How did Clive Bell define art through significant form?

In his theory of "significant form," Clive Bell argued that the essence of art lies in its purely formal qualities rather than its subject matter. He defined these qualities as the specific relationships and combinations of lines and colours that compose a work of art.12

According to Bell, the aesthetic emotion experienced by a viewer is primarily triggered by the apprehension of this significant form. He maintained that form must be both the essence of art and inherently understandable to the recipient. By emphasizing the primacy of form, Bell sought to move art appreciation away from a "reading" of narrative, anecdotal, or morally didactic content, which he believed distracted from the true aesthetic experience.12

While his work was highly influential in promoting Post-Impressionism, Bell’s formalist approach faced later criticism for its sweeping dismissal of content in favor of form. His ideas remain a foundational, albeit debated, perspective within the philosophy of art and formalism.12