Canudo believed film was a "divine impulse" that married the precision of science (the camera/projector) with the ideals of art.
He updated his theory to include Dance as the sixth precursor, officially crowning cinema as the Seventh Art . The Classification of the Seven Arts
Canudo’s vision did not emerge in a single moment but evolved alongside the developing technology of film: Manifesto Das Sete Artes Ricciotto Canudo.pdf
He first published "La Naissance d'un sixième art" (The Birth of a Sixth Art), arguing that cinema was a synthesis of the five traditional arts: architecture, sculpture, painting, music, and poetry.
He famously defined cinema as "plastic art in motion," emphasizing its ability to use light and movement to create a new form of aesthetic experience. Canudo believed film was a "divine impulse" that
In the manifesto, Canudo defends cinema not as a mere commercial product or scientific curiosity, but as a "Total Art".
He explored how film uses the "velocity of motion" (the symbolic) to help viewers absorb a story that reflects humanity's "real" aspirations. Legacy and Modern Impact He famously defined cinema as "plastic art in
The manifesto fundamentally raised the "intellectual level" of filmmaking. By providing a formal aesthetic background, Canudo encouraged other artists—painters, poets, and musicians—to view the screen as a legitimate canvas for creative expression. ART WITHIN THE 7TH ART - Art Madrid'26