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Originally Posted by Steven Sweeney
. . . it matters whether a work has been drawn from photographs is when it looks like it, and the artist doesn't realize it . . .
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An excellent, cogent point!
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Originally Posted by Steven Sweeney
One other issue, which is rarely spoken of, is that the habit, the dependence upon references can sometimes leave one adrift, as the musician who cannot play at all if he hasn't any sheet music to read . . .
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I suppose dependence on references could then be extended to include working from a model, depending on the artist's need? For example, although Degas drew inspiration from observing the productions of the Paris Ballet which he attended regularly for many decades, there's no record he ever sketched or worked during performances. He did, however, pose models in his studio and combined the results of multiple poses to compose many of his paintings.
Development of visual memory was an important facet of academic training in the 19th century. In the public's imagination, "done from memory" continues to be a major qualifier that elevates the perceived worth of a lot of mediocre work simply by dint of the process alone . . . and so does "done from the life".