Page:The museum, (Jackson, Marget Talbot, 1917).djvu/52

32 in the case. If, on the other hand, the objects are small and are placed in an ordinary desk case, the visitor in bending over the case finds his own image looking up at him from the glass, and it is only by a great effort that it is possible to see the objects on exhibition. Glass cases in general should be placed so that in looking at the objects the visitor should stand at right angles with the source of light. If the visitor is required to face the light, reflection takes place. If, on the other hand, the visitor's back is toward the light his own shadow obscures the objects.

The most difficult question to solve in an art museum is the light for sculpture. The consensus of opinion seems to be in favor of side-light. Let us consider some of the purposes for which sculpture is made. We have representation of religious personages; the decoration of gardens, including decorative monuments; grave sculptures; and portraits. In the first place let us consider what light there would be in a Greek or Roman temple. As we know, there were never any windows. All the light that entered came either from the great front door or, in some Roman structures, from a small aperture in the roof placed in the middle of the building and considerably in front of where the statue of the god would stand. In this way the top-light became in a measure