The meaning of pictures
John C. Van Dyke
JUST how we should look at pictures, just how we should judge of
them, is not for any one person to say. We all have our different ways
of estimating art; and art is capable of being estimated in different
ways. In these lectures I have endeavored to set forth the various
points of view. The painter’s conception has received perhaps the
primary attention, but I have given the public’s conception of the
picture also. Nor do I mean to apologize for arguing both sides of the
case. Art might be better understood, if there were less special
pleading and theorizing about it. It is so largely dependent upon the
individual make-up of the artist, that any precise theory about it must
fall short of the mark. Instead of quarrelling over terms and trying to
put the opposition in the wrong, it would be better frankly to examine
the product in the light of the producer’s intention and draw our
conclusions from that. We should not always agree, but that is all the
more reason for tolerance and liberality.
them, is not for any one person to say. We all have our different ways
of estimating art; and art is capable of being estimated in different
ways. In these lectures I have endeavored to set forth the various
points of view. The painter’s conception has received perhaps the
primary attention, but I have given the public’s conception of the
picture also. Nor do I mean to apologize for arguing both sides of the
case. Art might be better understood, if there were less special
pleading and theorizing about it. It is so largely dependent upon the
individual make-up of the artist, that any precise theory about it must
fall short of the mark. Instead of quarrelling over terms and trying to
put the opposition in the wrong, it would be better frankly to examine
the product in the light of the producer’s intention and draw our
conclusions from that. We should not always agree, but that is all the
more reason for tolerance and liberality.
عام:
2024
الناشر:
The Project Gutenberg
اللغة:
english
ملف:
PDF, 9.30 MB
IPFS:
,
english, 2024