Background: It can be said that the problem of being justified ethical criticism of art, at least from three centuries ago, has been one of the most important problems of the relation between art and morality, and always has serious oppositions and positions. Confirming the two kind of ethical and aesthetic values, most oppositions of ethical criticism have attempted to show that these two realms are autonomous, therefore art can`t be criticized ethically; but Nietzsche goes over, and challenges the ethical values. That is, in contrast to moralists, he takes an immoralist position. Ethical values, he thinks, are of less authority than aesthetic ones, therefore not only art but also the whole of life must be evaluated according to aesthetic values. This view is called “aestheticism.” In this essay, analyzing Nietzsche`s words, considering his commentators` ones, it has been, first, given an accurate description of this view, and, then, criticized it.
Conclusion: Nietzsche`s words, albeit the profound insights they give, do not prove that aesthetic values are more true or practical than ethical ones. Therefore, in this respect it can be speak of being justified ethical criticism, in general, and ethical criticism of art, criticizing artworks ethically, in particular, in addition to aesthetic criticism, criticizing artworks aesthetically.