In accordance with Alain de Botton's 7 functions of art in Art as Therapy, what is an example of an artwork which manifests sorrow?

Answer 1

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An example of an artwork that manifests sorrow, in accordance with Alain de Bottom's 7 functions of art from Art as Therapy, is Pablo Picasso’s La Vie (1903) from his Blue Period.

This painting powerfully expresses grief, loneliness, and emotional despair, reflecting the sorrow Picasso experienced after the death of his close friend Carlos Cassagnes's. The somber color palette—dominated by blues—and the melancholic figures evoke a deep sense of human suffering and existential sadness.

According to de Botton, one of art’s functions is to help us process and express sorrow, allowing viewers to see their own pain reflected and validated. La Vie does exactly that, offering comfort by showing that sorrow is a shared and universal part of the human experience.

Thus, La Vie is not just an emotional expression by the artist, but also a therapeutic image that fulfills one of the emotional needs de Bottom identifies in his theory.