THE WOMBAT. 39 



of the beauty of the scene itself is due to colour, and apart 

 from some subtly suggested " sentiment " the most lovely 

 views are apt to look tame and commonplace in pictorial 

 representations. 



Further, whatever the principal motive of the picture, noth- 

 ing else should clash with it : thus, an "effect" proper should 

 seldom if ever be associated with a scene imposing in itself : 

 either the effect should be subordinate to and an essential 

 ' part of the view (as rain, storm, and light effects in conjunction 

 with mountain scenery) or the landscape should be com- 

 paratively commonplace if the desired "effect" is remarkable. 

 Thus, striking cloud forms and shadow effects fas effects ) are 

 set off better by suitable rural scenery than by magnificent 

 Alpine views. 



For the same reasons the accessories in a portrait should 

 not be sharply defined, but rather partially obscured, nor on 

 the other hand should figures in a landscape be too prominent, 

 an unobtrusive figure, whether human or animal, frequently 

 improves the picture, and even provides the necessary senti- 

 ment, but prominent living objects become (undesirably in 

 landscape) the centre of interest. How often a landscape 

 photo, is simply ruined by, say, a boy perched on a foreground 

 rock, log, or post, or by an unpicturesque vehicle obtruding 

 itself. 



If the interest lies in the distance nothing in the fore- 

 ground should arrest attention, and if objects unavoidably 

 intervene the lighting, focussing, or printing, or all of these 

 should be so managed as to reduce their prominence and 

 accentuate the point of interest. 



In the same way studies of objects or " bits " of scenery 

 should be made by sharply focussing the desired object or 

 objects, and reducing the definition of the rest of the view. 



If, however, the subject is a general "effect," the 

 "definition " should be at least slightly " diffused " so as to 

 get rid of details not noticed by the eye. Of course, unsightly 

 and unintelligible blots and blurs should as a rule be avoided, 

 though even ugliness has occasional uses in art if only by way 

 of foil ; but to me an element of mystery and scope for the 

 imagination, as, for instance, an impenetrable though not 

 unduly heavy shadow in a sylvan scene or in river, lake, and 

 mountain pieces is almost invariably a very great charm, 

 sometimes, in fact, the charm or sentiment of the whole picture. 

 But it must always suggest distance in some degree, other- 

 wise there is not due scope for imagination and sentiment. 



A fog or haze concealing or partially concealing some 

 portion of the scene, a gloomy mountain valley or recess, or 

 a shady interior viewed through an open doorway are instances 

 also of the element of mystery I have referred to. So, too, 



