What Makes a Masterpiece?

What do we mean when we call an artwork a MASTERPIECE? Who decides which art becomes one? And what artists make them? Don't forget to check out Serving Up Science over on PBS Zest: • Space Food: The Final ...
Thanks to our Grandmasters of the Arts Tyler Calvert-Thompson, Divide By Zero Collection, David Golden, and Ernest Wolfe, and to all of our patrons, especially Rich Clarey, Iain Eudaily, Tom Forwood, Patrick Hanna, Andrew Huynh, Eve Leonard, David Moore, Jane Quale, Gabriel Civita Ramirez, Andrew Sheeler, Josh Thomas, Constance Urist, Nicholas Xu, and Roberta Zaphiriou. To support our channel, visit: / artassignment .
Subscribe for new episodes of The Art Assignment every other Thursday, and follow us elsewhere for the full Art Assignment experience:
Twitter: / artassignment
Instagram: / theartassignment
Facebook group: / artassignmentextracredit

[@Herr_Vorragender]

9:05 where is that graph from? I would love to traverse through the nodes and explore

[@theartassignment]

It's from UNESCO's site, and it's here!: ich.unesco.org/en/dive&display=constellation

[@isaacdelcampo8703]

I had the very same question. :)

[@aidanjavier5714]

i realize it is kinda off topic but do anyone know of a good site to stream newly released movies online ?

[@haydenjeremy6448]

@Aidan Javier flixportal xD

[@aidanjavier5714]

@Hayden Jeremy thank you, signed up and it seems to work =) I really appreciate it !!

[@memopinzon]

"Bold and Brash" is a masterpiece.

[@IsuiGtz]

Ah, a man of culture I see.

[@emeraldcloud9912]

Thanks for pulling out the invisible hands behind the making of a masterpiece. This reminds me that galleries/museums' bias for white male artists is still very much alive. Not to mention the continued marginalisation of so called primitive art and art outside of the judeo Christian world. Could you expand on this topic?

[@reilamelonia5314]

@Emerald cloud Yes I do agree that 8 legged green squid deserves the same amount of recognition and the same spot as the other artists.

[@waxcat4201]

More like "Belongs in the Trash" amirite

[@thefisherking2268]

wax cat SILENCE FOOL

[@Tubbins82]

For me, a great work has an Aura, it feels alive, like it has a personality independent of even the artist who made it. It has it's own identity. A masterpiece isn't just a work of art, it's animistic, something that follows you home and stays with you long after you leave it's physical presence.

[@calandraeckert5547]

I agree. I felt this most strongly with Caravaggio's Erros as Victor (Berlin art gallery) it is technically fantastic but the subject matter made me a little uncomfortable (young nacked teen boy) but I could stop looking at the painting anyway. It just had this really commarnding gravitas that just demands attention. I've felt this with some Rembrandts too.

[@3VLN]

beautiful point of view

[@yuktiagarwal3220]

But it also depends hugely on your mental state, emotion level and readiness of your heart to indulge in it.

[@Tubbins82]

@@yuktiagarwal3220 Yes! I've heard stories of people breaking down and crying while viewing works by Mark Rothko. I've seen a few, but it hasn't happened yet. But I want it to. So I'll keep learning and expanding my heart and understanding until i feel works so deeply. Until I can cry for color.

[@zeomora3512]

I would agree like good art is alive and affects you for the rest of your life. This is why I consider Spirited Away and other Ghibli films masterpieces.

[@catarinabarbosa2247]

okay but the horse fair is such a technical flex, horses suck to draw

[@theartassignment]

True. And see my response to Sonja Johnson re: the painting. Just because something doesn't move me, doesn't mean it's not good or shouldn't be considered a "masterpiece" by someone else.

[@abhisheksoni2980]

I like that painting more than Mona Lisa.

[@arielanez6358]

I imagine you draw, what's your style or usual subjects?

[@capuchinosofia4771]

@@abhisheksoni2980 the Mona Lisa is only considered a masterpiece because it was stolen. Before the theft, it was in between a lot of other "unimportant" paintings. It was stolen, and that gave it publicity, that made people want to see the painting that was stolen!

[@tristans_]

Capuchino Sofia I remember when I was kid I used to flip through the small selection of art books in my elementary school library. I fell in love with the Mona Lisa when I first saw it without knowing much about Da Vinci or the painting itself. For some reason it just captivated me and still does to this day, it’s a beautiful piece no doubt. Makes you wonder why that one in particular would be stolen. Maybe the thief felt the same... :)

[@Bunny-ch2ul]

As a culture, I feel like we need to be far more judicious with superlatives. I feel like terms like "masterpiece" and "icon" aren't labels that should be applied with any immediacy. Wait ten years. If you're still fascinated by something, then you can call it "iconic" or "a masterpiece." Superlatives are diluted if you just toss them around. For a me, a masterpiece should be exciting on some level, and retain that excitement well into the future. That's not something you can immediately judge. I don't see why it's so wrong to say something will undoubtedly be considered iconic in the future, rather than deeming it iconic immediately. Realistically, not every VMA awards is going to have an iconic performance. Not every Art Basel is going to have a masterpiece. That's why superlatives are special. They should be rarely and judiciously applied.

[@fuzzlefeenix]

I understand this sentiment, but I also don't agree that the longevity of fascination with an artwork should be the defining factor of its superlative 'best' status. I think there's something wonderful about a contemporaneous encounter with a work striking you in that moment, in a way that is 'best' for right then. The same way a friendship or relationship might be incredible and transformative, but quickly burns out and you grow apart. It was still 'best' for right then. Personally, I think there is great freedom in permitting myself to feel the 'bestness' intensity encountering something in the moment, without the pressure that it must sustain its emotional resonance over time in order to TRULY be 'best'. So much can be lost if something can only be 'best' while it withstands a barrage of new comparisons over time: withholding the pinnacle of our admiration only for things which have a sturdy, masculine durability. Equally, this applies to finding new 'bests' in works of the past which never landed right before. Works that, encountered later, 'best' us unexpectedly.

[@dasaggropop1244]

we live in times of hype, everything has to be the best or it won't even matter. it starts with buzzfeed lists and youtube videos like "top ten mediocre items you don't know" and so on...same goes for the art market. lots of loud and flashy marketing, because everyone wants to discover or buy early the next banksy or whatever.

[@anawieder5003]

Morgan Glines I agree completely. If we’re going to use these highly suspect terms then they must apply to artworks that holds power beyond the shock of the new and ambitious. Well put.

[@VOLightPortal]

Wait 500 years.

[@grandexandi]

I agree but 10 years is not enough, it should be at least 10 thousand years

[@SpottedBullet]

Something you walk past and stop to look because it looks interesting.

[@davidschmidt5507]

This reminded me of Nerdwriter1's video about the definition of a "classic". Add this to the list of amazing videos.

[@superDUPERman102]

i genuinely love how you approach art. it's so inclusive and leads the individual to look for themselves at what they want to derive from a piece, not what they are told to.

[@selwynr]

Is that why we have so many idiots thinking their opinion is all that matters and that their opinion is as valid as someone who has developed a sensitivity to judging art? Yeah, art is all about egoistic self-validation... not.

[@Itsme_loganlee]

This page is a masterpiece. Thank you for helping a wider audience experience and analyze art!

[@nilspochat8665]

Oh i see you, my procrastinating colleague, scrolling down the comment section. Now get back to work on your art!

[@ariannawright7586]

Just 1 more minute

[@raffaelee.scrofani9953]

i'm not procrastinating, you are 😩😩

[@Udontkno7]

Writing shmiting

[@alchorche]

what? ... How could you know? What.. shit .. camera of the phone on? ...damn...ahhhhh

[@AlexLopez-hn5ru]

First of all, THIS IS PART OF THE PROCESS, OKAY! 😭

[@robertakeller1296]

I would love a video talking about the relationship between art and privilege! this video delicately touched on issues of privilege in determining art's greatness or in making art, but I would love a full video on this (understanding it couldn't encapsulate everything)

[@AirConditioningFW]

Yes I would love a video on this too!

[@omarabdelkadereldarir7458]

6:00 Nice John reference. Edit: For me, a masterpiece is something that was made with and conveys great feeling, skill or advanced level of thought. And I want to stress the feeling and thought part because I think that wasn't addressed enough by the video. Wow I got a heart even though I don't know what I'm talking about! :)

[@littlellama7753]

Sarah is also a fan of Liverpool

[@izzardblizzard]

I love bingeing your videos when frantically finishing art projects

[@AmorSciendi]

A version of this conversation happens often in English Departments when considering which books to read. I'm typically on the side of "teach living poets" or on the side of the teacher's preference-- Believing that it's the teacher's energy and excitement for a text that will make the communal experience of the work meaningful. BUT: there is a good argument for certain works being cultural touchstones that I cannot fully ignore. Like there is something nice about being able to make a Harry Potter or Atticus Finch reference and have everyone in the room get the intended meaning. Reading them allows you to enter communal conversations with huge groups of people outside of the classroom. These works bring us together by having something we all know and can all respond to... but yeah. You're right: Who picks those? I like to think that the students ultimately pick them. Teachers will stop reading books if the students stop responding (I hope), and so the (I want to avoid using the word cannon) shifts. I always advocate for teaching living poets... but I'm not kicking Shakespeare, Twain, Morrison, or Austen off the curriculum either. I guess there just needs to be a balance. Thank you for the video, as always.

[@theartassignment]

There are some really great points here, especially about having cultural touchstones, or works that are read broadly enough for wider conversations about them to occur. Teachers play a HUGE role here. I realize some teachers don't have the flexibility to choose which works are taught, but those who do shape the "canon" whether they're working in tandem with others or not. And I think even those who can't choose the works covered can fold in contemporary touchstones to bring the conversation into the present. Like mixing your living poets with your Shakespeare, no?

[@AmorSciendi]

@@theartassignment spot on. Finding the balance is an ongoing referendum everyday.

[@cinnamon9390]

You've really, genuinely opened my mind to a field I've been wary of my whole life, and made it not only interesting, but digestible and accessible! I've always been intimidated and just assumed I'd be snubbed trying to dip my toe into the high art world, but I'm starting to seek it out and appreciate it more. I suspect that was the goal of your channel, and I just wanted you to know you're succeeding

[@kidmorphius4002]

Cinnamon waspoppin name brotha/sista!!

[@Annatomova7]

I’m so glad you mentioned folklore, music, traditional clothing and culture. All of that is art. One of my favorite things to do is draw people in traditional folk ware of their respective countries.

[@mouseluva]

"What do we want the future to know about the present" is going to be my new motivator and judgement criteria for anything creative, I can feel it. It's perfectly described my dissatisfaction with this year's Pritzker prize award: it's excellent architecture, but it's not the epitomy of the best the present has to show the future. Thank you for helping me word a complicated concept Sarah! Every video I watch I think "wow, no wonder John loves and admires her so much"

[@natashamaio]

The quality of the videos in this channel is insane. Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy creating your videos as much as I enjoy watching them!

[@rp7912]

Such a well thought out, compact yet detailed video. Kudos!

[@JodiRenshaw]

Just heard about your assignments and "classes" on a podcast. Absolutely love that I found you. Didn't know how much I needed this until now. Awesome. I am an art professor in Digital Design. And this will inform both my own work and my classes. Thank you for this channel.

[@raffaelee.scrofani9953]

I LOVE THIS CHANNEL i was searching all over youtube for a video like this not more than 5 hours ago! thank you 😭

[@michaelrantanen4312]

When you make something with the most honest intentions is when you begin to start your masterpiece. You can be inspired to make art all your life but there is always a peak and we must acknowledge those once in a life time moments in an artist life.

[@gabrielas1986]

Once again impeccably done. Thank you for adding the title in each of the pieces, allowed me to google them and learn more. Keep up the amazing work!

[@jonas1015119]

While there are some exceptional pieces that are recognizes as Masterpieces during their time, I feel like endurance is a prime attribute of most Masterpieces. In the most typical sense that means greek/roman antiquity, renaissance, plus some Gothic and neoclassical pieces in architecture. There is medieval art that is perfectly executed but stylistically unappealing to us (I'm not sure how people in medieval times felt about classical art, but considering they converted most temples into churches, not too highly), and classical sculpture seems to be the one that has prevailed for most of recorded history (well, at least western)

[@swanpride]

I think it is a combination of what manages to get attention in the first place, what the critics decide is worth seeing and what the audience appreciates. I think there are a lot of works of art the audience would have loved but never got to see, and there are also some paintings and books which continue to endure because we are told early on that this particular painting is something we should know. Take Franz Marc, everyone who knows anything expressionism knows who he is, and about his blue horses. I actually think that the blue horses are fairly boring and that his best work is by far "Reh im Walde II" - but honestly, you need to see it in reality to truly appreciate it, no print has the same effect at the original piece. I think there are three kind of "masterpieces", the ones which critics deemed worthy, the ones the audience deemed worthy and the ones most people agree are worthy one way or another.

[@2adamast]

And we favor naked/colorless classic and medieval architecture and sculpture, showing that we probably despise both.

[@cyberrein5848]

i just searched “what is a masterpiece?” and i see a logh fan commenting, appropriate!

[@Filmwing]

Masterfully Pieced together. Thanks for the Most Excellent video!

[@garneriley8066]

Just wanted to say how enjoyable, informative, and relaxing I find your content:) Keep them coming!

[@tubakabakci]

I can’t keep myself from giving a ”like” to all of your videos 🤩 Thank you for all the effort you put...the energy, the discipline, the detail, the time....All appreciated 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@AdrianSingh]

Truly appreciate your work and this channel!

[@fernandoayalarodriguez8312]

I really am obsessed with all your videos seriously they are amazing 🥺

[@alienovel]

5:08 the side by side comparison lets me actually see everything about the real person and setting of mona lisa while being able to appreciate davinci’s version even more for it’s subtle style

[@supremereader7614]

The Art Assignment did such a good job on this video it’s almost touching!

[@marydauria7902]

loving your shirt and great video as always!

[@prufrockj.a8532]

Thanks for including Gal Viharaya in this. It often goes in acknowledged by art critics but there is something about it that exudes complete calm and serenity. All three of the statues are revered in Sri Lanka and are considered the very best of Sri Lankan art along with the Avukana Buddha statue.

[@JM-fr5kt]

As always, a very good and clear explanation....I didnt understanding the cooking science show in the end, but I loved it.... art and food is a good pair.

[@ElenaMZapata]

this was excellent, thank you! My sister works for our city's library art wing, Vasari Project...I get it now, thank you!!

[@MelchorMoore]

This is so cool. As an artist it’s nice to hear we can just create our own work and maybe just maybe...

[@IsuiGtz]

This channel is a masterpiece.

[@TazmanianDevil]

For me a masterpiece is simply something with great purpose and contains high meaning; masterpieces in terms of machinery has a very complex mechanism with many purposes. A masterpiece art is something that contains great meaning and knowledge, mixed with technical skills in art- Leonardo, Picasso, Van Gogh, Michelangelo etc. All created masterpieces with great meaning and knowledge within.

[@chrisiadraws]

First of all thank you so much for the amazing content you guys bring to us! I have a question, have you considered making a video or to on digital art, the recent most masterful painting you can find on places like Artstation.

[@stevebillington7969]

It helps to keep going back to the well, to draw cool water and drink. Being refreshed by you and many others, Robert Henri I'd say, inspires me ,fills up my bucket to draw, to watercolor, to take camera in hand.....your teaching book must be awesome. Time to buy.

[@letom.359]

Great presentation,as always...

[@Beryllahawk]

For the first time I actually had a knee-jerk, speak out loud to the computer screen, difference of opinion! The Horse Fair is still a fabulous work, and I'd count it a masterpiece. Though I will admit that a great deal of my passion for that painting is rooted in the fact that I adore horses, really truly love learning about them and looking at them. (I can't afford to OWN one but I can dream eh) It's a fascinating idea to think of this word - of OUR words - as being things that potentially shape history. It makes me wish, fervently, that more folks making content right now would put just a few minutes more thought into what words they're throwing out into the void...because the Internet is forever.

[@theartassignment]

I'm glad you shared this, Sonja. And I'm glad you like The Horse Fair! My point in sharing that it "doesn't do anything for me," is that to some degree the designation of "masterpiece" is about one's personal reaction. Just because I'm not moved by it, doesn't mean that you or anyone else shouldn't be. What's a masterpiece to you, may not function as a masterpiece to me.

[@Beryllahawk]

@@theartassignment Exactly! For me I was also very excited to have any opinions at all. So much has changed for me. I've always liked art, but I won't lie, I didn't know anything about it. I knew what sorts of things I liked to look at, but I didn't know why, and certainly had never learned much at all about HOW art can function. Or really anything! This specific painting is one that I've known about for a long time, waaaaay before I even understood what was involved in making a painting. I think it was in some sort of picture book that I had access to as a child, haha! But because I've learned from you, from this channel, and from the community that's grown up around it, I FINALLY can say something and feel like I'm not missing the point completely. I think your opinion about the piece is 100% valid of course - but I'm just SO grateful, so happy, to feel like I can really talk about art now. It's like my piggy bank of knowledge just got a little heavier, you know? It's a good feeling.

[@kiloalphahotel5354]

Thanks for the vid. Very interesting and informative!

[@darktoonlink2k145]

Thank you soooo much. Honestly, the word 'masterpiece' is SO overused! So much so, that I often doubt that people are ever using it correctly, it just really bugs me. Thank you for discussing it and giving us a general idea as to what masterpieces are, how they come to be, and what leads them to masterpieces.

[@jejo63660]

This video was very illuminating. It seems to me that the term “masterpiece” can be restrictive for a newcomer of art, like me. “Masterpiece” to me makes me think I ought to like it. This understanding has led me to become frustrated and confused by art that I believed I was supposed to like. It made me doubt my own perceptions as those of an inexperienced viewer, one that needs instruction on what is good and what is not. To me, it’s more liberating to think of art as a conversation between the work and the individual. Of course, one work of art can have a profound impact on many individuals, but ultimately I think trusting my perception has led me to appreciate art more.

[@douae5857]

I’m sorry if this offends you, but you sounds so intelligent for your username.

[@swanpride]

Frankly, whenever I am frustrated or confused about a piece of art, it is sometimes a good idea to just look into WHY this piece of art is so appreciated. While art should speak for itself, often it belongs into a context which is lost over time. Unterstanding this context might not make you like this piece of art (though sometimes it does), but it will give you a greater understanding. Plus, there are some art pieces which basically require investing some time into them.

[@lynxaway]

@swanpride I agree! I don’t do this for the sake of the art or the people who like it, but for my own sake. Personally I don’t enjoy feeling frustrated or bitter, so it gives me a thrill to subvert that into more positive energy, if that makes sense.

[@fafagavar137]

That piece of Ife Art at 5:42 made me so proud 🇳🇬🇳🇬

[@rickandrews2112]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I have long wondered where the label of masterpiece came from.

[@mannequin3000]

I like how you raise a thought in my mind at the end of the video but you leave me no time thinking about it because you immediately ask me 'whats up with beer foam?'.

[@matthewbaker7513]

Gotta love humans, when they master everything in sight they make something up and pretend they tamed it. I'm all for it- but oh man, we're awfully goofy.

[@xanderjakeq]

what is a masterpiece??? ... what's the point of beer foam?

[@theartassignment]

hahaha. THESE are the important questions ;)

[@johntaylor8463]

The head on a beer allows you to easily remove a wasp from your pint.

[@beblader9]

A masterpiece adds to history. It allows you to remember a time when the world was still spinning. When we look at Picasso we remember The Nazi bombing of Guernica. Michel Angelo, David, we remember the Italian Renaissance.

[@2adamast]

Isn't Guernica (the painting) a caricature from a baroque painting. So should Rubens remember us Nazi bombings?

[@INANNAAXO]

I could marry this woman. I love her voice + she’s so smart. sorry John.

[@michaelwertzy9808]

She's my cousin, Don Juan. Your wife (if so) keeps secrets better than your fantasies could ever behold

[@ashkan.eb1]

Amazing video really enjoyed ur perspective

[@futurestoryteller]

I read an article once that had described Devo as this band that, to most people, made one hit song in the 80's, and then faded into obscurity. Neither the people nor the public think about them that much, but they've had an immeasurable impact on popular culture by influencing other musicians, like David Bowie and Kurt Cobain. Whenever I see an amazing TV show that I think is a masterpiece, but that very few others seem to watch, I take solace in the suspicion that talented people have seen it, and will probably draw inspiration from it.

[@krutibhavsar9534]

I enjoy these videos again and again and again.... ✨🌻

[@blipboigilgamesh7865]

great video! however i have a question: what is the name of the song that plays in the very end? i think i recognize it from somewhere...

[@ovh992]

Thank you so much for this episode. I always wondered about this topic myself. I feel often museums will promote their holdings as masterpieces in order to promote the museum over the art. For example Picasso created over 1,880 paintings. Is the Moma's "Woman Before a Mirror" a masterpiece of its own volition or is it a masterpiece because the museum that owns it has propped it (out of 1779 other paintings by Picasso) up to be a masterpiece?

[@cameronparham5067]

Thanks for your work I love your exploration of the concept of masterpiece. Who decides? It's great. Who indeed?

[@alliknowisthatiknownothing8247]

A masterpiece is in the eye of the beholder :)

[@gabudovx6913]

This is really interesting, Sarah! Can you make a video about the pre-raphaelite brotherhood?

[@worrywirt]

I second this! They are my absolute favourite

[@FuuuckOffff]

The contemporary artworld despises the Pre-Raphaelites and all Victorian art generally. They don't regard it as art because it was conceived of as a reaction to the geneaological forebears of what became modern art. As historical fate would have it, then, they are most vociferously opposed to these specific genres above all others, and will deny their artistic quality totally. They would never make anything but the most harshly critical commentaries of it.

[@TheTacosrocksocks]

You and Johns channels are masterpieces 🤩

[@lauriepaintsart8854]

I think that I will always be striving to achieve my personal masterpiece for the rest of my life 😝

[@Sandlot1992]

this video is truly a masterpiece!

[@foreversapphire]

I love the music that plays during the credits - could someone let me know what it is? thanks :)

[@fleidyleegyrson7361]

I generally think of masterpieces as a climatic moment in an artists narrative. That’s why they’re so relative; a masterpiece is more like a mission statement and less like a monument. Many superlatives are indeed watered down, and I think masterpiece is on its way back to applying to a tour de force. Not every artist has one, but if you want a word for “irreplaceable good and timeless piece of art” I think it’s time to hit the drawing board.

[@Suite_annamite]

@10:55: *Hands up if you also love* my hometown's museum, the *National Gallery of Canada* and their 1999-2003 copy of *Louise Bourgeois' "Mom"!*

[@sonicgoo1121]

Our local museum doesn't have a lot of great art so exhibitions are usually a mixed bag. But I can tell which are by a master or not without checking the descriptions. It's a fun little game. :)

[@cydra-evolution5623]

A masterpiece is a work that confuses the viewer. Its greatness is so unexplainable that there is only room for praise.

[@bilal_ahmed1011]

What a masterpiece of videos.

[@JordanAfifi]

This is an amazing video I learned a lot

[@decepticonne]

PS : the original use of masterpiece (maitre d'oeuvre) still exists in french (and german i think ?) craftsmanship,,, the contemporary descendants of guilds (like say, the compagnons du devoir) can and will ask their pupils to make one to complete their apprenticeship. in crafts that range from carpentry to basket weaving and plumbing :) and since you don't need to go through those prestigious-in-their-own-right institutions to become a craftsman, excellence is often the goal of the masterpiece, as it is the goal of the formation too. it's the only meaning of the word that holds some sort of internal sense that resists further external inquiry imho.

[@franziskafinefein]

in German there are actually two words “Meisterwerk“ and “Meisterstück“. Meisterwerk (literal translation: master works) is used in the same way as Masterpiece nowadays in English (as used in this video for the Mona Lisa) while I'd say Meisterstück (literal translation: master piece) is used in the old sense when an apprentice of a craft demonstrates his or her skills to be examined and judged and then hopefully successfully finish their apprenticeship. At least to me the words are not synonyms. To be honest though, I am note sure how nuanced other native speakers would use them.

[@decepticonne]

@@franziskafinefein thanks for the precision :) it's been a while since i've studied german lol

[@Xenolilly]

Art is the manifestation of feelings. An artistic masterpiece remains an artistic masterpiece by generating feelings in its viewers.

[@omarabdelkadereldarir7458]

What about thought? Shouldn't what you said also apply to thought, too?

[@frosted3]

Masterpieces seem to function in a similar way to the canon, in that it's an attribute assigned by certain people to a certain thing in order to direct attention towards that thing. Like with canon, something considered masterful can only exist in opposition to something which is not. I think what mainly sets "masterpiece" apart from "canon" or even "top 40" is its particular vibe of historical prestige/mysticism So while masterpieces can be a useful concept sociologically, I would be wary of claims that they contain any sort of "inherently transcendental" characteristics

[@Mmxxaamm]

You put the Last of Us when talked about video game masterpiece... god I can't express how much I love this channel

[@johna625]

Outsider art is an interesting counter to the entire concept of a masterpiece.

[@theartassignment]

Agree. I think, though, there is plenty of "outsider" art that's been co-opted by the power players and elevated to the masterpiece status. I'm thinking of, say the work of Martín Ramírez and Henry Darger and Thornton Dial.

[@gerardpamate3481]

A masterpiece must be based on a factual historical analysis of how refined the elements of art are being used and the expertize in handling within the "work". It must be based on the apex of the timeline of an artist of how mature or golden his/her artforms have become compared to all his/her works and never with succeeding generation whose taste shifted to snowflaking and inclusion culture that brought demented la art por la art construct. It must be translated based on the original meaning of the word obra maestra and not on how future generations woud see it fit. That should be the realm of masterpiece.

[@grtavares007]

Hello, do you happen to have any bibliography on the subject? i would like to research more and think about ..

[@MrMyYoyo]

This KZbin channel is a masterpiece

[@pintiliebogdan4649]

3:06 "He described the years between Ancient Greece and Rome to his day, the Italian Renaissance, as The Dark Ages when very little happened of note artistically, which we know just isn't true" I'm sorry, is that the argument? That we "just know it isn't true" ? This is litterally what the Renaissance was, It was the moment we rediscovered old values and with artists were let to explore the human body in art again.

[@serinad9434]

Have you considered looking at all the great art that was produced around the world during the period he considered "Dark Ages"?

[@pintiliebogdan4649]

@@serinad9434 It is a European centered notion. Just like the renaissance. Just like there was no renaissance outside of Europe, the "dark ages" refers strictly to the European period. Is this channel based in America, because you seem to have a very different way of looking at this, -and at least in the case of your comment, wrong way-. This video interprets differently many things that we have gone over in our Aesthetics class here in Europe.

[@FuuuckOffff]

The video betrays how ridiculous its refutation of the Dark Ages is with its own example. It shows a classical and Renaissance sculpture next to each other and then displays a significantly less technically proficient work in between. It invalidates its own position with the demonstration. Also, to refute the Dark Ages on the basis that applies only to Western Europe is fatuous. Of course it only applies regionally, but we're situated within and commenting on art in tradition of the Western cultural milieu. It's relevant to our art tradition, if this was a video in Chinese on whatever their version of KZbin is, they'd talk about their own Dark Ages I'm sure.

[@DrMatthewHayek]

The googly eyed string monster next to Rembrandt KILLED ME.

[@panochaGremlin]

You are goatee for making such great wisdom accessible. Truly AH baddie

[@froogsleegs]

Noticed in the beginning you included a photo of Marina Abramovic demonstrating her performance art "The Artist Is Present". I suggest everyone read a little more about this lady and exactly what she's known for. Her performance art is unique to say the least and it ties in with some rather important people.

[@marcguimaraes]

The persuasion of perfection.

[@MrSthotwhelz]

another great think piece

[@PatTurn]

I love this channel and I love PBS!!!!!!

[@cai6972]

If a masterpiece is finished and installed in a forest and no one is there to critique it, is it a still a masterpiece?

[@Ghost-xu3xs]

My answer is no. Things don't exist unless or until they are observed by someone

[@starchington]

Yes.

[@swanpride]

Only if it is in the eyes of the artist who decided to install it there.

[@blurrylights6344]

@@Ghost-xu3xs Agreed. "Critique" is a one word shorthand to describe a process or relationship between the thing and the someone.

[@chynnab2920]

Great art does not need an artist's explanation nor another person's critique as to why it should resonate with you. Great art just resonates with you by being there, that's why we make it in the first place. If it doesn't resonate nor appeal to you in a way where you need to be "walked through on what it means" then the artist has failed you. Each art resonates differently from person to person (asthetically, emotionally, spiritually,etc.) you shouldn't have people take that away from you by instilling what it means to them for you.

[@brvndxxxn]

Great video!

[@KannikCat]

This is a great topic to bring up, especially given the current predilection (of which I am guilty :P) for hyperbole and how easily “masterpiece” is applied as an adjective to works. Call it the “5 star review” problem except applied to art. Or the “super great list” problem. It’s always going to be subjective and perhaps transitory, and if we can remember that then it can be fun to engage with it without becoming locked in. (It also reminds me of the Oscar problem: one movie wins Best Picture every year, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it ‘should’ be among the best of all time, just of that year. One or many of the previous year’s nominees may well be better than the winner of a year - it may have been a poor year for movies overall.) All that being said, for me to declare something a Masterpiece a work often ‘needs’ to be exceptional across a number of areas, be it craft, exquisiteness in execution, meaning or insight or message, and certainly the X factor of that which touches our spirit in ways that are hard to quantify. I also agree that longevity also plays a role… something well valued for a long time has a lot going for it. :) Loved this exploration, and I never knew the origins of what was termed a masterpiece and how its meaning has shifted over the years. Thank you!

[@liohobo]

thank god this channel is still going

[@liohobo]

strong!!!!!

[@demsyciu]

Yes, when i thik about it, it's right that masterpiece is an art that tell the future audience of the history or story of the time of the artist. An art that counquer the time.

[@SunflowerSpotlight]

Okay, The Law of the Journey was really impactful. I liked how the layout made sense but it wasn’t so uniform as to be boring. It hit me viscerally. It was like remembering an echo of a memory. I could almost feel the sea spray on my face, hear the wind, incessant rocking of the raft, the murmur of those aboard, the anxiety strung between each person. A Subtlety also really hit me, but very differently. It is confronting. I love the pose though, strongly evoking the Sphinx. The thumb placement on the left hand is an interesting choice! I was also kind of surprised at how well the very large breasts were shaped, although the nipples aren’t quite right for natural breasts. Which in and of itself is a choice that is probably very intentional? It makes me wonder what the intent was though, and that’s always a plus to me, at least in art. It’s cool how such short glimpses at a piece can leave you with strong feelings. That, as much as anything, may be one sign of Mastery. To make an instant impact on the viewer, or connect with them in some way beyond their control, to prompt further inspection. It’s like how in reading, you know you’ve succeeded if you leave them wanting more of your words.

[@AIMLESS-NAMELESS]

Nice that you mentioned last of us 1 in the intro

[@Abraxaza]

This channel is a masterpiece. Thank you!

[@quentinambrose7570]

Does anyone know what the picture is in the first image sequence with the girl smoking?

[@Lumarez]

I loved the music too! What is the soundtrack?

[@Redrum420CF]

zest sounds good thanks for the recommendation

[@lacxzll559]

I nade an art from 2014 and finished it 2022. All person saw it said that its a Masterpiece. How can i expose it for the sake of art. Kindly guide or advice.

[@Felisquoreda]

The historical roots for the word masterpiece made me think. In German there are two words: Meisterstück (literally master-piece) is the thing you traditionally have to craft so you are allowed to teach apprentices (and have your own workshop I think). Meisterwerk (literally Master-creation or Master-Work) is what is translated into masterpiece.

[@peterdmitribachand3954]

I actually had a conversation about the subjectivity of art!