The Diamond Mine | Themes

High Art
In many of her works, Cather explored what it meant to be an artist in the twentieth century. In works like "The Diamond Mine,'' Cather expresses one of her main views, that ‘‘high art,’’ art that is done for the art's sake and not for money or fame, was the only type of art that could lead to a happy success. Throughout this story, the author plays with that idea. Cressida Garnet is a rich and famous artist, but she is also miserable. At the beginning of the story, she has ‘‘just announced her intention of marrying a fourth time,’’ since none of her...

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