Plato describes three stages of form where art is the third and therefore an imitation of an imitation. Form as the idea is the first, the second is craft and art is the third and final. An obvious exception to this is modern art which does not appear to directly copy any craft and seems to follow form more directly. Another issue with this is certain crafts. Many people would consider model ships as more of a craft than an art. It is a skilled work that involves the use of materials like wood. It is in Plato’s theory clearly an imitation of an imitation. Model ships imitate the look and design of ships and often are smaller scale models of specific vessels. This would mean that a craft can also be an imitation of an imitation while art does not have to be. There is also the assumption that being an imitation of an imitation means that something is useless and only appeals the emotions. Sales people often used to have small scale models of homes and other large items so they could show potential owners exactly what their purchase would look like before they bought it. This is an obvious imitation of an imitation but it is useful. When someone translates a text into another language they are imitating the original which is based on an idea. This is an imitation of an imitation. Yet these texts can teach us a lot about others reasoning and practical information.
Is Plato’s conception of art too outdated to be useful in the modern world, is it correct, or are the basic principles worth incorporating into modern theories of art?
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