File:Studies in pictures; an introduction to the famous galleries (1907) (14776399875).jpg

Identifier: studiesinpicture00vand (find matches)
Title: Studies in pictures; an introduction to the famous galleries
Year: 1907 (1900s)
Authors: Van Dyke, John Charles, 1856-1932
Subjects: Painting -- Study and teaching Painting
Publisher: New York : C. Scribner's sons
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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of rankand individuality. There may be as much, if notmore, character in the figures of the great as in thoseof the humble. Titians Charles V rides likea king, and the little Don Balthasar of Velas-quez like the child that would be king. Both ofthem are as characteristic and as typical of theirkind as a Dutch boor by Steen or a chasseur by)\reissonicr. In a general way the choice of clothes and figuresand faces are matters of liking, matters of tempera-ment with painters. The master can create the mas-terpiece out of l)eggar or king, as he chooses. Itmade small differonee to Velasquez whether he werepainting Philip or ihe court buffoon; and Rembrandtcould make a picture from nii Amsterdam Jew inrags as readily as from a bnrgomasfor in velvet.Thry were l)oth intent upon giving ^ht^+mth of lifi;before them. That, indeed, absorbed them. Butin modern times there are not so many suprememasters, nor have they such singleness of aim as themasters of the past. And, besides, the weaker breth-
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XXIII.—TORBIDO, Old Woman. Venice Academy. FIGURE PAINTING 81 ren of the brush to-day are rather impressed with theidea that fine art means fine faces and fine clothes.They do not like the laborer, the peasant, the com-mon people as models. The Bouguereaus and Le-febvres care little for naturalistic drawing and lessfor characteristic types. They admire what is called Jhe.id£al^ Now the ideal is no new thing under the sun. Itis a conventional type which has been handed downby tradition; and it consists of a selection and acombination of the fine qualities of the many in theone. By a process of elimination, taking only themost perfect parts, a figure is constructed whichis supposed to approximate in proportions the Greekideal. In appearance it usually has a predeterminedheight and weight and a preternatural elegance ofbearing, both of which are quite impressive at first;but after a time we begin to see that they are artifi-cial—that is, machine-made—and that the whole ismerely an

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