Painting not the thing, but its effect. – Art quote by Stéphane Mallarmé
I think what Stéphane Mallarmé was trying to get across here is that art is meant to have an effect on its audience. Sure, you can paint a beautiful mountain scene, but are you just painting a beautiful mountain scene, or are you painting the effect the beautiful mountain scene has on you?
Leesa Maree Brock says
Painting is an experience the painter will never not be in a painting, interpretation is subjective.