds are animal patterns, which are not only hunting objects, but also symbols of totems; These four types are decorative patterns of human faces. With the strengthening of human conquest of nature, people are more and more aware of their special position in the natural society.

Fourthly, the decline of "quasi-art" and the occurrence of art.

"Quasi-art" thrives with the development of primitive social economy and declines with the decline of primitive social economy. But "quasi-art" has declined, and not all art has declined.

The use of metal tools has profoundly affected many aspects of social life.

First of all, class came into being. Metal tools greatly improve social productivity, make society have surplus products, and provide material premise for the emergence of class. The inequality between society and family will inevitably produce the concept of hierarchy, which will profoundly affect the fate of "quasi-art"

Secondly, the predatory war came into being. Due to the development of productive forces, the emergence of surplus products and the enhancement of private ideas, predatory wars have become inevitable. Violence has brought about the decline of "quasi-art" and also spawned the flower of art in civilized society.

Third, religion happened. The religious concept of primitive society is only a vague and chaotic consciousness, which makes people have a naive and distorted reflection of the world. Witchcraft is the bud of religion, but the difference between it and religion is that the profound root of religion is the generation of class. Under the rule of class, natural forces and social forces become the alien forces that rule people, causing people to have fear. "Fear creates God."

The decline of "quasi-art" is marked by the decline of ceramic art from its peak and the disappearance of cheerful and harmonious artistic style. The symbol of true art is the decline of practical value, the deepening of hierarchical concept, the prosperity of jade and bronze art as symbols of rich ornaments or religious sacrifices, and the emergence of ferocious and terrible artistic styles.