Ο Charles M. Kurtz για τον χαρακτήρα της ζωγραφικής τέχνης

Ο χαρακτήρας της ζωγραφικής τέχνης, στο παρελθόν και στο παρόν, σύμφωνα με τον Charles M. Kurtz, Christ before Pilate, the painting by Munkacsy: a description of the picture, a sketch of the artist's life and numerous illustrations, Published for the Exhibition, 1887, σελ. 5-6.

The paintings of the Old Masters treated almost exclusively of religious themes. In Italy, where the art of painting was almost newly-born in the Fourteenth Century, it was the aid and accompaniment of the religious feeling of the time, and partook much of the same character. The best of the old art is that which was produced for the adornment and religious purposes of the cathedrals and churches.

The art of our own times is inclined more toward the expression of what is actual, probable or possible. Religious subjects are rarely chosen by the painters of to-day, but when they are selected they are treated from the more strictly realistic standpoint. On this account, modern pictures of such subjects, painted by artists who have conscientiously studied the contemporaneous history, architecture, costume and other details of the intended representation, serve much more strongly to impress the mind with the historical reality of the events portrayed, though, in many cases, they lack the devotional spirit and the superb color so often characteristic of the early masterpieces.