Originally published in 1891 when Wilde was at the height of his form these brilliant essays on art literature criticism and society display the flamboyant poseur's famous wit and wide learning. A leading spokesman for the English Aesthetic movement Wilde promoted "art for art's sake" against critics who argued that art must serve a moral purpose. On every page of this collection the gifted literary stylist admirably demonstrates not only that the characteristics of art are "distinction charm beauty and imaginative power" but also that criticism itself can be raised to an art form possessing these very qualities.