Is it said that when focusing on the analytical area of your brain commonly referred to as the "left-hemisphere", the deeper you get trying to formulate ideas. The right-side of the brain on the other hand, is the intuitive part of your conscious that looks for general fundamentals. What often happens is by getting closer and more abstrusely to the exact details, we tend to start confusing the broad principles which were before observably self-evident; common sense becomes sacrificed for greater philosophizing.
To understand the plain purpose of art we need to be aware that too much methodical inquiry at the expensive of a more simple approach gets in the way of knowing that the key of the arts is to give joy. According to Goethe, arts, literary art in his specific case is either healthy or sickly; any other terms like modernist, romantic, realist, etc are all secondary. The main question is does it add to our well-being or is it the product of some cultural decadence? This emotional response when looking at a painting, listening to music, or reading prose/poetry tells us how we feel about such an expressive creation.
Art as a discipline has been the subject of intense scrutiny, criticism, and analysis going back to at least Aristotle's Poetics or perhaps even further. So what actually separates our understanding of certain classic labeled works from others and how can this be agreed upon? Debates have gone on endlessly, although as an objective indicator, only through the test of time is how you can clearly judge the impact and how wholesome an artists creation really is.
Every area of the humane life produces great works which eventually come to be named as "classics". They've been celebrated since their originations going through all the different phases of great societal changes, transformations similar to our own. Regardless of the condition you find yourself in or what the society at large is under, the classics somehow keep making their way still being used as references and sought after for their timeless objective qualities.
This continued preservation is important but it's not necessarily because of any dedicated effort on the part of the public-sphere or any other collective. Like any true blockchain technology including this very platform, it's because of the decentralized and distributed efforts of individuals who see the value of experiencing these works that such preservation is deemed crucial.