The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-04-19

HDTCToRIAL COMPOSITION AND
THE CRITICAL JUDGMENT
OF PICTURES by Henry R, Poore. is
a work which deserves wide reading, be
cause it meets a very general want. and
one which has not before been met in
any such adequate and knowing fash
ion. It is intended for the reading OF
those thousands of people who, for one
reason or another, find it desirable to
study pictures: and it viii be especially
interesting and valuable to two classes
of these-first, the student of art who
visits picture galleries containing ex-
amples Of the paintings Of all ages, and.
second, TO the amateur photographer. To
the latter. indeed. II may well prove al
most Indispensable
The author takes up the principles
upon which the composition OF pictures
is based. and shows by means Of nv
merous examples how various great
painters have conceived their works ac-
cording to one or another of these pTiD-
ciples- Reading these chapters. one
comes 70 see not only that a picture is
beautiful, but also why it is so; and this
without the aid OF color, but merely by
the inherent correctness OF its con-
struction Many students Of art feel
this correctness as they do color, by a
sort Of instinct. but cannot explain their
intuitiye sense Of the beauty Of proper
ton. It will be a delight TO such stu
dents TO find their blind judgment con-
hTmed and explained by a scientific pro-
cess Of reasoning. To the art student
who possesses technical training the
book will, of course, be OF little value.
since much Of the information which it
contains is common talk in the studios;
but for that very reason such knowledge
Is beyond the reach OF the amateur IN
less collected in some such simple and
accessible fashion as this.
The amateur photographer, however,
will find most value IN the book, since
photography is as yet but little deveI-
oped along the artistic side, and the
great defect of most photographers is
lack Of knowledge Of the rules OF com
Z
unhappy difference between the average
photograph and a sketch by even q
mediocre artist. The photographers at
tention has been given to the technical
ties Of light and cleaTness. with little
regard to the lines Of the complete pic
| cure. Yet Mr.. Poore quotes with aD-
/ prevail the prophecy Of Dr. p H EmeT-
| son. to this effect:
II venture to predict that the day viii
come when photographs viii be admitted
/ TO hang on the walls Of the Royal
/ Academy"
( But there is long way Tor the pho
tographer 10 travel before that day ar
rives. and II viii have 10 be travelled
along the beaten path Of hard and
thoughtful study Of the rules Of pic
toriaI composition The photographer
must put his brain and heart into the
picture, not merely from liking for
/ the work, as a child delights to play
with tools, but from love Of the ideal
which his art helps him TO express. IN
order to express any artistic ideal the
( laws OF its expression must become so
/ familiar to the artist as TO be second
/ nature. Most amateurs will find this
book a singularly full revelation OF what
they do not know about photography.
Certain other readers are likely TO
find in tn book disconceTting state
ments OF things which they do not know
about pictures. and this is a good thing.
! for Il is the public ignorance OF the
qualities which make for art which,
more than any other one cause, hampers
the artist in his development. He
must live. and while his reputation is
making ne must sell pictures; and ii
/ the public cannot appreciate his style
he must starYe or prostitute his art 70
the level Of the public intelligence. In