The idea of the artistic ‘genius’, it’s effect on the artist and the way we value art: A study of Leonardo da Vinci, Pablo Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh. The word ‘genius’ is littered throughout history. Particularly synonymous with creativity, it has been used to describe the highest achieving and most influential figures in the art world. The definition of the term, however, is vague and highly debated. In this essay I intend to explore it’s criteria, validity and effects on artists, art history and society as a result. Perhaps the most obvious assumption is that genius is a result of intelligence. Lewis Termin thought that an IQ of 140 was the threshold for potential genius,1 however, this theory is problematic because intelligence tests are notoriously inaccurate and many people with lower IQ scores have gone on to be extremely high achievers. One might then ask, is achievement a better measure of genius? Possibly, but achievement is easier to attain from a position of privilege. It has also been suggested that genius is the judgement of society,2 if this is the case then its possible that intellect and skill could be overshadowed by charisma, with eccentric characters providing a more memorable figure for public renown.3 Leonardo da Vinci may provide a perfect personification of the term ‘artistic genius’. Not only was he incredibly skilled as a painter but he also possessed an unrivalled thirst for knowledge – using his skill for drawing as a way to study nature.4 His work is some of the most influential ever produced by an artist and his most famous paintings are known even to those with little interest in art. Although da Vinci’s skill is undeniable, he almost certainly wouldn’t have gained such a high status if he hadn’t been born a male or to a father with a high reputation that was able to offer him the opportunity to be an apprentice to a renowned artist.5 This is because the Fig 1 – “The Mona Lisa” by Leonard da Vinci. women of the time had no access to formal education6 and those in poverty had little time for anything other than merely surviving. An interesting comparison may be provided here in Sofonisba Anguissola, a female painter who managed to achieve some success as the court painter for King Philip II of Spain in the 16th century, although she was never officially awarded this title and her paintings were only referred to as genius when falsely attributed to a man.7
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Fig 2 – Self-portrait by Sofonisba Anguissola.
Barbara Kerr, "Genius | Psychology", Encyclopedia Britannica, 1998 <https://www.britannica.com/science/genius-psychology> [Accessed 19 May 2021]. 2 Claudia Kalb, "What Makes A Genius?", National Geographic, 2021 <https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/geniusgenetics-intelligence-neuroscience-creativity-einstein> [Accessed 18 May 2021]. 3 Rudolf Wittkower, "Individualism In Art And Artists: A Renaissance Problem", Journal Of The History Of Ideas, 22.3 (1961), 293 <https://doi.org/10.2307/2708126>. 4 Ludwig Heinrich Heydenreich, "Leonardo Da Vinci | Biography, Art, Paintings, Mona Lisa, Drawings, Inventions, Achievements, & Facts", Encyclopedia Britannica, 1998 <https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leonardo-da-Vinci> [Accessed 19 May 2021]. 5 Ludwig Heinrich Heydenreich, "Leonardo Da Vinci | Biography, Art, Paintings, Mona Lisa, Drawings, Inventions, Achievements, & Facts", Encyclopedia Britannica, 1998 <https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leonardo-da-Vinci> [Accessed 19 May 2021]. 6 Alixe Bovey, "Women In Medieval Society", The British Library, 2015 <https://www.bl.uk/the-middle-ages/articles/women-inmedieval-society#> [Accessed 19 May 2021]. 7 Cody Delistraty, "The Myth Of The Artistic Genius", The Paris Review, 2020 <https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2020/01/08/themyth-of-the-artistic-genius/> [Accessed 19 May 2021].