In his article “What is art?” » (1897), Tolstoy asserts that art is not the simple expression of beauty or emotion; it provides no pleasure, nor is it its sole purpose. Art is not an opportunity for catharsis or an activity to occupy the minds of idle beings. Instead, "art is a human activity consisting in the fact that one consciously transmits, by means of certain external signs, to others the feelings he has experienced and other people are infected by these feelings and also experience them” (Tolstoy). Essentially, the concept of art is an artistic representation of morality based on experience. Tolstoy's essay on art sparked a strong public reaction because it openly criticized some of the world's most renowned artists and completely challenged common beliefs regarding art. In this essay, Tolstoy's definition is analyzed through an empirical lens with the aim of exposing the incongruity of Tolstoy's definition of art. A necessary condition is one that must be satisfied before reaching the concept in question. Basically, the necessary condition(s) of x must be fully satisfied for x to be achieved. For example, to receive course credit at the University of Victoria, a student must take and pass the final exam. Even if all other conditions are met, the course cannot be passed without obtaining a mark of at least 5o% on the final exam. Likewise, a square cannot be obtained unless it has four equal sides, and two lines cannot be parallel if they eventually meet. According to Tolstoy, there is a necessary condition for art; it should facilitate the transfer of emotion, allowing a person to relive the feelings of the artisan when creating the work of art. According to Aristotle and Plato, the medium of paper meets an objective criterion that fails to capture all forms of art. Several modifications to Tolstoy's definition are then necessary. I personally think that art can be more appropriately defined as an expression of emotion; it is of a unique beauty according to the perceiver; it provides pleasure, entertainment, enlightenment, education, calming, and a variety of other emotions to people, depending solely on a person's experiences and interactions with the work of art . However, it is important to distinguish between regular forms of art and exceptional forms. Exceptional art is globally recognized by the majority of critics and regular art forms include the five imitation arts. The concept of art is unique and offers everyone a different experience. In the words of artist Ad Reinhardt, “art is art. Everything is everything else ».."