In conclusion let me sum up the contents of this long chapter. We have seen that there are two main streams of motive and point of view; the idealistic and the naturalistic. The former flows from the artist’s desire to represent his conception of ideal beauty, the latter from his love of nature. We have seen that they have alternately reached their highest flood, because the conditions of the times supplied a great public need to which each in turn responded. Lastly, we have seen that gradually both tendencies have undergone a change. Whereas originally both the naturalistic and the idealistic motive were concerned with form, they came to be concerned particularly with light.
Therefore, when you look at a picture, ask yourself: Has the artist simply tried to render the visible appearance, or has he also tried to make the subject interpret some feeling of his own?
If he is simply rendering the visible appearance: Has he been conscious only of form, or has he viewed the form in its envelope of lighted atmosphere? Further, has he tried to represent the visible appearance, as we should find it to be, if we studied each and every part of it separately; or he has tried to give the impression of the entire scene, as it really reached his eyes?
If he is interpreting through the subject his own feeling: What is the quality of the feeling? Does the picture simply express the artist’s consciousness of the grandeur or the loveliness of nature, or does it also interpret his feeling for the mystery of things not seen?
Here are a few hints for you in setting out to explore the vast country of motive and point of view.
THE END
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Pronounced dees-poo-táh, with the accent on the last syllable. See page 13.
[2] The body between the neck and the commencement of the legs.
[3] Mural—(Latin murus, a wall), having to do with a wall; in this case a decoration on a wall.