Final answer:
Oscar Wilde was an influential figure in the Aestheticism movement, which advocated for art's intrinsic beauty and emotional appeal rather than its educational or moral utility, aligning with Modernist principles.
Step-by-step explanation:
Oscar Wilde was a leading advocate of the Aestheticism movement, which was based on the school of art for art's sake.
The Aesthetic movement represented a turn away from the didactic, moralizing art of the Victorian era and challenged the idea that art should be utilitarian or serve a moral or educational purpose. Instead, proponents like Wilde believed that the primary role of art was to be beautiful and to provide sensory pleasure, not to convey moral or political messages.
The term 'art for art's sake' encapsulates the belief that art's value lies in its beauty and its ability to provoke an emotional response, rather than in its ability to instruct or improve society. This concept was part of a broader movement known as Modernism, which, in its various manifestations, sought to innovate and break away from traditional forms and societal constructs. This rejection covered everything from the strictures of academic standards to questioning the moral fabric of society.
Wilde and his contemporaries were influenced by the rapidly changing world around them, including the industrial revolution and the rise of the bourgeoisie, which gave birth to new art forms that catered to modern sensibilities. Their work often featured novel approaches and experimental techniques, some of which might have been seen as provocative or challenging to their audience. Through such explorations, Wilde and others contributed to a profound shift in the cultural landscape of their time.