He knew that by this term was understood a mechanical facility for painting or drawing, entirely apart from its subject.

He had noticed often that even in actual praise technique was opposed to essential quality, as though one could paint well something that was bad.

He knew that a great deal of attention and care was necessary in taking off the coverings, to avoid injuring the creation itself, and to take off all the coverings; but there was no art of painting--no technique of any sort--about it.