Fitness to purpose, consistency in character, the agreement of all the elements in a work of art.

THE PRINCIPLE OF HARMONY

The trees, the house, and the sky are all in harmony, but the beauty of the picture is marred by the presence of the unrelated objects in the foreground.

Selection of Harmonious Elements

It is easy to remove the barrels and cans. This sketch shows that all the parts are consistent, or harmonious.

Certain shapes are shown to be inharmonious because they and no element of similarity or likeness; grouping of such shapes is often seen on a printed page, when bits of landscape are introduced for the sake of illustrating descriptive text.

Harmonious Shapes

Simple arrangements in enclosures which are not so unlike each other, which are consistent with the lines of the page, and

which leave a regular and unbroken space for the text are much more dignified and appropriate.

Harmonious Shapes

On the left, the mirror is out of harmony with the lines of the case. The carved ornaments in because they have nothing in common with the mirror or with the other lines of the case.

Harmonious Shapes

On the left, the parts are balanced as to the shape and value and there is a certain rhythmic relation between the leaves, the stem, and the petals of the flower; the lines of the rectangle and the lines of growth in tulip have so little in common so there is a

lack of harmony.

Harmonious Arrangement of Shapes

A panel of beautifully grained wood, if well proportioned and of good color, seldom needs additional ornament.

Here the addition of the carving seems to disturb the rhythm, and so the carving is not in harmony with the surface upon which it is placed.

Harmonious Combinations

If the wall is covered with realistic bunches of bright flowers, the result will be a number of sports upon a background which should be quiet and beautiful.

CONSISTENCY IN CHARACTER

For figure 58, it is a fine picture of an animal but we should remember that a realistic picture is not in harmony with the idea of a rug.

The bottom rug shows a design for a rug that is consistent in every way. The treatment of design is not realistic, the values which represent the colors used are not in too strong contrast, and the effect of the rug as a whole is quiet and flat.