Abstract: In art criticism, a description must conjure the image so that a reader can see the painting. Thus, the young Huysmans adopts two opposing strategies: a meticulous description that lists all the details of the canvas individually but falls short of conveying the work in full, as it is pulverized into a multitude of fragments; or a brief description, a few skillfully chosen words, simulating a glance at the painting and showing the work as a whole, as it is presented to the eye.
