Maritain on Beauty

What is “beauty” and what does it mean for something to be called “beautiful” according to Jacques Maritain? To answer this question, one must examine Maritain’s reflections on the topic, which he developed over more than thirty years across his works. It is important to remember that Maritain’s approach is foremost an epistemological and metaphysical reflection — rather than merely aesthetic or sociological. To really understand Maritain’s thought, one must consider its deep roots in the philosophy of his guiding teacher: Saint Thomas Aquinas.