Inspired genius or NOT

The notion of the divinely inspired genius emerged during the High Renaissance period. It allowed for the elevation of artist as professionals and intellectuals instead of craftsman but it also was very restrictive to many artists. Does this the notion of genius still prevail and/or does similar restriction exist today for artists?

The image of the artist as an intellectual and genius fit the model of the inspired individual that was dictated in the creative surge of the time. In Florence, the birthplace of early Renaissance, artists appeared to dominate the artistic workforce. The artists of the Renaissance era were painters, sculptors, architects, goldsmiths… multifaceted people of various occupations and diverse styles of expressions. They worked at producing art pieces that would distinguished themselves from ordinary craftspeople. The knowledge and use of scientific methods positioned painters and sculptors on an axis that was intellectual, academic, and theoretical. The fact that selected artisans knew that their profession required ability and knowledge was enough to distinguish themselves from sheer craftsmen.

It could be argued that the Renaissance artistic period was not so unlike the surge that drove the birth of Silicon Valley in the early 1950s. Engineers, scientists and educated professionals provided the initial groundwork for change to into the globalization era. Yet, it was the work of college dropouts who fueled the capitalization with imaginary innovation though IPO’s, computers, gadgets and the Internet. They, too , are considered modern geniuses with inspired intellect in the same hamper with the academicians.


The fact that many Renaissance artists dominated as learned men of academia and extended apprenticeships does not make them more intelligent than those who create today’s modern art. Although works produced then were important from a social, secular, and political aspect, they were of that era and time....still important today. In fact, modern artists face more scrutiny because of the global aspect of art and the production of that art to a larger audience. Today’s artists have a range of subject matter from historical moments to transitional art to cutting-edge abstracts built on ideas and dreams that are just as important in intellectual context and world perspective. This lends for a larger critical audience but it also introduces a new level of competitiveness. The freedom to dare to think about the next new thing becomes an achievable goal but with a higher cost for acceptance. Early Renaissance artists, limited to the worldview of that period, were expected to deal with the dominant subject matter of that time piece. But ask any modern artist about required archivalness expectations of today's art and you spark a serious debate about the then and now of Renaissance art and modern art techniques.

Given the thought on intellect and craft during a different historical era, then it would be my favorite period...the Impressionist era. This was a time where the unacceptable, a stray from the original masters of that era's format, could mean the difference between life and death. Painters like Monet were geniuses certaintly not craftsmen. The restrictions are found in the Salon management of what was considered a 'masterpiece". The intellect of those who would play the greatest role was in achieving a different type of “masterpiece” and change the way others thought about art. Art was the beauty contained within...for art sake... although credibility and being true to thine self was just as important. Impressionists intellect can be measured and praised today…both in sales and stylish perspectives. These were the first starving artists....dedicated to their profession. Were they geniuses...yes! The love of art and achieving recognition for that work during their lifetime was the difference between acceptance and an agonizing punishment of defeat. Today, the starving artist has a day job and at any time would want to achieve recognition, if not wages for their work in their lifetime.

Today, modern artists are often educated, has business savvy and uses administrative experience to prepare portfolios, CDs and use Internet resources as aids to selling and showing their art. Whether there is the genius of old masters will be for time to tell. A range of processes allow artist to practice their profession in painting, sculpting and printing. The fact that the number of artists is large, an individual artist has to be "special" to stand alone and gain the type of recognition the inspired geniuses acclaimed in their lifetimes. This does not mean that the inspired genius does not exist in today's art world. He simple has to die for recognition!


Whether the genius of Pollock, Rothko, Rodin, Basquiat, Picasso, Warhol or Jasper Johns....among many and more to come.. will stand the test of time such as the great masters of the Renaissance..... is yet to be determined. In the artistic scheme, these are geniuses of our time that will reign as creative and innovative people....different but the same.


Art is inspired eternal.