Beauty of the Beast. John Bascom

to the detection of a clever resemblance, leaving the critic now pleased with his own acuteness, now chagrined by his failure to discover the imposture.

      It should certainly be an important principle with the lover of art to prefer the genuine to the false, a plain and substantial reality to elaborate and unsubstantial ornament; but so far have these surface dressings now entered into art as to render their exclusion both undesirable and impossible.

      Study of a Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) and Flowers

      Giuseppe Arcimboldo

      Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna

      Architecture is alone affected by them; and as this is primarily a useful art, ruled by economic principles, and only secondarily a fine art, it can never be made entirely amenable to the laws of the latter. It is evident, however, that all finish which is intended to suggest what does not really exist should be carefully excluded from high and valuable art, from public and monumental architecture. Let us, at least, know that that which claims to be good is honest; that that which arrogates merit is not a bold lie, challenging detection; that the people have not combined to do both a weak and a false thing.

      Study of a Northern Helmeted Curassow (Pauxi pauxi)

      Giuseppe Arcimboldo

      Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna

      In domestic architecture, on the other hand, which is expected to be more temporary, claims less for itself, and must be more economic, veneers and imitations will always play an important part, and this, too, without detriment to the taste of a people, if one or two things are remembered. The radical difficulty with this method of workmanship is the deception aimed at it. It is this which gives rise to pretence and ostentation on one side, and disappointment and contempt on the other.

      Red Hartebeest and Blackbuck

      Ulisse Aldrovandi

      Second half of 16th century. Watercolour

      Biblioteca Universitaria, Bologna

      Our true success, then, in this kind of art is not, as is supposed, in a completeness of imitation which misleads the mind, but in an agreeableness of design and success of execution which, while pleasing, yet reveal themselves for what they truly are. Paint does not have the best effect when it is thought to be good stone or the native wood, but when it is seen to be paint well put on. It then does an honest, valuable, and praiseworthy work.

      Red Hartebeest and Mountain Coati

      Ulisse Aldrovandi

      Second half of 16th century. Watercolour

      Biblioteca Universitaria, Bologna

      While the veining of wood may suggest a pattern, that graining is best which gives rise to no doubt, but in itself and in its relations at once shows that it is graining.

      An agreeable impression may undoubtedly be secured by a cheap yet permanent surface work, and it would certainly be foolish to throw away papers and paints, which relieve and cheer the eye in every dwelling, because what is represented by them is often not real; nor is it difficult to draw important practical distinctions between the right and wrong methods of using these materials.