The principle of the tangent line being equiva-
lent as a space filler to the crossed horizontal and
vertical is shown by comparison of the wood in-
terior with the winter landscape, in which the
foreground has been thus disposed of. The force
of a horizontal is more cleverly weakened by
such a line because besides adding variety it ac-
complishes its intention with less effort. As a
warning of what may happen when these prin-
ciples are neglected or overdone one glance at
the equestrian picture by Cuyp is sufficient. His
subject, a man on horseback, is an excellent
cross of a horizontal and vertical in itself and
simply required to be let alone and led away
from. The background destroys this and, in-
stead of being an aid to circular observation,
persists in adding a line to one in the subject
which should have been parried, and thus cuts
the picture in two.
Cuyp in this as in another similar picture had
in mind light and shade rather than linear com-
position, but even so, the composition shows little
[ 122]



PICTORIAL COMPOSITION

intelligence. I^o amount of after manipulation
could condone so vicious a slaughter of space
and line opportunities which the background,
with its reduplicating edge, accomplishes.
Study in that vast and changeful realm the
sky offers a greater opportunity for selection
than any other part of nature.
The sky is but one of two elements in every
landscape and in the majority of cases it is the
secondary element. If the sky is to agree with
an interesting landscape it must retire behind it.
