a work to the highest pitch of impressiveness
of which it is capable. The oftener I revise it, the more it will gain
in expressiveness.... Though the touch disappear, though the fire of
execution be no longer the chief merit of the painting, there is no
doubt about this; and again how often does it happen that after this
intense labour, which has turned one's thought back on itself in every
direction, the hand obeys more swiftly and surely in giving the desired
lightness to the last touches.

_Delacroix._

LXXXVI

Let us agree as to the meaning of the word "finished." What finishes a
picture is not the quantity of detail in it, but the rightness of the
general effect. A picture is not limited only by its frame. Whatever be
the subject, there must be a principal object on which your eyes rest
continually: the other objects are only the complement of this, they are
less interesting to you; and after that there is nothing more for your
eye.

There is the real limit of your picture. This principal object must seem
so to the spectator of your work. Therefore, one must always return to
this, and state its colour with more and more decision.

_Rousseau._

LXXXVII

ON PROTOGENES

He was a great Master, but he often spoil'd his Pieces by endeavouring
to make them Perfect; he did not know when he had done well; a Man may
do too much as well as too little; and he is truly skilful, who knew
what was sufficient.

_Apelles._

FINISH

LXXXVIII

A picture must always be a little spoilt in the finishing of it. The
last touches, which are intended to draw the picture together, take off
from its freshness. To appear before the public one must cut out all
those happy accidents which are the joy of the artist. I compare these
murderous retouchings to those banal flourishes with which all airs of
music end, and to those insignificant spaces which the musician is
forced to put between the interesting parts of his work in order to lead
on from one motive to another or to give them their proper value.

Re-touching, however, is not so fatal to a picture as one might think,
when the picture has been well thought out and worked at with deep
feeling. Time, in effacing the touches, old as well as new, gives back
to the work its complete effect.

_Delacroix._

LXXXIX

A picture, the effect of which is true, is finished.

_Goya._

XC

You please me much, by saying that no other fault is found in your
pict