There is a unique feeling and individual can get after reading such intellectually advanced works as Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray and Plato's Philosophies of Art and Beauty; and once that particular individual has spent a fairly great amount of time pondering the similarities and incongruities between the two. At first glance, the two pieces seem to be quite contradictory in manner. First, there is the romanticized view expressed by the characters in The Picture of Dorian Gray: "Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter. The sitter is merely the accident, the occasion. It is not he who is revealed by the painter; it is rather the painter who, on the coloured canvas, reveals himself. The reason I will not exhibit this picture is that I am afraid that I have shown in it the secret of my own soul." This is spoked by Basil, the painter, to Lord Henry in regards to his portrait of Dorian Gray. The impressions that one receives from this is that Oscar Wilde's views of art are quite idealistic. At the beginning of reading excepts from Plato's works on Philosophies of Art and Beauty, one can fairly safely assume that Plato's views on art are nothing like those of Oscar Wilde.
On the subject of imitators (i. e. artists), Plato states: "... we are pretty well agreed that the imitator has no knowledge worth mentioning of what he imitates. Imitation is only a kind of play or sport." Plato shows a clear distain for those who practice art. This would apparently contrast the views of art in Wilde's novel, but once one continues into the works, they turn from contradictory to an odd sort parallel.
In the latter half of The Picture of Dorian Gray, the portrait of the book's namesake has become a curse of sorts, and the beauty has turned sour. Without revealing too much about the ending, Wilde expresses that: "Art has no influence upon action. It annihilates the desire to act. It is superbly sterile. The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame. That is all." Wilde at this point in the tale would most likely agree more with Plato's view of art. Art is imitation, and cannot be worthy of being the focus of a person's life force. Both authors might agree that art can never be truly beautiful, because it will always be overshadowed by the ideals of the human psyche.
I agree with your analysis of how Plato's views seem to contrast with those of Oscar Wilde, however I do not believe the quotations you selected really contradict each other. The first quotation does seem to express a romanticized view of art, and the second clearly say that artist has no knowledge of his subject. Nevertheless, I feel that the quotations are in agreement. By saying a painting is of the artist, not whoever is sitting for it, could also indicate that the artist knows nothing of his actual subject. With the way you explained them, I do think your quotation choice works to illustrate your point, I just wanted to express another view on your parallel contradictions.
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