Art and Social Life

work by Plekhanov

Also known as: “Iskusstvo i obshchestvennaya zhizn”

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 18, 2026

Quick Summary

Georgy V. Plekhanov, a key figure in Russian Marxism, explored the relationship between art and society in his work Art and Social Life. He argued that the idea of "art for art's sake" emerges during times of social decline, when artists feel disconnected from their environment. Plekhanov believed that art originates in play, which is intrinsically linked to labor. He envisioned a revolutionary future where play and labor would be reunited, leading to social harmony and a seamless integration of art into life. His theories influenced the aesthetic discussions surrounding the Russian Revolution, though official Soviet art eventually adopted Socialist Realism.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

aesthetics
Marxist aesthetics
…Iskusstvo i obshchestvennaya zhizn (1912; Art and Social Life) is a kind of synthesis of early Marxist thought and attempts to recast the practices of art and criticism in a revolutionary mold. The ideology of “art for art’s sake,” Plekhanov argues, develops only in conditions of social decline when artist…
Read More
…Iskusstvo i obshchestvennaya zhizn (1912; Art and Social Life) is a kind of synthesis of early Marxist thought and attempts to recast the practices of art and criticism in a revolutionary mold. The ideology of “art for art’s sake,” Plekhanov argues, develops only in conditions of social decline when artist…
Read More