156 THE FINE ARTS. 
Every composition includes three forces, whose perfect equilibrium is 
essential to beauty. From their equal co-operation arise the life and indi- 
viduality of the composition, and that unity which quiets, gratifies, and 
delights. The prevalence of any one leads to deficiency both in correctness 
and beauty. These three artestical forces (or momenta) are objectivity, 
subjectivity, and space. | 
The first force, objectevity, centres in the object of the composition. This 
object bears in itself the law for its formation and representation. It is the 
artist’s first duty to form a purely objective conception of his object, which 
he can only do by setting aside his own individual view of the same, and 
subordinating himself to the object. He must therefore, above.all, make 
himself thoroughly acquainted with the real appearance of his object, 
and strive to render it in his composition so completely, that a clear view 
and room for an untrammelled judgment are afforded the beholder, whether 
the object be taken from nature or from history. This can often be done 
only by indicating in subordinate parts the condition of the principal object 
immediately before or immediately after the time of its actual condition. 
Such indications must, however, be introduced with judicious economy, as 
they may very easily disturb the unity of the composition. They ought to 
explain the object completely. But completeness and prolixity are two very 
different things; a subject is exhausted as soon as it has been made clear. 
The second force, subjectwvity, is the artist’s own feeling for his object or 
his view or judgment of the same. Its seat is the depth of the artist’s soul. 
He that cannot transfer to the representation of his object part of his best 
and loftiest feelings, his enthusiasm for humanity, liberty, or other sublime 
ideas, may fill the plane of his picture with abstract tokens for objects or 
ideas, but he can never inspire them with the breath of soul. It is true 
that every object fit for artistical representation contains in itself the law of 
this representation, and, as it were, presents itself ready for introduction 
into the composition. But every educated man looks upon every object in 
his own peculiar subjective manner. This may be compared to a positive 
law passed by a legislative power which receives different ¢nterpretations 
from those intrusted with its execution. Only he who himself feels can 
inspire feelings. He that cannot stamp the representation of the object of his 
picture with that expression which, makes it a truthful picture, replete with 
life (which makes it Aes own picture), may not aspire to the name of artist ; 
he will never be original ; he is a mere copyist, imitating the forms of nature, 
or painting hieroglyphies forideas. An excess of subjectivity must, however, 
be carefully avoided, by which the truth of the objective image would be 
impaired. For if the artist portrays his own fancy instead of the object, 
and fills his picture with allegories of dreamy perceptions, or with events 
foreign to the actions of his object, his picture becomes confused and the 
beholder is puzzled. The subjective force of the picture should be limited 
to the enlistment of that sympathy of the beholder for its object, which 
will induce him to form his own opinion about it, and impress the latter 
upon him in the shape either of a distinct recollection of, or of an enthusi- 
astic feeling for the object, or both. 
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