Howard, Frank: Colour, as a means of art: being an adaptation of the experience of professors to the practice of amateurs (London, 1838)

COLOURING OBJECTS. 81

trees will look as dark as they are represented by
Ruysdael and Hobbima, but who incontestibly
do not give the idea of sunshine. As in
translating from one language to another, he
will find that a literal version, may give the
bones, but not the spirit of the text; and that
something more is required to transfer the full
force and character of the original. Herein
consists a great part of the art of colouring
objects. It may be that the scene being
unbounded in Nature, is acted upon by
extraneous circumstances which' cannot be
called to the aid of a picture.

As it is impossible with pigments to rival
the brightness of light, it has been found
necessary to adopt some method of forcing
the effect of colours, so as to conceal or to
supply a compensation for this deficiency, and
apparently to produce the vigour of truth.

This has led to a division, which rivals in
fierceness as in name, the feud of the Bianchi
and the Neri of Italy, into two great schisms
or factions of colourists, of whom it is to be
regretted, too many are apt to consider those
of the opposite party as lost in the depths of
absurdity. The hostility and contempt are
quite mutual, and equally ungrounded.