Wilde.

Oscar Wilde definitely stands firm in his opinion about art. Wilde believes art's purpose is solely to speak to the spectator. He exclaims, "it is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors" (4). So, basically what Wilde is stating is that the opinion the artist has on his own work is pointless considering the onlooker conforms that artwork into what he or she perceives it to be. "To reveal art and conceal the artist is art's aim" (3) sums up what Oscar Wilde states as one of art's purposes. Alongside those lines, he views art as having multiple layers, or meanings. For example, when Wilde says, "the critic is he who can translate into another manner or a new material his impression of beautiful things" (3). Wilde knows for a fact that people can either view art with a shallow intention or a deep intention by saying, "all art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril." Whatever the spectator desires to receive from the piece of art, he will gain. Oscar Wilde knows this very well.