The Painter in oil

“The Golden Stairs,” by Burne-Jones, is almost purely an arrangement in line, and
beautifully illustrates the use of this element as the main æsthetic motive in a picture.
Compare this composition in line with the “Descent from the Cross,” in which the line is
equally marked, but more complicated, and used in connection with mass to a much
greater extent, and involved with interrelations of chiaroscuro and color. Consider the
effect which each picture derives as a whole from this management of these elements.
The one emphasizing that of line, with the resultant of rhythm and grace; the other
balancing the elements, and so gaining power and impressiveness.
Often the whole composition should be balancing of the elements, as in this case. But
the emphasizing the one element always emphasize the characteristics to which those
elements tend as the main characteristic of the picture.
Grace, rhythm, movement, come most naturally from arrangement chiefly in line. If
mass comes into the picture, the masses may be arranged to help the line, or to modify
it. In “ The Sower” the management of mass is such as to give great dignity, and almost
solemnity, to the picture, yet not to take away from the rhythmic swing and action of the
figure which comes from line, but even to emphasize it. Compare this in these respects
with the lighter grace of “The Golden Stairs” and the less unified movement, but greater
activity, of the “Descent from the Cross.”
Of course masses will come into the picture; either the masses themselves can be
arranged into line, or there can be emphasis given to lines which break up of modify
masses, so that the character the pictures governed by them.
Mass. - In the arrangement mass, light and shade and color are effective. Smaller
groups may be made into a larger one, and individual objects also brought together, by
grouping them in light or in shade, or by giving them a common color.
Weight, dignity, the statuesque, scale, are characteristics of mass. Lines in this
connection only takes from the brusqueness that mass alone would have, or helps to
break up any tendency to monotony. The “Return to the Farm,” by Millet, shows this
combination, the reverse of “The Sower.” In this, the line is used to enrich the repose and
weight, the statuesque of the mass. In the other, the mass gives dignity and
impressiveness to the grace and rhythm of the line. The color scheme of course will have
an equal effect in emphasizing or modifying of the motive of line or mass. Color without
only have an effect on it, but must be in sympathy with it, or the balance will be lost.
Color. - This is mainly where composition in color will come in. Light and shade or
chiaroscuro, as I explained in the last chapter, are necessarily intimately connected with
composition here. And you never work in color or mass without working in light and
shade also. Of color itself I shall speak in the next chapter. It is only necessary to point
out the fact of connection here. Of course in painting, all the elements are most closely
related. Although it is necessary to speak of them separately in the actual working out,
you keep them all in mind together, and so make them continually help and modify each
other.
A Principle. - There is a well-established principle in architecture, that you must
never try to emphasize two proportions in one structure. A hall may be long and narrow,
but not both long and wide; in which case the proportions would neutralize each other -
you would have a simple square, characterless. You may emphasize height or breadth -
not both, or you get the same negative character.