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.Neither is it contended that they are incompatiblewith each other: the qualities of two or more of these points of view are often found in the same work.And it is not inconceivablethat a single portrait might contain all and be a striking lifelike presentment, a faithful catalogue of all the features, a symbol of theperson and a symphony of form and colour.But the chances are against such a composite affair being a success.One or otherquality will dominate in a successful work; and it is not advisable to try and combine too many different points of view as, in theconfusion of ideas, directness of expression is lost.But no good portrait is without some of the qualities of all these points of view,whichever may dominate the artist's intention.Expression.The camera, and more particularly the instantaneous camera, has habituated people to expect in a portrait a momentary expression,and of these momentary expressions the faint smile, as we all know, is an easy first in the matter of popularity.It is no uncommonthing for the painter to be asked in the early stages of his work when he is going to put in the smile, it never being questioned thatthis is the artist's aim in the matter of expression.253The giving of lifelike expression to a painting is not so simple a matter as it might appear to be.Could one set the real personbehind the frame and suddenly fix them for ever with one of those passing expressions on their faces, however natural it mighthave been at the moment, fixed for ever it is terrible, and most unlifelike.As we have already said, a few lines scribbled on a pieceof paper by a consummate artist would give a greater sense of life than this fixed actuality.It is not ultimately by the pursuit of theactual realisation that expression and life are conveyed in a portrait.Every face has expression of a far more interesting andenduring kind than these momentary disturbances of its form occasioned by laughter or some passing thought, &c.And it mustnever be forgotten that a portrait is a panel painted to remain for centuries without movement.So that a large amount of the qualityof repose must enter into its composition.Portraits in which this has not been borne in mind, however entertaining at a pictureexhibition, when they are seen for a few moments only, pall on one if constantly seen, and are finally very irritating.But the real expression in a head is something more enduring than these passing movements: one that belongs to the forms of ahead, and the marks left on that form by the life and character of the person.This is of far more interest than those passingexpressions, the results of the contraction of certain muscles under the skin, the effect of which is very similar in most people.It isfor the portrait painter to find this more enduring expression and give it noble expression in his work.Treatment of Clothes.It is a common idea among sitters that if they are painted in modern clothes the picture will look old-fashioned in a few years.Ifhttp://www.gutenberg.org/files/14264/14264-h/14264-h.htm (117 of 147)3/9/2006 11:03:42 PM The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Practice & Science Of Drawing, by Harold Speed.the sitter's appearance were fixed upon the canvas exactly as they stood before the artist in his studio, without any selection on thepart of the painter, this might be the result, and is the result in the case of painters who have no higher aim than this.254But there are qualities in dress that do not belong exclusively to the particular period of their fashion.Qualities that are the same inall ages.And when these are insisted upon, and the frivolities of the moment in dress not troubled about so much, the portrait has apermanent quality, and will never in consequence look old-fashioned in the offensive way that is usually meant.In the first place,the drapery and stuffs of which clothes are made follow laws in the manner in which they fold and drape over the figure, that arethe same in all times.If the expression of the figure through the draperies is sought by the painter, a permanent quality will begiven in his work, whatever fantastic shapes the cut of the garments may assume [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.Neither is it contended that they are incompatiblewith each other: the qualities of two or more of these points of view are often found in the same work.And it is not inconceivablethat a single portrait might contain all and be a striking lifelike presentment, a faithful catalogue of all the features, a symbol of theperson and a symphony of form and colour.But the chances are against such a composite affair being a success.One or otherquality will dominate in a successful work; and it is not advisable to try and combine too many different points of view as, in theconfusion of ideas, directness of expression is lost.But no good portrait is without some of the qualities of all these points of view,whichever may dominate the artist's intention.Expression.The camera, and more particularly the instantaneous camera, has habituated people to expect in a portrait a momentary expression,and of these momentary expressions the faint smile, as we all know, is an easy first in the matter of popularity.It is no uncommonthing for the painter to be asked in the early stages of his work when he is going to put in the smile, it never being questioned thatthis is the artist's aim in the matter of expression.253The giving of lifelike expression to a painting is not so simple a matter as it might appear to be.Could one set the real personbehind the frame and suddenly fix them for ever with one of those passing expressions on their faces, however natural it mighthave been at the moment, fixed for ever it is terrible, and most unlifelike.As we have already said, a few lines scribbled on a pieceof paper by a consummate artist would give a greater sense of life than this fixed actuality.It is not ultimately by the pursuit of theactual realisation that expression and life are conveyed in a portrait.Every face has expression of a far more interesting andenduring kind than these momentary disturbances of its form occasioned by laughter or some passing thought, &c.And it mustnever be forgotten that a portrait is a panel painted to remain for centuries without movement.So that a large amount of the qualityof repose must enter into its composition.Portraits in which this has not been borne in mind, however entertaining at a pictureexhibition, when they are seen for a few moments only, pall on one if constantly seen, and are finally very irritating.But the real expression in a head is something more enduring than these passing movements: one that belongs to the forms of ahead, and the marks left on that form by the life and character of the person.This is of far more interest than those passingexpressions, the results of the contraction of certain muscles under the skin, the effect of which is very similar in most people.It isfor the portrait painter to find this more enduring expression and give it noble expression in his work.Treatment of Clothes.It is a common idea among sitters that if they are painted in modern clothes the picture will look old-fashioned in a few years.Ifhttp://www.gutenberg.org/files/14264/14264-h/14264-h.htm (117 of 147)3/9/2006 11:03:42 PM The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Practice & Science Of Drawing, by Harold Speed.the sitter's appearance were fixed upon the canvas exactly as they stood before the artist in his studio, without any selection on thepart of the painter, this might be the result, and is the result in the case of painters who have no higher aim than this.254But there are qualities in dress that do not belong exclusively to the particular period of their fashion.Qualities that are the same inall ages.And when these are insisted upon, and the frivolities of the moment in dress not troubled about so much, the portrait has apermanent quality, and will never in consequence look old-fashioned in the offensive way that is usually meant.In the first place,the drapery and stuffs of which clothes are made follow laws in the manner in which they fold and drape over the figure, that arethe same in all times.If the expression of the figure through the draperies is sought by the painter, a permanent quality will begiven in his work, whatever fantastic shapes the cut of the garments may assume [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]