What did Whistler mean by Art for art's sake?

Answer 1

If you get an idea; How can you determine if it's a good idea or bad idea?

Good ideas have cultural or technological consequences.

If you have an idea to make a circular wheel, Then the technological applications of that are many, and consequently; that's a good idea.

If you have an idea to make a square wheel, Then any effort to apply it to other devices to increase their functionality, are very few. Thus; The Square Wheel is a Bad idea.

Art is the same way for most people.

When art has applications and is enjoyed by many people,

Or other artists steal the ideas incorporated in a given work of art,

Then that's considered good, or marketable, art.

Whistler refuted this by suggesting that Art didn't need to justify itself,

Or prove that it had commercial value to be considered 'Real' Art...!

Art is it's own justification.

Art pulls itself up by it's own bootstraps and has value simply because was created, and exhibits the qualities of an imaginative existence.

Accordingly so; There is no Good or Bad Art. There is only Art.

Of course; You are still allowed to like or dislike a particular piece.

And The Art Market has it's own ideas of how a particular piece obtains value.