Engaging With Art

Do we like great art? It depends.

Las Meninas By Diego Velázquez — The Prado in Google Earth: Home — Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

What makes visual art engaging, and why do we like some works of art but not others? It would be unproductive to ask a person if they like great art. Because the subjective meaning evoked by a piece of art is unique to each individual’s rational and emotional response to the artwork itself, we can view great art but not like it. It’s probably safe to say the Prado Museum in…