e of straight lines, which help
to keep the balance and repose necessary in the treatment of even the
most violent subjects in art.

A continual interruption in the flow of lines, and a harsh jarring
of one against another in an angular, jagged fashion, produces a feeling
of terror and horror. A streak of fork lightning is a natural example of
this. The plate of Blake's No. XI, p. 148 [Transcribers Note: Plate
XXXII], reproduced here, is also a good example. I have had it put
sideways on so that you may see that the look of horror is not only in
the subject but belongs to the particular music of line in the picture.
The effect of the harsh contrasts in the lines is further added to by
the harsh contrasts of tone: everywhere hard lights are brought up
against hard darks. Harsh contrasts of tone produce much the same look
of terror as harsh contrasts of line. Battle pictures are usually, when
good, full of these clashes of line and tone, and thrilling dramatic
effects in which a touch of horror enters are usually founded on the
same principle. In the picture by Paolo Uccello in the National Gallery,
reproduced on page 170 [Transcribers Note: Plate XXXIX], a milder
edition of this effect is seen. The artist has been more interested in
the pageantry of war and a desire to show off his newly-acquired
knowledge of perspective, than anything very terrible. The contrasts of
line are here but confined to the smaller parts, and there are no
contrasts of light and shade, chiaroscuro not being yet invented.
However, it will be seen by the accompanying diagram how consistently
the harsh contrasts of line were carried out in the planning of this
picture. Notice the unconscious humour of the foreshortened spears and
figure carefully arranged on the ground to vanish to the recently
discovered vanishing point.

[Illustration: Diagram XVII.

SHOWING THE CLASH OF LINES IN SYMPATHY WITH THE MARTIAL NATURE OF THIS
SUBJECT.]

[Illustration: Plate XXXIX.

BATTLE OF ST. EGIDIO. PAOLO UCCELLO (NATIONAL GALLERY)

Illustrating the effect of jarring lines in composition. (See diagram on
opposite page.)

_Photo Morelli_]

* * * * *

Lines radiating in smooth curves from a common centre are another form
employed to give unity in pictorial design. The point from which they
radiate need not necessarily be within the picture, and is often
considerably outside it. But the feeling that they would meet if
produc