A portrait, to be a work of art, neither must nor may resemble the sitter... one must paint its atmosphere.
Interpretation
A true work of art captures the essence and atmosphere rather than just the physical appearance of the subject.
Umberto Boccioni emphasizes that in creating a portrait, the focus should not merely be on replicating the physical likeness of the subject, but instead on capturing the atmosphere and emotional context surrounding the subject. This perspective encourages artists to delve deeper into the essence of a person, portraying their character and the emotions that define them, rather than just their external features.
In practice
In an art critique, I would use this quote to highlight the importance of emotional depth in artistic expression.
The film medium is some sort of magic. I think also it's a magic that every frame comes and stands still for a fraction of a second and then it darkens. A half part of the time when you see a picture you sit in complete darkness. Isn't that fascinating? That is magic.
Art is the close scrutiny of reality and therefore I put on the stage only those things that I know happen in our society.
My only problem with fans is when they turn pro. For example, when all the professional writers were fired by DC in the '60s, they brought in a generation of comic book fans who would have paid to have written these stories.
Poetry is that art which selects and arranges the symbols of thought in such a manner as to excite the imagination the most powerfully and delightfully.
It's still magic even if you know how it's done.
If you've been fortunate enough to do a film that appeals to the entire family, that's the audience that's probably going to come back to you in something else.
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