aced, will produce an effect that has
become extremely popular of late. This is equally applicable to
landscape or sea pieces; and was a favourite arrangement of A.
Vandervelde. When the picture is mostly made up of half tint, his manner
was to throw all the power of the palette into his figures; bringing
them out strong, dark, and cutting on the foreground; and, in the
retiring groups, diminishing the force as little as possible; keeping
the shadows flat, and a little weaker in colour. This management
produces one of the most powerful daylight effects, though not so aerial;
but the sacrifice of the last is as nothing to the want of the former.
Atmospheric effect is scarcely missed when the whole is on so light a
key, as the quantity of half tint employed renders it.

Most of the Dutch landscape painters seem universally agreed on this
arrangement, as having that beautiful contrast of force and softness we
so often see in coast scenes, and leaving so large a space as two-thirds
of the picture for the luminous forms of the clouds.

Broken heaths, road scenes, corn-fields, boats on the water, with their
forcible and deep shadows, fishermen on the sands, all readily adapt
themselves to this manner; which, likewise, from the light tone that
pervades the whole, requires the strongest opposition and contrast of
colour--so that the colours be carried well through the picture; that
is, if the ground be warm, a figure in blue placed in the foreground
may be carried out by being repeated in the blue of the water, and so
into parts of the sky, &c. And, on the other hand, if the ground be cool
grey, as in a river scene, the boats may be yellow, and the figures red,
carried up and diffused into the warm lights of the sky, or striking on
the sandy shore and distant buildings, and even reaching the birds in
the air--all will help to convey the colours through the work.

In working out this system, let the lights be bright, and their shadows
strong and forcible, keeping the middle tints tender, airy, and
delicate. A few trials on this plan will soon convince the student of
the beauty and real look of daylight it has over many others.

In examining the works of Cuyp, when the picture is painted on a light
key, he is sure to make use of very strong colour, to clear up and give
vigour to the whole, in his figures; serving, at the same time, to
invest the general mass with air, breadth, and extent.

Rembrandt thought it of more consequ