The image of Dorian Gray: art cannot replace lifeThe image of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde, is the story of moral corruption through aestheticism. In the novel, well-intentioned artist Basil Hallward presents young Dorian Gray with a portrait of himself. After conversing with the cynical Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian makes a wish that will terribly affect his life forever. "If it were I who remained forever young and the image who grew old! For this I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the world I would not give! I would give my soul for this" (Wilde 109). As it turns out, 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 sensual life which he learns about in a book given to him by Lord Henry. Dorian's immoral devotion to pleasure becomes his lifestyle. The novel emphasizes his disapproval of aestheticism that negatively impacts the main characters. Each of the three main characters is an aesthete and encounters some form of terrible personal ruin. Basil Hallward's aestheticism is manifested in his dedication to his artistic creations. He searches the outside world for the perfect manifestation of his soul, when he finds this object, he can create masterpieces by painting it (Bloom 109). He refuses to show the portrait of Dorian Gray with the explanation that "I put too much of myself into it" (Wilde 106). He further demonstrates the extent to which he supports this philosophy by later stating that “only the artist is truly amused” (109). Lord Henry Wotton criticizes Basil Hallward by saying, “An artist should make beautiful things but should put nothing of his own life into them” (Wilde 25). Ironically, the purpose of Basil Hallward's existence is for him to be an esthete who seeks to become one with his art (Eriksen 105). It is this work of art that Basil refuses to display that provides Dorian Gray with the idea that there are no consequences to his actions. Dorian has this belief in mind when he kills Basil. Here we see that the artist is killed for his excessive love of physical beauty; the same art with which he wanted to merge is the cause of his fatal fall (Juan 64).