Abstract:

： “What is a masterpiece?” is discussed by aestheticians and art critics in different times. This concept is often controversial in two aspects: on the one hand, it is always related to the concept of "perfection" changing with time, which leads to the deficiency of the criteria for "perfection". On the other hand, the concept of "masterpiece" was first defined in the Romantic period as something that is beyond the reach of real works. This question also leads us to a debate on aesthetic criteria, some insisting that aesthetic evaluation is subjective and relativistic, while others believing that it is objective and universal. The aesthetic value of a work is not only  based on its own value, but  often subject to historical, social and other factors. Masterpiece is the silent guardian of artistic mystery. In the face of artistic works, we should temporarily suspend the judgment to let the feelings present itself naturally. Masterpiece is precisely the work which spontaneously establishes the relationship between us and aesthetics, which leads to various interpretations and meanwhile provokes all descriptions.
Key words： masterpiece; renowned work; representative work; artistic evaluation; history of art