The picture of a country doctor keeping vigil beside the bed of a young patient in a coma, with the distraught parents standing helplessly by, has a direct appeal to sentiment. The drama that this picture portrays is a very poignant one that is experienced by many families at one time or another. It is very easy to identify oneself with the circumstances, and a feeling of sympathy is readily induced. One can furthermore admire the skill and craftsmanship with which this lifelike scene was painted. But is it art?
This picture is obviously trying to tell a story, and, as such, falls into the category of what we call "illustration." This kind of painting pre-empts the function of the writer, but starts out with one serious disadvantage. It cannot have a plot, such as the writer's story does. We are kept in the dark as to the outcome of the painter's story, and are destined never to know whether the child survives the crisis. Our interest in such a picture cannot be sustained for very long. Once we have finished admiring the painter's skill and exhausted our fund of sentimental curiosity, our attention wanders; and we may never notice the picture again, except in the idlest way.
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