made by
photographic process, from which an electrotype plate was made. The end
sheets are decorated by a zinc etching reduced from a large drawing made
by Mr. Mitchell. The title and ornaments on the back of the books are
made from strong brass dies that were engraved from drawings made by
special artists. Gold leaf is laid over the section to be lettered and
the dies are pressed upon it with such force as to fasten the gold upon
the cover. Then the parts of the gold leaf that have not been pressed
into the cover are brushed away and the design is perfect.

To learn what a picture really contains, to appreciate its purpose and
merit, we should study it systematically. The following topics suggest
themselves:

1. The general view.
2. The details.
3. The center of interest.
4. The purpose.
5. The artists' conception and its appropriateness.
6. Elements of beauty.

As in other cases, the best way to explain a method is to apply it.
Accordingly, let us study by this method the picture _Down Tumbled
Wheelbarrow_, on page 46 of Volume One.

1. _The general view._ Here is a picture of a man wheeling his wife
through a London street, and the breaking down of his wheelbarrow.

2. _The details._ The man, and his wife sitting in the wheelbarrow; the
cobbled street, the sidewalk, the houses on one side of the street, the
arch-way with the house above it, and the street showing through the
arch-way; the man in the distance. A shop in the middle ground, with
fruit and vegetables displayed outside the window. The man with the
wheelbarrow is dressed in the fashion of the past, with tall hat, blue
cut-a-way long-tailed coat, black breeches and blue stockings, white
vest and white gloves. His neckerchief and shoes are orange color. His
wife is also fashionably gowned. Her bonnet has blue and orange
feathers, she has an embroidered shawl of orange color, with a blue
overdress and a gray skirt; her blue parasol is in the air, dropped in
the shock of the breaking of the wheelbarrow. Her arms are extended in
effort to save herself. The wheel is bent under the barrow.

3. _The center of interest._ The center of interest of most pictures is
found near the center of the picture. It is plainly so in this picture;
the man with the wheelbarrow, and his bride engage our attention, while
secondarily we note the rough cobbled pavement and the narrow street.

4. _The purpose._ The artist's intention is to show the dramatic mome