XXXIII
It has been said, “Who will deliver us from the Greeks and Romans?” Soon we shall be saying, “Who will deliver us from realism?” Nothing is so tiring as a constant close imitation of life. One comes back inevitably to imaginative work. Homer’s fictions will always be preferred to historical truth, Rubens’ fabulous magnificence to all the frippery copied exactly from the lay figure.
The painter who is a machine will pass away, the painter who is a mind will remain; the spirit for ever triumphs over matter.
Wiertz.