84 THE PROBLEM OF THE GALLOPING HORSE 



To a large extent the painter, like other artists, has to 

 produce things which do not shock common opinion and 

 experience, and must even consciously concede to that 

 necessity, and make the sacrifice of objective truth, in 

 order to secure attention for his higher appeal to the sense 

 of beauty, to emotion, and sentiment. Approved depar- 

 tures by the artist from scientific truth are those which 

 are deliberately made in order to give emphasis — as, for 

 instance, in the huge, but tender hand of the man in the 

 emotional masterpiece, " Le Baiser," by the great sculptor 

 Rodin. Another departure from objective truth, which is 

 justified, is seen in Troyon's picture in the Louvre, where 

 the false drawing and exaggerated size of the Leg of a 

 calf advancing towards the observer suggest, and almost 

 give the illusion of, movement. 



But it can hardly be maintained that any and all the 

 liberties which a painter or a whole school of painters 

 choose to take with fact in their presentation of Nature — 

 are beyond criticism. It is possible for a landscape 

 painter to improve in his treatment of the moon by better 

 observation and increased knowledge — just as other 

 painters have learnt not to introduce into their pictures 

 the sort of wooden rocking-horse to stand for a beautiful 

 living animal, which satisfied Velasquez, Carl Vernet and 

 the ancient Egyptians. 



