decay # 11 ~ truly or falsely
Friday, February 22, 2008 at 11:40AM 
More decay • click to embiggen"'A mere transcript of nature' is one of the stock phrases of the art critic, and many artists of a certain school. The precise meaning attached to it puzzles us; were it not always used as a term of reproach, we should believe it the highest praise that could be bestowed upon a picture. What adds to our perplexity is that the phrase is generally applied by the critic to work which has nothing in common with nature about it: and is used by artists who themselves have never in their lives painted a picture with the simplest values correct, as though transcribing nature to canvas were a stage in the painter's development through which they had passed, and which was now beneath them. The critic must have but a very superficial acquaintance with nature who applies this term, as it is frequently done to work in which all the subtleties of nature are wanting. we have heard of pictures in which no two tones have been in right relationship to one another, in which noisy detail has been mistaken for finish, and the mingling of decision and indecision in fine opposition - the mysterious lost and found, the chief charm of nature - has been utterly unfelt, described as 'transcripts of nature'. Those artists who use the phrase, adopt it as a convenient barricade behind which they may defend their own incompetence." ~ T. F.Goodall
All photographers would do well to lay these remarks to heart. Instead of it being an easy thing to paint "a mere transcript of nature", we shall show it to be utterly impossible. No man can do this by painting or photography, he can only give a translation or impression, as Leonardo da Vinci said long ago; But he can give this impression truly or falsely. ~ from P.H, Emerson's Naturalistic Photography for Students of the Art
gravitas et nugalis
Mary Dennis, who has finally updated her website, wrote: I can't help it---I've got the voice of Rex Harrison as Dr. Henry Higgins from My Fair Lady running around in my head as I'm reading this. Arrrgh!
My response - I feel your rain, er, ahh ... I mean, pain ... on the plain .. in Spain ...
Reader Comments (1)
So much to enjoy in this Emerson book Mark. I've downloaded the PDF and have spent some time this afternoon reading it. You've culled several worthy phrases to share with us but there are many more to be sure. I'm really enjoying thinking of photography as a "cool young goddess." I can't find the exact phrase at the moment but there is a reference to photography hanging as art on the "walls of burgeois furnished interiors." That's pretty funny. I'm also struck by how little changed from 1889 until just recently with the advent of digital. Most of what he writes about from a technical standpoint could have applied to me until about 5 years ago, darkroom and all.
I can't help it---I've got the voice of Rex Harrison as Dr. Henry Higgins from My Fair Lady running around in my head as I'm reading this. Arrrgh!