Art Out-of-Doors 
ues and busts are best fitted for such a place, 
as it is difficult to give their backs any 
strong quality of interest. 
This question of desirable points of view 
is even more suggestive than the question 
of scale as regards the main truth to 
which I have been leading up. This is the 
truth that, when a definite commission is 
given for a monument, the artist should be 
told just where it is to stand. He can 
then decide what must be its size, how 
strongly he must emphasize its silhouette, 
and whether he must consider all points of 
view with equal care or may subordinate 
some to the one which will be of prima- 
ry importance. Such subordination, be it 
noted, even if it amounts to total sacrifice, 
is a perfectly lawful and laudable method 
of design when circumstances justify its 
choice. There is no more reason why the 
back of a monument should be as beautiful 
as the front, if the back will never be seen, 
than why a picture should be painted on 
both sides of the canvas. And the artist 
is shorn of his due prerogative when he is 
4 
220 
