DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19949#0058
54
LIGHT AND .SHADE.
it be effective in its light and shadow; for it greatly
depends upon the happy or unskilful distribution of these
lights and darks, whether a composition will appear
confused and broken, or agreeably united into one
harmonious whole. There are times when the most
commonplace material mav strike us as beautiful; while
conversely, the most charming scenery may become void
of interest. The matter-of-fact representations of the
breadth of a meridian light; and the same passages of
landscape viewed under the shades of evening, affect the
feelings very ditferently. In the latter, there is a charm
which operates even upon minds least susceptible of impres-
sion from the beauties of nature : and if it be necessary to
cultivate a discrimination even with respect to degrees of
the beautiful, how much more necessary is it to aim at
acquiring the power of conferring importance upon, and
investing with deep interest, any slight subject matter
which we may have to treat. This is, after all, the test,
of the master—the power of giving, by means of judicious
light and shade, importance to matter comparatively
insignificant. The general principle acted upon by all
artists, is to dispose the lights and shades of their work
in the manner best suited to the treatment they propose
for their work. If we turn to Fig. 5, we find a dark
mass reared against a light sky, and immediately supported
by shaded objects of different degrees of depth, and repe-
titions of dark in the foreground; with very little change,
LIGHT AND .SHADE.
it be effective in its light and shadow; for it greatly
depends upon the happy or unskilful distribution of these
lights and darks, whether a composition will appear
confused and broken, or agreeably united into one
harmonious whole. There are times when the most
commonplace material mav strike us as beautiful; while
conversely, the most charming scenery may become void
of interest. The matter-of-fact representations of the
breadth of a meridian light; and the same passages of
landscape viewed under the shades of evening, affect the
feelings very ditferently. In the latter, there is a charm
which operates even upon minds least susceptible of impres-
sion from the beauties of nature : and if it be necessary to
cultivate a discrimination even with respect to degrees of
the beautiful, how much more necessary is it to aim at
acquiring the power of conferring importance upon, and
investing with deep interest, any slight subject matter
which we may have to treat. This is, after all, the test,
of the master—the power of giving, by means of judicious
light and shade, importance to matter comparatively
insignificant. The general principle acted upon by all
artists, is to dispose the lights and shades of their work
in the manner best suited to the treatment they propose
for their work. If we turn to Fig. 5, we find a dark
mass reared against a light sky, and immediately supported
by shaded objects of different degrees of depth, and repe-
titions of dark in the foreground; with very little change,