The painting of Dorian Gray: art cannot replace lifeThe painting of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde, is the history of moral corruption by means of aestheticism. In the novel, well-meaning artist Basil Hallward presents young Dorian Gray with a portrait of himself. After talking with the cynical Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian makes a wish that will terribly affect his life forever. "If it were me who had to be forever young, and the painting which had to age! For that I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the world that I would not give! I would give my soul for that" (Wilde 109). It turns out that the devil to whom Dorian sells his soul is Lord Henry Wotton, who exists not only as something external to Dorian, but also as a voice within him (Bloom 107). Dorian continues to lead a life of sensuality, the existence of which he learns from a book given to him by Lord Henry. Dorian's unethical dedication to pleasure becomes his way of life. The novel highlights his disapproval of aestheticism which has a negative impact on the main characters. Each of the three main characters is an aesthete and encounters some form of terrible personal loss. Basil Hallward's aestheticism is evident in his dedication to his artistic creations. He searches in the outside world for the perfect manifestation of his own soul, when he finds this object he can create masterpieces by painting it (Bloom 109). He refuses to display the portrait of Dorian Gray, explaining that “I put too much of myself into it” (Wilde 106). He further demonstrates the extent to which he shares this philosophy by later stating that “only the artist is truly delighted” (109). Lord Henry Wotton criticizes Basil Hallward: “An artist should create beautiful things but should put nothing of his own life into them” (Wilde 25). Ironically, Basil Hallward's purpose of existence is to be an aesthete who strives to become one with his art (Eriksen 105). It is this work of art that Basil refuses to exhibit that gives Dorian Gray the idea that there are no consequences for his actions. Dorian has this belief in mind when he murders Basil. Here we see that the artist is killed for his excessive love of physical beauty; the same art with which he wished to merge is the cause of his mortal fall (Juan 64).