All that is not useful in a picture is detrimental. A work of art must be harmonious in its entirety; for superfluous details would, in the mind of the beholder, encroach upon the essential elements.
Henri Matisse, John M. Jacobus (1973). “Henri Matisse”, Harry N Abrams Inc
![All that is not useful in a picture is detrimental. A work of art must be harmonious in its entirety; for superfluous details would, in the mind of the beholder, encroach upon the essential elements.](http://cdn.quoteddaily.com/images/henri-matisse/all-that-is-not-useful-in-a-picture-is-detrimental-a-work-of-art-must-be-harmonious-in-its-entirety.jpg)