answer to the previous post on art for art's sake

stupid me.
if art's function was to convey political messages, like that in realism, of course the artists would embrace the idea of showing themselves, and their attitude in their paintings. whereas in the case of impressionism, the function of art is to serve art itself, for it's own sake. therefore, artists were naturally out of the spotlight and should be hid from the viewer, leaving the viewer to the art and art only.

and interesting: limelight really started off as a flame burning in a cylinder of lime (CaO) with the light focused with a lens.