[Ads-l] Adage: All Art Is Propaganda

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

I received a request to explore the saying in the subject line which
has been used by several prominent individuals.

Versions of this adage are listed in a reference works such as: The
New Yale Book of Quotations (2021), Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations
(2022), Book of African-American Quotations (2011), The Quotable
Woman: 1800-1975 (1977), and Webster’s New World Dictionary of
Quotable Definitions (1988).

The new Quote Investigator article presents citations which occurred
before any of the citations listed in the above references.
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2024/04/08/art-propaganda/

Here is an overview with dates:

1916: Poet and editor Richard Hunt
1923: Professor of English Morris Edmund Speare
1924: Literary critic Ludwig Lewisohn
1925: Political activist Upton Sinclair
1926: Sociologist and activist W. E. B. Du Bois
1932: Poet and literary scholar William Ellery Leonard
1933: Playwright George Bernard Shaw (All great art and literature is
propaganda)
1939: Novelist and essayist George Orwell
1950: Novelist and journalist Ann Petry (All truly great art is propaganda)

[Begin acknowledgement]
Great thanks to Martha Bridegam whose message led QI to formulate this
question and perform this exploration. Bridegam told QI about the
citations for W. E. B. Du Bois and George Orwell.
[End acknowledgement]

Feedback welcome
Garson O'Toole

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