o
be considered. The more intimate interest in the personal character of
the sitter is here subordinated to the interest of his public character
and attitude of mind towards his office. Thus it happens that much more
decorative pageantry symbolic of these things is permissible in this
kind of portraiture than in that of plain Mr. Smith; a greater
stateliness of design as befitting official occasions.

It is not contended that this forms anything like a complete list of the
numerous aspects from which a portrait can be considered, but they are
some of the more extreme of those prevalent at the present time. Neither
is it contended that they are incompatible with each other: the
qualities of two or more of these points of view are often found in the
same work. And it is not inconceivable that a single portrait might
contain all and be a striking lifelike presentment, a faithful catalogue
of all the features, a symbol of the person and a symphony of form and
colour. But the chances are against such a composite affair being a
success. One or other quality will dominate in a successful work; and
it is not advisable to try and combine too many different points of view
as, in the confusion of ideas, directness of expression is lost. But no
good portrait is without some of the qualities of all these points of
view, whichever may dominate the artist's intention.

[Sidenote: Expression.]

The camera, and more particularly the instantaneous camera, has
habituated people to expect in a portrait a momentary expression, and of
these momentary expressions the faint smile, as we all know, is an easy
first in the matter of popularity. It is no uncommon thing for the
painter to be asked in the early stages of his work when he is going to
put in the smile, it never being questioned that this is the artist's
aim in the matter of expression.

The giving of lifelike expression to a painting is not so simple a
matter as it might appear to be. Could one set the real person behind
the frame and suddenly fix them for ever with one of those passing
expressions on their faces, however natural it might have been at the
moment, fixed for ever it is terrible, and most unlifelike. As we have
already said, a few lines scribbled on a piece of paper by a consummate
artist would give a greater sense of life than this fixed actuality. It
is not ultimately by the pursuit of the actual realisation that
expression and life are conveyed in a portrait. Ever