# Infection Theory of Art in What Is Art?

> Theme guide for What Is Art? by Leo Tolstoy.

Tolstoy defines art as the transmission of feeling from artist to audience, where the work's success is measured by its infectiousness—the degree to which it unites receiver and creator in a shared emotional experience.

## Where it surfaces

- [Chapter V: The Infection Theory of Art](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_art_se/chapters/v): Tolstoy defines art as the transmission of feelings from one person to another, causing infection, and distinguishes it from speech which transmits thoughts.
- [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_art_se/chapters/x): Art's essence is to infect all people with the artist's feeling, making universal comprehensibility a test of true art.
- [The Substitution of Counterfeits for Art](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_art_se/chapters/xi): Tolstoy reiterates that genuine art transmits feeling from artist to receiver, a process absent in counterfeits.
- [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_art_se/chapters/xiv): Art is defined by its ability to infect the receiver with the artist's feeling; peasant singing exemplifies this, while most upper-class art fails.
- [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_art_se/chapters/xv): Tolstoy defines art by its capacity to infect the receiver with the artist's feeling, uniting them in a shared emotional experience. The degree of infectiousness is the sole measure of artistic merit.
- [Chapter XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_art_se/chapters/xvi): Tolstoy reiterates that true art is judged by its infectiousness and ability to transmit feelings.
- [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_art_se/chapters/xvii): The chapter emphasizes that true art transmits feelings from man to man, but perverted art deprives people of the capacity to be infected by genuine works.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_art_se/themes/infection_theory_of_art
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_art_se/themes