Studies in pictures; an introduction to the famous galleries . ,it is nevertheless popular, patronized, and regardedby many as a paragon. And, indeed, considered dec-oratively, it may be very far from worthless; but asan expression of life, t,ruth, and character, it is weakand without value. Such an insipid formula couldnever express true feeling in art. The accompaniment of the ideal figure is usuallythe ideal face. It is constructed by the same tableof elegant proportions as the figure, reckoning thatthe nose shall i)e of such a length, the cheeks andchin of such an oval, the brow of such an
Studies in pictures; an introduction to the famous galleries . ,it is nevertheless popular, patronized, and regardedby many as a paragon. And, indeed, considered dec-oratively, it may be very far from worthless; but asan expression of life, t,ruth, and character, it is weakand without value. Such an insipid formula couldnever express true feeling in art. The accompaniment of the ideal figure is usuallythe ideal face. It is constructed by the same tableof elegant proportions as the figure, reckoning thatthe nose shall i)e of such a length, the cheeks andchin of such an oval, the brow of such an arch,the forehead of such a height. In the hands of theartist-mechanic it becomes merely pretty, and it isdifficult to keep it from falling into pretlincss inthe hands of any painter. You often sec this faceemployed in fashion ])lates, on handkerchief boxes,on placques. It smiles and tries to look engaging,but it takes no phrenologist to see that there is nota brain in the head or a line of character in thecountenance. It is an empty formu^-a again, and yet. XXIV.—MURILLO, Madonna and Child. Pitti, Florence. FIGURE PAINTING 83 when painted by Lefebvre or Madrazo or Chartran, itis astonishing how readily people accept it. It al-ways was popular with the unthinking mob, just asthe pretty face in life attracts more attention thanthe strong one; yet there never was any questionabout which possessed the real beauty. Strength ofcharacter will carry farther than any grace of regu-larity. And just here, while I am Insisting that figuresand faces shall show character, it may be worthwhile to say that not all figures, not all pictures, areto be judged by this standard. The kind of drawingwhich gives the realistic appearance is sometimescalled naturalistic drawing; but there is also classicor academic drawing that may be extremely gracefuland fill space decoratively with no great attempt atstrength of characterization. Baudrys ceiling piecesin the Opera House at Paris are of this stamp
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