VISION AND THE TBCHM';i K OI ART. 45 



clear, so we think we see them sharp and clear while in faet we see the 

 objects out ;of focus with fuzzy edges. • 



And likewise in the matter of distortion. We know that the side of a 

 building is straight. That knowledge destroys the innocence of our 

 vision and makes US think we see it straight out the side of our < e 

 when in fact we see it curved. "Innocence" is already gone. To 

 restore truth to the eve, we have to learn that under eertain condition 

 we sec chromatic edges on objects whieh arc in fact sharp and curved 

 lines in place of straight ones. The same line of argument applies to 

 the other characteristics of the retinal picture 



The development of art seems to have been a struggle to put down 

 what we see and not what we know or think we see. The Egyptians 

 for instance in drawing an eve as seen from in front on a face in profile 

 were putting down not what they saw but what they knew. So they 

 put in the same picture what they saw from two different points of 

 view. We an- confident that today we paint things as we see them. 

 But on consideration are we not making just as had a mistake when we 

 paint an object in the foreground and one in the di tance with equal 

 clarity, or when we paint straight lines on the side of the picture 

 straight. It is just as impossible for us to see both near and di itant 

 object-, equally sharp at the same time or to see straight lines on the 

 side of our field of view as straight, as it was for the Egyptian to lee the 

 eye from the front view in the face from the side view. 



The conclusion must be that the "innocence" of vi ion can be 

 developed by intellectual sugge tion . Such suggestions which help 

 the artist to know what he 3ees will also bring within the grasp of hi . 

 intellectual consciousness, 30 that he can definitely perceive it, what 

 formerly lie could only feel intuitively and will leave his intuition free 

 to reach out for the subtler expre ion of truth and beauty . 



In the ultimate anal; 1 what the great artist expre e through his 

 work i- ;i matter of his own mental and spiritual visual images of 

 beauty and truth. Their character depends upon hi personalit; and 

 p chology. Of necessity these factors will modify the character- 

 istics of hi-, retinal pictures, to what extent it is impo ible of eour e to 

 say. It is believed however that the technical structure of hi work 

 based upon his retinal impressions. The similarity of hi- retinal una 

 to those of the rest of mankind will insure a universality of under tand- 

 ing and appreciation. 



It should he clearly understood that it is not mgge ted that the 

 methods of depicting the various parts of a scene whieh have been 

 described will in themselves make a great work of art. The are 



