EEALISM AND IDEALISM 123 



fact, the most heroic style combined with all the essential detail of 

 ctual life, the thing was done at once and for ever. ... I felt as if a 

 divine truth had blazed inwardly upon my mind, and I knew that they 

 [the marbles] would at last rouse the art of Europe from its slumber in 

 the darkness.' 



At this point it is necessary, for the sake of clearness, to 

 attempt the definition of Realism and Idealism. We have 

 already learned that every work of figurative art contains 

 both elements, whether this be a simple pencil -drawing from 

 a single model, or a composition so complex as the friezes of 

 the Parthenon. Yet it is obvious that the artist may lean 

 more to one side than the other. He may choose to concen- 

 trate his powers upon the literal imitation of objects rather 

 than upon the development of subjective qualities. Or, on 

 the other hand, he may devote his whole attention to the 

 refinement of an intellectual type of beauty or to the expres- 

 sion of thoughts, remaining content with slovenly execution 

 and feeble grasp on fact. At one period of art, and in one 

 school, tendencies in favour of crude Realism will prevail ; at 

 another time, or in another region, the bias will be toward 

 unsubstantial Idealism. We cannot always expect that per- 

 fect synthesis which makes the work of Pheidias exemplary. 

 It is therefore profitable to define the two factors which are 

 for ever being brought by the practice of art into more or 

 less complete accord. 



Realism is the presentation of natural objects as the artist 

 sees them, as he thinks they are. It is the attempt to imitate 

 things as they strike the senses. 



Idealism is the presentation of natural objects as the artist 

 fain would see them, as he thinks they strive to be. It is the 

 attempt to imitate things as the mind interprets them. 



I may pause to remark, that the distinction implied in these 

 definitions is as old as Aristotle. In the Poetics we read : 

 * Sophocles used to say that he depicted men as they ought 

 to be, Euripides as they are.' In other words, Sophocles 

 regarded himself as an idealist, Euripides as a realist. Again : 



