In Defining “Aesthetics” for Non-Western Studies: The Case of Mesopotamia, Winter (2002) argues that the Western view of “aesthetics” has hindered the way in which ancient works of art are interpreted and understood. Specifically, Winter (2002) argues that Mesopotamian culture must be examined before defining what was considered aesthetic at the time of its creation. Even though Mesopotamian languages ​​did not include a word for "aesthetic" or "art", nor did there exist texts explaining artistic theories, Winter's thesis asserted that this did not mean that he did not exist in Mesopotamian society, but that "aesthetic" was just seen differently than it is in modern Western cultures. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayA major argument in favor of Winter's thesis is the fact that the term "aesthetic" was only constructed in 1735 by AG Baumgarten (Winter, 2002). After the term "aesthetic" was coined, the word began to be more defined; over time, "aesthetics" began to encompass aspects of just the fine arts, such as painting, sculpture, architecture, etc. (Winter, 2002). Additionally, aesthetics began to be another term for “beauty,” which shaped the way art is perceived and appreciated (Winter, 2002). That being said, aesthetics has become a definition used only to describe certain things created in a way that utilizes beauty. However, this understanding and definition of aesthetics was non-existent in the Mesopotamian era; How could “aesthetics” and “art” be explained in a text if no term was assigned to such a concept? Winter explained that although there was no written word to describe it, the sense of aesthetics in Mesopotamian art was expressed in a variety of other ways. Winter (2002) describes the ability to determine the aesthetics of Mesopotamian art by considering culture. , context and other surrounding variables. The culture of Mesopotamia must be examined by considering the "aesthetic" value of works of art, which involves examining art differently than we do in modern Western culture. For example, the emotional response caused by specific works of art can provide insight into their value and importance during the Mesopotamian period. Likewise, the environment for which a work of art was created can explain a lot about its meaning; art used in temples and "divine" places suggests great importance and value. Because pre-modern Mesopotamian culture was very different from that of today, it is essential to consider all aspects of how their culture functioned and existed. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a custom article essay Overall, I believe that Winter (2002) succeeds in his argument. Cultural norms vary greatly depending on where (and when) the culture resides. Winter argued that one should avoid the Western way of viewing art when examining Mesopotamian artwork, because the understanding of "aesthetics" was not the same as today. By taking a new perspective on premodern objects, such as works of art, we can begin to understand them more accurately and gain a better sense of them..