A provocative quote, and more than a little repelling. A "work of art" is not like "life". There are moments in life that are "careless", even intentionally so: If I've worked all day, I embrace the after-dinner time -- a cognac, a cigar, slackly watching a game on tv. But when at work, I cut myself no slack. "If you see a painting with equal attention paid to every inch, you can be sure you're seeing a minor painter." Nonsense. Mumford appears to mistake moments of directed focus for healthy carelessness, shrewd self-conservation, and intentional change of pace for a composer's dozy relaxing.
In a message dated 6/17/12 2:23:05 AM, [email protected] writes: > *"For what Ruskin said of the difference* between a great painter, like > Tintoretto, and a low painter, like Teniers, holds for every manifestation > of life: the inferior painter, not recognizing the difference between high > and low, *between what is intensely moving and what is emotionally inert, > gives every part of his painting the same refinement of finish, the same > care of detail. The great painter, on the other hand, knows that life is > too short to treat every part of it with equal care: so he concentrates on > the passages of maximum significane and treats hastily, even > contemptuously, the minor passages: his shortcuts and simplifications are > an effort to give a better account of what matters. This reduction of > essentials is the main art of life."* > > "Conduct of Life" (1951,Mumford) > > http://books.google.com/books?id=YQmxAAAAIAAJ&; > q=%22essentials+is+the+main+art+of+life%22&dq=%22essentials+is+the+main+art+o f+life%22&hl=en&sa=X& > ei=nXbdT4_ZH6fN6QGkiaWrCw&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAA
