Most of our modern portrait painters are doomed to absolute oblivion. They never paint what they see. They paint what the public sees, and the public never sees anything.

Summary

This quote by Oscar Wilde criticizes contemporary portrait painters for prioritizing public expectation over true artistic expression. Wilde argues that these painters focus on depicting what the public wants to see rather than capturing the essence of their subjects. In doing so, they fail to create meaningful and enduring portraits. Wilde further asserts that the public, being oblivious to genuine artistry, lacks the ability to truly see and appreciate the deeper aspects of these paintings. Therefore, he laments that such painters are destined to fade into obscurity.

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