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An important characteristic of beauty is truth. This assertion, however, is only applicable to art, since nature is our standard of truth, and all natural beauty necessarily possesses this quality. So various and vague are the notions attached to the phrase Truth in art, that we shall not be able to make satisfactory progress without carefully defining its several meanings.

Rhinoceros

Albrecht Dürer, 1515

Engraving, 21.4 × 29.8 cm

The British Museum, London

Some references of art to nature – some agreement of our conceptions with facts – is supposed to be included in the words, though the precise connection intended, of man’s creations with those of the external world is not seen.

A common meaning of the truth is that by which it is confounded with the best, the noblest, the right. In this sense, to say that truth is a characteristic of beauty, may be either to utter the truism, that that which is best or beautiful is best or beautiful; or if, proceeding more wittingly, we first define what is the best, the noblest, the true, and afterward call this beautiful, it may be to perform the work already undertaken by us in showing what that is in expression which is beautiful. Of the true, then, as employed to designate that which is correct or high-toned in expression, we have no further occasion to speak.

Lying Dog

Albrecht Dürer, 1520-1521

Silverpoint, 12.3 × 17.5 cm

The British Museum, London

A second meaning of truth is, that which excludes falsehood from art and suffers no surface work to indicate, either in structure or material, that which does not exist beneath it.

Head of a Walrus

Albrecht Dürer, 1521

Pen and ink drawing with watercolour, 21.1 × 31.2 cm

The British Museum, London

In this signification, that which is true is genuine, and is especially at war with veneering, paint, stucco, fresco, and cast ornaments; at least, so far as they purport to be other than what they are. An encouragement of these makes deception an end of art, and naked imitation its means, thus destroying the artist; gives rise to pretence, ostentation, and an ungrounded self-satisfaction in the employer of art, thus degrading him from the patron of virtuous taste to the pander of a false and foolish vanity.

Composition from Animals

Giuseppe Arcimboldo. Watercolor and gouache

Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna

The enjoyment of art is also reduced to the detection of a clever resemblance, leaving the critic now pleased with his own acuteness, now chagrined by his failure to discover the imposture.

It should certainly be an important principle with the lover of art to prefer the genuine to the false, a plain and substantial reality to elaborate and unsubstantial ornament; but so far have these surface dressings now entered into art as to render their exclusion both undesirable and impossible.

Study of a Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) and Flowers

Giuseppe Arcimboldo

Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna

Architecture is alone affected by them; and as this is primarily a useful art, ruled by economic principles, and only secondarily a fine art, it can never be made entirely amenable to the laws of the latter. It is evident, however, that all finish which is intended to suggest what does not really exist should be carefully excluded from high and valuable art, from public and monumental architecture. Let us, at least, know that that which claims to be good is honest; that that which arrogates merit is not a bold lie, challenging detection; that the people have not combined to do both a weak and a false thing.

Study of a Northern Helmeted Curassow (Pauxi pauxi)

Giuseppe Arcimboldo

Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna

In domestic architecture, on the other hand, which is expected to be more temporary, claims less for itself, and must be more economic, veneers and imitations will always play an important part, and this, too, without detriment to the taste of a people, if one or two things are remembered. The radical difficulty with this method of workmanship is the deception aimed at it. It is this which gives rise to pretence and ostentation on one side, and disappointment and contempt on the other.

Red Hartebeest and Blackbuck

Ulisse Aldrovandi

Second half of 16th century. Watercolour

Biblioteca Universitaria, Bologna

Our true success, then, in this kind of art is not, as is supposed, in a completeness of imitation which misleads the mind, but in an agreeableness of design and success of execution which, while pleasing, yet reveal themselves for what they truly are. Paint does not have the best effect when it is thought to be good stone or the native wood, but when it is seen to be paint well put on. It then does an honest, valuable, and praiseworthy work.

Red Hartebeest and Mountain Coati

Ulisse Aldrovandi

Second half of 16th century. Watercolour

Biblioteca Universitaria, Bologna

While the veining of wood may suggest a pattern, that graining is best which gives rise to no doubt, but in itself and in its relations at once shows that it is graining.

An agreeable impression may undoubtedly be secured by a cheap yet permanent surface work, and it would certainly be foolish to throw away papers and paints, which relieve and cheer the eye in every dwelling, because what is represented by them is often not real; nor is it difficult to draw important practical distinctions between the right and wrong methods of using these materials.