Abstract
The article presents the central topic of not well-know philosophy of the well-know French Christian philosopher and historian of philosophy Etienne Gilson. This central topic is the polemic against the usual conception of art as a way of cognition.
Ever sincehis early essay on artwhich was strongly influenced by Bergsonšs theme of creating as of unpredictable novelty, Gilson presents art especially in dispute with the conception of art as creative intuition as represented in the philosophy of Jacques Maritain. According to Gilson, art cannot be based on cognition because it requires the existence of the object being recognized.
This contradicts the unpredictable novelty as well as the craft and material quality of art.