--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For many artists and critics, beauty is a…" description: "\"For many artists and critics, beauty is a discredited idea. It denotes the saccharine sylvan scenes and cheesy melodies that appealed to Granny.\" — Rog..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/roger-scruton-971_art_for-many-artists-and-critics-beauty-is-a_1800516.jpg" --- # For many artists and critics, beauty is a discredited… ![“For many artists and critics, beauty is a discredited idea. It denotes the saccharine sylvan scenes and cheesy melodies that appealed to Granny.” quote by Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/roger-scruton-971_art_for-many-artists-and-critics-beauty-is-a_1800516.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/roger-scruton-971_art_for-many-artists-and-critics-beauty-is-a_1800516.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/roger-scruton-971_art_for-many-artists-and-critics-beauty-is-a_1800516.jpg) > “For many artists and critics, beauty is a discredited idea. It denotes the saccharine sylvan scenes and cheesy melodies that appealed to Granny.” [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Beauty is often dismissed as sentimental; it can be seen as trivial or outdated. **In simple terms:** Beauty is sometimes seen as shallow. Key Takeaway Recognize depth beyond superficial beauty. Themes aesthetic culture philosophy Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - art criticism - media analysis - education - personal taste Key Concepts subjective value cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - Why do we label certain aesthetics as “cheesy”? - Can beauty be both popular and profound? A Different Perspective Dismissal overlooks beauty’s role in meaning‑making. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists/) [Artists Critics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists-critics-2026781/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Beauty Discredited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty-discredited-2026779/) [Critics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critics/) [Critics Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critics-beauty-2026780/) [Granny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/granny/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Many](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/many/) ## Related quotes > [Immortality is a by-product of good work. Masterpieces are not for artists, they're for critics. Critics can't even make music by rubbing their back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/immortality-is-a-by-product-of-good-work-masterpieces-are-not-for/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [No one, though has to go to college to make or understand or enjoy art. Wonderful artists and critics - some of the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/no-one-though-has-to-go-to-college-to-make-or-understand-or-enjoy-art/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [I understand that artists and critics make a big deal over the Grammys. But when I go to my shows and I'm selling out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-minaj/i-understand-that-artists-and-critics-make-a-big-deal-over-the/) [Nicki Minaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-minaj/) > [More and more in the art world are becoming moralistic, telling artists and critics what they should and shouldn't write, do, or make art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/more-and-more-in-the-art-world-are-becoming-moralistic-telling/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [Many artists and critics see collectors like kids see their parents: as the ones with money and power who just don't get it. Once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kostabi/many-artists-and-critics-see-collectors-like-kids-see-their-parents/) [Mark Kostabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kostabi/) > [“Just as no monkey is as good-looking as the ugliest of humans, no academic is worthier than the worst of the creators”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/just-as-no-monkey-is-as-good-looking-as-the-ugliest-of-humans-no/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [I don't want to hurt you, Mistress Weatherwax," said Mrs Gogol. "That's good," said Granny. "I don't want you to hurt me either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-don-t-want-to-hurt-you-mistress-weatherwax-said-mrs-gogol-that-s/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Mo Sheanmháthair Ar ais arís lá breá Lúnasa Canach geosadáin ar foluain Ar chuile leoithne ghaoithe Do theach ina sceatraigh Na cróite ina snaois,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deirdre-brennan/mo-sheanmh-thair-ar-ais-ar-s-l-bre-l-nasa-canach-geosad-in-ar-foluain/) [Deirdre Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deirdre-brennan/) > [Granny Ditto always referred to perfume as 'smell good' and for me it's an essential. I have a sweetheart who's extremely allergic to most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/granny-ditto-always-referred-to-perfume-as-smell-good-and-for-me-it-s/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [I have four grandchildren now and I love being a granny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunny-ozell/i-have-four-grandchildren-now-and-i-love-being-a-granny/) [Sunny Ozell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunny-ozell/) > [I don't believe in happy endings. Children have got to face death sooner or later. Granny and Grandpa die, dogs die, cats die, gerbils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-briggs/i-don-t-believe-in-happy-endings-children-have-got-to-face-death/) [Raymond Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-briggs/) > [Find the story, Granny Weatherwax always said. She believed that the world was full of story shapes. If you let them, they controlled you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/find-the-story-granny-weatherwax-always-said-she-believed-that-the/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I think you've still got to try to be good, day-to-day. You see a granny, you hold the door open for her. You just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sami-zayn/i-think-you-ve-still-got-to-try-to-be-good-day-to-day-you-see-a/) [Sami Zayn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sami-zayn/) > [Human beings should stick together. Honestly, if I see a red-haired person with blue eyes now, I say, 'Is your granny black?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/human-beings-should-stick-together-honestly-if-i-see-a-red-haired/) [Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) ## More by Roger Scruton > [Beauty is vanishing from our world because we live as though it does not matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/beauty-is-vanishing-from-our-world-because-we-live-as-though-it-does/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“So conceived, the English police force served to emphasize a fundamental truth about the English law, which is that it exists not to control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/so-conceived-the-english-police-force-served-to-emphasize-a/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [My 2018 ended with a hate storm, in response to my appointment as chair of the government's Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/my-2018-ended-with-a-hate-storm-in-response-to-my-appointment-as/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [I've never been an optimist, but that's fine because pessimists have the possibility of being agreeably surprised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/i-ve-never-been-an-optimist-but-that-s-fine-because-pessimists-have/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Unlike every other product that is now manufactured for the table, wine exists in as many varieties as there are people who produce it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/unlike-every-other-product-that-is-now-manufactured-for-the-table/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [The abstract, unreal freedom of the liberal intellect was really nothing more than childish disobedience, amplified into anarchy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/the-abstract-unreal-freedom-of-the-liberal-intellect-was-really/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“I think we can all see the force of the idea that there are certain things that cannot be done to human beings –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/i-think-we-can-all-see-the-force-of-the-idea-that-there-are-certain/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [When art becomes merely shock value, our sense of humanity is slowly degraded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/when-art-becomes-merely-shock-value-our-sense-of-humanity-is-slowly/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“Western democracies did not create the virtue of citizenship; on the contrary, they grew from it. Nothing is more evident in The Federalist than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/western-democracies-did-not-create-the-virtue-of-citizenship-on-the/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“If one looks back to the French Revolution, one sees just how easy it is for the doctrine of “human rights” to become an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/if-one-looks-back-to-the-french-revolution-one-sees-just-how-easy-it/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“I say it was immediately apparent, but it was not apparent to the intellectual class, which has remained largely wedded to the post-war consensus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/i-say-it-was-immediately-apparent-but-it-was-not-apparent-to-the/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Conservatives hold on to things not only because they are attached to them, but also because they do not see the sense in radical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/conservatives-hold-on-to-things-not-only-because-they-are-attached-to/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“Academic philosophers in the English speaking world still regard philosophy as Locke defined it in the 17th century, as “the handmaiden of the sciences”:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/academic-philosophers-in-the-english-speaking-world-still-regard/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Delia Smith is, actually, my bete noire. I consider her a most pernicious influence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/delia-smith-is-actually-my-bete-noire-i-consider-her-a-most/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Modern art was born from a desire to destroy kitsch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/modern-art-was-born-from-a-desire-to-destroy-kitsch/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) [Explore all 317 Roger Scruton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For many artists and critics, beauty is a discredited idea. It denotes the saccharine sylvan scenes and cheesy melodies that appealed to Granny.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roger Scruton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/for-many-artists-and-critics-beauty-is-a-discredited-idea-it-denotes/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/for-many-artists-and-critics-beauty-is-a-discredited-idea-it-denotes/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/roger-scruton-971_art_for-many-artists-and-critics-beauty-is-a_1800516.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/roger-scruton-971_art_for-many-artists-and-critics-beauty-is-a_1800516.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/roger-scruton-971_art_for-many-artists-and-critics-beauty-is-a_1800516.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For many artists and critics, beauty is a discredited idea. It denotes the saccharine sylvan scenes and…” — Roger Scruton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Roger Scruton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For many artists and critics, beauty...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/for-many-artists-and-critics-beauty-is-a-discredited-idea-it-denotes/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/for-many-artists-and-critics-beauty-is-a-discredited-idea-it-denotes/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```