Abstract
The search for an objective method of inquiry and the development of a comprehensive theory of semiotic form the core of Peirce's work. This paper proposes that these two aspects are complementary and may be interrelated in such a way as to provide the potential for an aesthetic theory capable of revealing that which is objective in art. Although Peirce did not consider himself to be an authority on the arts, he frequently used works of art and the process of appreciating art for explicating particular ideas, and he numbered among his acquaintances several distinguished American artists. This paper will not be concerned with establishing his merit as an art critic, but will be addressing the possibility of using his theories to achieve an understanding of art which he might have foreseen but did not specifically pursue.