LANDSCAPE COMPOSITION 129 



design ; and as in a formal garden all the more important functions of 

 objects in composition in some way appear, we shall continue the dis- 

 cussion of these relations using the garden as an example in the section 

 on the garden in Chapter XL* 



We have been considering the various objects in landscape com- Temporary 

 position which we have discussed, as being for the purposes of our de- Elements 

 sign permanent in location and changing in form no faster than does, 

 for instance, a growing plant. It is often desirable, however, to count 

 as a part of our compositions men and animals moving about and 

 having no definite location in the design. (See Plate 10, and Draw- 

 ing XI, opp. p. 82.) It is evident that an object whose location is 

 unpredictable can hardly be relied upon as a dominant object in 

 a composition. Usually the designer expects rather to get a certain 

 vivacity and variety from this element, a certain diversification of 

 surfaces which otherwise might be too bare and simple, whether he is 

 dealing with the ducks in a pond, the sheep in a pasture, or the crowds 

 of courtiers on the great terrace at Versailles. Every landscape shares 

 to some extent in the changing beauty of the sky and the moving 

 clouds. (See Frontispiece and Plates ii and 22.) In an inclosed 

 garden this may be but an incident ; in an open and distant view into 

 the west, it may be the frequent presence of clouds more than anything 

 else that makes the view a desirable one. Although man cannot pre- 

 dict the exact beauty which the skies may at any time oifer to him, he 

 may nevertheless so arrange his design that he may take advantage of 

 whatever beauties may come, and that his own work may appear to 

 advantage whether in sunshine against a darkened distance or sil- 

 houetted in cloud shadow against a brilliant background. 



* Pages 233-246. 



