THE MISE EN SCÈNE
“in front” begins to gaze at it, does this deception melt before its eyes, retreat into the background, disappear, turning into the truth and beauty of the spectacle. So that a coarsely painted piece of canvas looks like a wonderful landscape, tin-plate turns into gold, rough tow looks like a prophet’s beard, and carmine turns lips into such desirable objects, that for a kiss from these lovely lips heroes are ready to slaughter each other. As a piece of work, seen at close quarters, it is, no doubt, very rough and imperfect: and yet, when it is successful, the breath of illusion makes it live, and, when it is very successful, makes it live as a beautiful spectacle until the end, accompanying the spectator home, and even further.
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