Ruskin, John: The elements of drawing: in three letters to beginners (London, 1857)

296 THE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING. [letter lit.

— by the way, note the remarkable instance in
these of the use of darkest lines towards the light;

— all more or less guiding the eye up to the right,
in order to bring it finally to the Keep of Windsor,
which is the central object of the picture, as the
bridge tower is in the Coblentz. The wall on which
the boy climbs answers the purpose of contrasting,
both in direction and character, with these greater
curves; thus corresponding as nearly as possible to
the minor tongue of land in the Coblentz. This,
however, introduces us to another law, which we
must consider separately.

6. THE LAW OE CONTRAST.

Of course the character of everything is best
manifested by Contrast. Kest can only be enjoyed
after labour ; sound, to be heard clearly, must rise
out of silence; light is exhibited by darkness, dark-
ness by light; and so on in all things. Now in art
every colour has an opponent colour, which, if
brought near it, will relieve it more completely than
any other; so, also, every form and line may be