Final answer:
The statement is not necessarily true; the clarity of negative shapes depends on various factors such as contrast, lighting, and context within a composition, rather than simply their classification as negative.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that negative shapes are less clear and harder to distinguish compared to positive shapes is not necessarily true. In art, positive shapes refer to the elements that are the focus of attention in a composition—the figures or objects that are seen as being 'in front.' Negative shapes, on the other hand, are the spaces that exist around and between the positive shapes. Sometimes negative shapes are just as distinctive or even more attention-grabbing than the positive shapes.
For example, in Velázquez's painting Las Meninas, the figures are considered positive shapes because they are dramatically lit and capture the viewer's attention. However, a dark figure in the doorway, set against a lighter background, can also become a positive shape, showing how context and contrast can influence our perception of positive and negative spaces. In sculpture, negative shapes could be the 'holes' or empty spaces that are part of the work itself, such as those found in the Laocoon.
Therefore, the clarity of a shape, be it positive or negative, is influenced by factors such as contrast, lighting, and context within the composition, not merely by its classification as positive or negative.