the Out-lines of the Fables 'T is true the Design must of it self be good if it be vicious or in one word unpleasing the cost of Colouring is thrown away upon it 'T is an ugly woman in a rich Habit set out with Jewels nothing can become her but granting the Design to be moderately good 't is like an excellent Complexion with indifferent Features the white and red well mingled on the Face make what was before but passable appear beautifull Operum Colores is the very word which Horace uses to signify Words and elegant Expressions of which he himself was so great a Master in his Odes Amongst the Ancients Zeuxis was most famous for his Colouring Amongst the Moderns Titian and Correggio Of the two Ancient Epique Poets who have so far excell'd all the Moderns the Invention and Design were the particular Talents of Homer Virgil must yield to him in both for the Design of the Latine was borrowed from the Grecian But the dictio Virgiliana the expression of Virgil his Colouring was incomparably the better and in that I have always endeavour'd to copy him Most of the Pedants I know maintain the contrary and will have Homer excell even in this part But of all people as they are the most ill manner'd so they are the worst Judges even of words which are their Province they seldom know more than the Grammatical construction unless they are born with a Poetical Genius which is a rare Portion amongst them Yet some I know may stand excepted and such I honour Virgil is so exact in every word that none can be chang'd but for a worse nor any one remov'd from its place but the harmony will be alter'd He pretends sometimes to trip but 't is onely to make you think him in danger of a fall when he is most secure Like a skilfull dancer on the Ropes if you will pardon the meanness of the similitude who slips willingly and makes a seeming stumble that you may think him in great hazard of breaking his neck while at the same time he is onely giving you a proof of his dexterity My late Lord Roscomon was often pleas'd with this reflection and with the examples of it in this admirable Author I have not leisure to run through the whole Comparison of Lights and Shadows with Tropes and Figures yet I cannot but take notice of Metaphors which like them have power to lessen or greaten any thing Strong and glowing Colours are the just resemblances of bold Metaphors but both must be judiciously apply'd for there is a difference betwixt daring and fool-hardiness Lucan and Statius often ventur'd them too far our Virgil never But the great defect of the Pharsalia and the Thebais was in the Design if that had been more perfect we might have forgiven many of their bold strokes in the Colouring or at least excus'd them yet some of them are such as Demosthenes or Cicero could not have defended Virgil if he could have seen the first Verses of the Sylvae would have thought Statius mad in his sustian Description of the Statue on the brazen Horse But that Poet was always in a Foam at his setting out even before the Motion of the Race had warm'd him The soberness of Virgil whom he read it seems to little purpose might have shown him the difference betwixt Arma virumque cano and Magnanimum AEacidem formidatamque tonanti Progeniem But Virgil knew how to rise by degrees in his expressions Statius was in his towring heights at the first stretch of his Pinions The description of his running Horse just starting in the Funeral Games for Archemorus though the Verses are wonderfully fine are the true Image of their Author Stare adeo nescit pereunt vestigia mille Ante fugam absentemque ferit gravis ungula campum Which would cost me an hour if I had the leisure to translate them there is so much of Beauty in the Original Virgil as he better knew his Colours so he knew better how and where to place them In as much hast as I am I cannot forbear giving one example 'T is said of him That he read the Second Fourth and Sixth Books of his Aeneids to Augustus Caesar. In the Sixth which we are sure he read because we know Octavia was present who rewarded him so bountifully for the twenty Verses which were made in honour of her deceas'd Son Marcellus in this sixth Book I say the Poet speaking of Misenus the Trumpeter says Quo non praestantior alter Aere ciere viros And broke off in the Hemystick or midst of the Verse but in the very reading siez'd as it were with a divine Fury he made up the latter part of the Hemystick with these following words Martemque accendere cantu How warm nay how glowing a Colouring is this In the beginning of the Verse the word Aes or Brass was taken for a Trumpet because the Instument was made of that Metal which of it self was fine but in the latter end which was made ex tempore you see three Metaphors Martemque accendere cantu Good Heavens how the plain sence is rais'd by the Beauty of the words But this was Happiness the former might be only Judgment this was the curiosa felicitas which Petronius attributes to Horace 't is the Pencil thrown luckily full upon the Horses mouth to express the Foam which the Painter with all his skill could not perform without it These hits of words a true Poet often finds as I may say without seeking but he knows their value when he finds them and is infinitely pleas'd A bad Poet may sometimes light on them but he discerns not a Diamond from a Bristol â—â—stone and would have been of the Cocks mind in Aesop a Grain of Barley would have pleas'd him better than the Iewel The Lights and Shadows which belongs to Colouring put me in mind of that Verse in Horace Hoc amat obscurum vult hoc sub luce videri some parts of a Poem require to be amply written and with all the force and elegance of Words others must be cast into Shadows that is pass'd over in silence or but faintly touch'd This belongs wholly to the Judgment of the Poet and the Painter The most beautifull parts of the Picture and the Poem must be the most finish'd the Colours and Words most chosen many things in both which are not deserving of this care must be shifted off content with vulgar expressions and those very short and left as in a shadow to the imagination of the Reader We have the Proverb manum de tabulâ from the Painters which signifies to know when to give over and to lay by the Pencil Both Homer and Virgil practis'd this Precept wonderfully well but Virgil the better of the two Homer knew that when Hector was slain Troy was as good as already taken therefore he concludes his Action there For what follows in the Funerals of Patroclus and the redemption of Hector's Body is
which are comprehended under the name of the belle lettere In my opinion the Books which are of the most advantage to those of the Profession are these which follow The Bible The History of Iosephus The Roman History of Coeffeteau for those who understand the French and that of Titus Livius translated by Vigenere with the Notes which are both curious and profitable They are in two Volumes Homer whom Pliny calls the Fountain-head of Invention and noble thoughts Virgil and in him particularly his Aeneids The Ecclesiastical History of Godeau or the Abridgement of Baronius Ovid's Metamorphoses translated into French by Du Rier and in English by Sandys The Pictures of Philostratus Plutarch's Lives translated from the Greek by several hands in 5 Volumes Pausanias though I doubt whether that Author be translated He is wonderfull for giving of great Ideas and chiefly for such as are to be plac'd at a distance or cast behind and for the combining of Figures This Author in conjunction with Homer make a good mingle of what is pleasing and what is perfect The Religion of the Ancient Romans by Du Choul and in English Godwin's Roman Antiquities Trajan's Pillar with the discourse which explains the Figures on it and instructs a Painter in those things with which he is undispensibly to be acquainted This is one of the most principal and most learned Books which we have for the Modes the Customs the Arms and the Religion of the Romans Iulio Romano made his chief studies on the Marble it self The Books of Medals The Bass-Reliefs of Perrier and others with their Explanations at the bottom of the Pages which give a perfect understanding of them Horace's Art of Poetry by the Earl of Roscomon because of the relation which there is betwixt the Rules of Poetry and those of Painting And other Books of the like Nature the reading of which are profitable to warm the Imagination such as in English are Spencer's Fairy Queen The Paradise lost of Milton Tasso translated by Fairfax and the History of Polybius by Sir Henry Shere Some Romances also are very capable of entertaining the Genius and of strengthening it by the noble Ideas which they give of things but there is this danger in them that they almost always corrupt the truth of History There are also other Books which a Painter may use upon some particular occasions and onely when he wants them Such are The Mythology of the Gods The Images of the Gods The Iconology The Tables of Hyginus The practical Perspective And some others not here mention'd Thus it is necessary that they who are desirous of a name in Painting should read at leisure times these Books with diligence and make their observations of such things as they find for their purpose in them and of which they believe they may sometime or other have occasion let the Imagination be employ'd in this reading and let them make Sketches and light Touches of those Ideas which that reading forms in their Imagination Quinctilian Tacitus or whoever was the Author of that Dialogue which is call'd in Latine De causis corrupâ—â—ae eloquentiae says That Painting resembles Fiâ—â—e which is â—â—ed by the Fuel inflam'd by Motion and gaâ—â—hers strength by burning For the power of the Genius is onely augmented by the abundance of matter to supply it and 't is impossible to make a great and magnificent work if that matter be wanting or not dispos'd rightly And therefore a Painter who has a Genius gets nothing by long thinking and taking all imaginable care to make a noble Composition if he be not assisted by those studies which I have mention'd All that he can gain by it is onely to weary his Imagination and to travel over many vast Countries without dwelling on any one thing which can give him satisfaction All the Books which I have named may be serviceable to all sorts of Persons as well as to Painters As for those Books which were of particular use to them they were unfortunately lost in those Ages which were before the Invention of Printing Neglecting the Copyers probably out of ignorance to transcribe them as not finding themselves capable of making the demonstrative Figures In the mean time 't is evidently known by the reltaion of Authors that we have lost fifty Volumes of them at the least See Pliny in his 35th Book and Franc. Iunius in his 3d. Chapter of the 2d Book of the Painting of the Ancients Many Moderns have written of it with small success taking a large compass without coming directly to the point and talking much without saying any thing yet some of them have acquitted themselves successfully enough Amongst others Leonardo da Vinci though without method Paulo Lomazzo whose Book is good for the greatest part but whose discourse is too diffusive and very tiresome Iohn Baptist Armenini Franciscus Iunius Monsieur de Cambray to whose Preface I rather invite you than to his Book we are not to forget what Monsieur Felebien has written of the Picture of Alexander by the hand of Monsieur Le Brun besides that the work it self is very eloquent the Foundations which he establishes for the making of a good Picture are wonderfully solid Thus I have given you very near the Library of a Painter and a Catalogue of such Books as he ought either to read himself or have read to him at least if he will not satisfie himself with possessing Painting as the most sordid of all Trades and not as the noblest of all Arts. 'T is the business of a Painter in his choice of Postures c. See here the most important Precept of all those which relate to Painting It belongs properly to a Painter alone and all the rest are borrow'd either from Learning or from Physick or from the Mathematicks or in short from other Arts for it is sufficient to have a natural Wit and Learning to make that which we call in Painting a good Invention for the design we must have some insight into Anatomy to make Buildings and other things in Perspective we must have knowledge in the Mathematicks and other Arts will bring in their Quota's to furnish out the matter of a good Picture but for the Oeconomy or ordering of the whole together none but onely the Painter can understand it because the end of the Artist is pleasingly to deceive the Eyes which he can never accomplish if this part be wanting to him A Picture may make an ill effect though the Invention of it be truly understood the Design of it correct and the Colours of it the most beautifull and fine that can be employ'd in it And on the contrary we may behold other Pictures ill invented ill design'd and painted with the most common Colours which shall make a very good effect and which shall more pleasingly deceive Nothing pleases a man so much as order says Xenophon And Horace in his Art of Poetry Singula quaeque locum teneant
living They are undoubtedly his as being found among his Papers written in his own hand As for the Prose Translation which you will find on the other side of the Latine Poem I must inform you on what occasion and in what manner it was perform'd The Love which I had for Painting and the pleasure which I found in the Exercise of that noble Art at my leisure hours gave me the desire of being acquainted with the late Mr. du FRESNOY who was generally reputed to have a through knowledge of it Our Acquaintance at length proceeded to that degree of Intimacy that he intrusted me with his Poem which he believ'd me capable both of understanding and translating and accordingly desir'd me to undertake it The truth is that we had convers'd so often on that Subject and he had communicated his Thoughts of it so fully to me that I had not the least remaining difficulty concerning it I undertook therefore to translate it and imploy'd my self in it with Pleasure Care and Assiduity after which I put it into his hands and he alter'd in it what he pleas'd till at last it was wholly to his Mind And then he gave his Consent that it should be publish'd but his Death preventing that Design I thought it a wrong to his Memory to deprive Mankind any longer of this Translation which I may safely affirm to be done according to the true sence of the Author and to his liking Since he himself has given great Testimonies of his Approbation to many of his Friends and they who were acquainted with him know his humour to be such that he wou'd never constrain himself so far as to commend what he did not really approve I thought my self oblig'd to say thus much in vindication of the faithfulness of my Work to those who understand not the Latine for as to those who are conversant in both the tongues I leave them to make their own judgment of it The Remarks which I have added to his work are also wholly conformable to his opinions and I am certain that he wou'd not have disapprov'd them I have endeavour'd in them to explain some of the most obscure passages and those which are most necessary to be understood and I have done this according to the manner wherein he us'd to express himself in many Conversations which we had together I have conâ—â—in'd them also to the narrowest compass I was able that I might not tire the patience of the Reader and that they might be read by all persons But if it happens that they are not to the tast of some Readers as doubtless it will so fall out I leave them entirely to their own discretion and shall not be displeas'd that another hand shou'd succeed better I shall onely beg this favour from them that in reading what I have written they will bring no particular gusto along with them or any prevention of mind and that whatsoever judgment they make it may be purely their own whether it be in my favour or in my condemnation A TABLE of the Precepts Contain'd in this TREATISE OF what is Beautiful p. 7 Of Theory and Practice 8 Concerning the Subject 11 Invention the first part of Painting 12 The Disposition of the whole Work ib. The Faithfulness of the Subject ib. Whatsoever palls the Subject to be rejected 15 Design or Drawing the second part of Painting 16 Variety in the Figures 19 The Members and Drapery of every Figure to be suitable to it ib. The Actions of Mutes to be imitated ib. Of the principal Figure of the Subject ib. Grouppes of Figures 20 The Diversity of Postures in the Grouppes ib. Equality of the Piece ib. Of the number of Figures 23 Of the Ioints and Feet ib. The Motions of the Hands and Head must agree ib. What must be avoided in the distribution of the Figures ib. That we must not tie our selves to Nature but accommodate her to our Genius 24 Ancient Figures the Rules of imitating Nature 27 A single Figure how to be treated ib. Of the Draperies ib. What things contribute to adorn the Picture 31 Of precious Stones and Pearls for Ornament ib. The Model ib. The Scene of the Picture ib. The Graces and the Nobleness ib. Let every thing be set in its proper place ib. Of the Passions 32 Gothique Ornamens to be avoided ib. Colouring the third part of Painting 35 The Conduct of the Tones of Lights and Shadows 39 Of dark Bodies on light grounds 40 That there must not be two equal Lights in a Picture 43 Of White and Black 44 The Reflection of Colours 47 The Vnion of Colours ib. Of the Interposition of Air. ib. The relation of Distances 48 Of Bodies which are distanc'd ib. Of Bodies which are contiguous and of those which are seperated ib. Contrary extremities to be avoided ib. Diversity of Tones and Colours ib. The Choice of Light 51 Of certain things relating to the practical part ib. The Field or Ground of the Picture ib. Of the Vivacity of Colours 52 Of Shadows ib. The Picture to be of one Piece ib. The Looking-glass the Painters best Master ib. An half Figure or a whole one before others ib. A Portrait 55 The place of the Picture ib. Large Lights 56 What Lights are requisite ib. Things which are vicious in Painting to be avoided ib. The prudential part of a Painter ib. The Idea of a beautiful Piece 59 Advice to a young Painter ib. Art must be subservient to the Painter 60 Diversity and Facility are pleasing ib. The Original must be in the Head and the Copy on the Cloth ib. The Compass to be in the Eyes ib. Pride an Enemy to good Painting 63 Know your self ib. Practise perpetually 64 The Morning most proper for Work ib. Every day do something ib. The Passions which are true and naâ—â—ural ib. Of table-Table-Books 67 The method of Studies for a young â—â—ainter 71 Nature and Experience perfect Art 76 THE ART OF PAINTING DE ARTE GRAPHICA LIBER UT PICTURA POESIS ERIT similisque Poesi Sit Pictura refert par aemula quaeque sororem Alternantque vices nomina muta Poesis Dicitur haec Pictura loquens solet illa vocari Quod fuit auditu gratum cecinere Poetae Quod pulchrum aspectu Pictores pingere curant Quaeque Poetarum numeris indigna fuêre Non eadem Pictorum operam studiumque merentur Ambae quippe sacros ad Relligionis honores Sydereos superant ignes Aulamque Tonantis Ingressae Divûm aspectu alloquioque fruuntur Oraque magna Deûm dicta observata reportant Coelestemque suorum operum mortalibus ignem Inde peâ—â— hunc orbem studiis coêuntibus errant Carpentes quae digna sui revolutaque lustrant Tempora Quaerendis consortibus Argumentis Denique quaecumque in coelo terraque marique Longius in tempus durare ut pulchra merentur Nobilitate sua claroque insignia casu Dives ampla manet Pictores atque Poetas Materies inde alta
contains half a Face From the lower part of the Knee to the Anckle two Faces From the Anckle to the Sole of the Foot half a Face A Man when his Arms are stretch'd out is from the longest Finger of his Right hand to the longest of his left as broad as he is long From one side of the Breasts to the other two Faces The bone of the Arm call'd Humerus is the length of two Faces from the Shoulder to the Elbow From the end of the Elbow to the root of the little Finger the bone call'd Cubitus with part of the Hand contains two Faces From the box of the Shoulder-blade to the pit betwixt the Collar-bones one Face If you would be satisfy'd in the Measures of breadth from the extremity of one Finger to the other so that this breadth shou'd be equal to the length of the Body you must observe that the boxes of the Elbows with the Humerus and of the Humerus with the Shoulder-blade bear the proportion of half a Face when the Arms are Stretch'd out The Sole of the Foot is the sixth part of the Figure The Hand is the length of a Face The Thumb contains a Nose The inside of the Arm from the place where the Muscle disappears which makes the Breast call'd the Pectoral Muscle to the middle of the Arm four Noses From the middle of the Arm to the begining of the Hand five Noses The longest Toe is a Nose long The two utmost parts of the Teats and the pit betwixt the Collar-bones of a Woman make an equailateral triangle For the breadth of the Limbs no precise measures can be given because the measures themselves are changeable according to the quality of the persons and according to the movement of the Muscles If you wou'd know the Proportions more particularly you may see them in Paulo Lomazzo 't is good to read them once at least and to make Remarks on them every man according to his own judgment and according to the occasion which he has for them Though Perspective cannot be call'd a certain Rule c. That is to say purely of it self without prudence and discretion The greatest part of those who understand it desiring to practise it too regularly often make such things as shock the sight though they are within the Rules If all those great Painters who have left us such fair Platforms had rigorously observ'd it in their Figures they had not wholly found their account in it They had indeed made things more regularly true but withall very unpleasing There is great appearance that the Architects and Statuaries of former times have not found it to their purpose always nor have follow'd the Geometrical Part so exactly as Perspective ordains For He who wou'd imitate the Frontispiece of the Rotunda according to Perspective wou'd be grosly deceiv'd since the Columns which are at the extremities have more diameter than those which are in the middle The Cornish of the Palazzo Farnese which makes so beautifull an effect below when view'd more nearly will be found not to have its just measures In the Pillar of Trajan we see that the highest Figures are greater than those below and make an effect quite contrary to Perspective increasing according to the measure of their distance I know there is a Rule which teaches a way of making them in that manner and which though 't is to be found in some Books of Perspective yet notwithstanding is no rule of Perspective Because 't is never made use of but onely when we find it for our purpose for if for example the Figures which are at the top of Trajan's Pillar were but as great as those which are at the bottom they wou'd not be for all that against Perspective and thus we may say with more reason that it is a rule of Decorum in Perspective to ease the sight and to render objects more agreeable 'T is on this general observation that we may establish in Perspective the rules of Decorum or convenience whensoever occasion shall offer We may also see another Example in the base of the Farnesian Hercules which is not upon the level but on an easie declivity on the advanc'd part that the feet of the Figure may not be hidden from the sight to the end that it may appear more pleasing which the noble Authors of these things have done not in contempt of Geometry and Perspective but for the satisfaction of the Eyes which was the end they propos'd to themselves in all their works We must therefore understand Perspective as a Science which is absolutely necessary and which a Painter must not want Yet without Subjecting our selves so wholly to it as to become slaves of it We are to follow it when it leads us in a pleasing way and that it shows us pleasing things but for some time to forsake it if it lead us through mire or to a precipice Endeavour after that which is aiding to your Art and convenient but avoid whatsoever is repugnant to it as the 59th rule teaches Let every Member be made for its own Head c. That is to say you ought not to set the Head of a Young man on the Body of an Old one nor make a white Hand for a wither'd Body Not to habit a Hercules in Taffeta nor an Apollo in course stuff Queens and persons of the first quality whom you wou'd make appear Majestical are not to be too negligently dress'd or indishabile no more than Old men The Nymphs are not to be overcharg'd with drapery in fine let all that which accompanies your Figures make them Known for what effectively they are Let the Figures to which Art cannot give a Voice imitate the Mutes in their Actions c. Mutes having no other way of speaking or expressing their thoughts but onely by their gestures and their actions 't is certain that they do it in a manner more expressive than those who have the use of Speech for which reason the Picture which is mute ought to imitate them so as to make it self understood Let the principal Figure of the Subject c. 'T is one of the greatest blemishes of a Picture not to give knowledge at the first Sight of the Subject which it represents And truly nothing is more perplexing than to extinguish as it were the principal Figure by the opposition of some others which present themselves to us at the first view and which carry a greater lustre An Orator who had undertaken to make a Panegyrick on Alexander the Great and who had emply'd the strongest Figures of his Rhetorique in the praise of Bucephalus would do quite the contrary to that which was expected from him Because it would be believ'd that he rather took the Horse for his Subject than the Master A Painter is like an Orator in this He must dispose his matter in such sort that all things may give place to his principal Subject And if the other Figures
are so far from giving us this Facility that on the contrary they puzzle and perplex the Mind and tie the hand are generally such people who have pass'd half their lives in an ill practice of Painting the habit of which is grown so inveterate in them that to change it by the Rules is to take as it were their Pencils out of their hands and to put them out of condition of doing any thing in the same manner as we make a Country-man dumb whom we will not allow to speak but by the Rules of Grammar Observe if you please that the Facility and Diligence of which I spoke consists not in that which we call bold strokes and a free handling of the Pencil if it makes not a great effect at a distance That sort of Freedom belongs rather to a Writing-Master than a Painter I say yet further that 't is almost impossible that things which are painted should appear true and natural where we observe these sorts of bold strokes And all those who have come nearest to nature have never us'd that manner of Painting those tender Hairs and those hatching strokes of the Pencil which make a kind of minced meat in Painting are very fine I must confess but they are never able to deceive the Sight Nor till you have present in your Mind a perfect Idea of your work c. If you will have pleasure in Painting you ought to have so well consider'd the oeconomy of your work that it may be entirely made and dispos'd in your head before it be begun upon the Cloath You must I say foresee the effect of the Grouppes the ground and the Lights and Shadows of every thing the Harmony of the Colours and the intelligence of all the Subject in such a manner that whatsoever you shall put upon the Cloth may be onely a Copy of what is in your Mind If you make use of this Conduct you will not be put to the trouble of so often changing and rechanging Let the Eye be satisfied in the first place even against and above all other Reasons c. This passage has a respect to some particular Licences which a Painter ought to take And as I despair not to treat this matter more at large I adjourn the Reader to the first opportunity which I can get for his farther satisfaction on this point to the best of my Ability but in general he may hold for certain that those Licences are good which contribute to deceive the Sight without corrupting the truth of the Subject on which the Painter is to work Profit your self by the Counsels of the knowing c. Parrhasius and Cliton thought themselves much oblig'd to Socrates for the knowledge which he gave them of the Passions See their Dialogue in Xenophon towards the end of the third Book of Memoirs They who the most willingly bear reproof says Pliny the Younger are the very men in whom we find more to commend than in other people Lysippus was extremely pleas'd when Apelles told him his opinion and Apelles as much when Lysippus told him his That which Praxiteles said of Nicias in Pliny shows the Soul of an accomplish'd and an humble man Praxiteles being ask'd which of all his Works he valued most Those says he which Nicias has retouch'd So much account he made of his Criticisms and his opinions You know the common practice of Apelles when he had finish'd any work he expos'd it to the Sight of all Passengers and conceal'd himself to hear the Censure of his faults with the Prospect of making his advantage of the Informations which unknowingly they gave him Being sensible that the people would examine his works more rigorously than himself and would not forgive the least mistake The Opinions and Counsels of many together are always preferable to the advice of one single person And Cicero wonders that any are besotted on their own Productions and say to one another Very good if your works please you mine are not unpleasing to me In effect there are many who through Presumption or out of Shame to be reprehended never let their works be seen But there is nothing can be of worse consequence for the disease is nourish'd and increases says Virgil while it is conceal'd There are none but Fools says Horace who out of Shamefac'dness hide their Ulcers which if shown might easily be heal'd Stultorum incurata malus pudor ulcera celat There are others who have not altogether so much of this foolish Bashfulness and who ask every ones opinion with Prayers and Earnestness but if you freely and ingenuously give them notice of their Faults they never fail to make some pitifull excuse for them or which is worse they take in ill part the Service which you thought you did them which they but seemingly desir'd of you and out of an establish'd Custom amongst the greatest part of Painters If you desire to get your self any honour and acquire a Reputation by your works there is no surer way than to show them to persons of good Sense and chiefly to those who are Criticks in the Art and to take their Counsel with the same Mildness and the same Sincerity as you desir'd them to give it you You must also be industrious to discover the opinion of your Enemies which is commonly the truest for you may be assur'd that they will give you no quarter and allow nothing to complaisance But if you have no knowing Friend c. Quinctilian gives the reason of this when he says That the best means to correct our faults is doubtless this To remove our designs out of Sight for some space of time and not to look upon our Pictures to the end that after this interval we may look on them as it were with other Eyes and as a new work which was of another hand and not our own Our own Productions do but too much flatter us they are always too pleasing and 't is impossible not to be fond of them at the moment of their Conception They are Children of a tender age which are not capable of drawing our Hatred on them 'T is said That Apes as soon as they have brought their Young into the World keep their Eyes continually fasten'd on them and are never weary of admiring their Beauty so amorous is Nature of whatsoever she produces To the end that he may cultivate those Talents which make his Genius c. Qui sua metitur pondera ferre potest That we may undertake nothing beyond our forces we must endeavour to know them On this Prudence our reputation depends Cicero calls it a good Grace because it makes a man seen in his greatest Lustre 'T is says he a becoming Grace which we shall easily make appear if we are carefull to cultivate that which Nature has given us in propriety and made our own provided it be no Vice or Imperfection we ought to undertake nothing
which is repugnant to Nature in general and when we have paid her this duty we are bound so religiously to follow our own Nature that though many things which are more serious and more important present themselves to us yet we are always to conform our Studies and our Exercises to our natural Inclinations It avails nothing to dispute against Nature and think to obtain what she refuses for then we eternally follow what we can never reach for as the Proverb says There is nothing can please nothing can be gracefull which we enterprize in spight of Minerva that is to say in spight of Nature When we have consider'd all these things attentively it will then be necessary that every man should regard that in particular which Nature has made his portion and that he should cultivate it with care 't is not his business to give himself the trouble of trying whether it will become him to put on the Nature of another man or as one would say to act the person of another there is nothing which can more become us than what is properly the Gift of Nature Let every one therefore endeavour to understand his own Talent and without flattering himself let him make a true judgment of his own Vertues and his own Defects and Vices that he may not appear to have less judgment than the Comedians who do not always chuse the best Plays but those which are best for them that is those which are most in the compass of their acting Thus we are to fix on those things for which we have the strongest Inclination And if it sometimes happen that we are forc'd by necessity to apply our selves to such other things to which we are no ways inclin'd we must bring it so about by our Care and Industry that if we perform them not very well at least we may not do them so very ill as to be sham'd by them we are not so much to strain our selves to make those Vertues appear in us which really we have not as to avoid those Imperfections which may dishonour us These are the Thoughts and the Words of Cicero which I have translated retrenching onely such things as were of no concernment to my Subject I was not of opinion to add any thing and the Reader I doubt not will find his satisfaction in them While you meditate on these Truths and observe them diligently c. There is a great Connexion betwixt this Precept and that other which tells you That you are to pass no day without drawing a line 'T is impossible to become an able Artist without making your Art habitual to you and 't is impossible to gain an exact Habitude without an infinite number of Acts and without perpetual Practice In all Arts the Rules of them are learn'd in little time but the perfection is not acquir'd without a long Practice and a severe Diligence We never saw that Laziness produc'd any thing which was excellent says Maximus Tyrius and Quinctilian tells us That the Arts draw their beginning from Nature the want we often have of them causes us to search the means of becoming able in them and exercise makes us entirely Masters of them The morning is the best and most proper part of the day c. Because then the Imagination is not clouded with the Vapours of Meat nor distracted by Visits which are not usually made in the morning And the Mind by the Sleep of the foregoing Night is refresh'd and recreated from the Toyls of former Studies Malherbe says well to this purpose Le plus beau de nos jours est dans leur matinee The sprightly Morn is the best part of Day Let no day pass over you without drawing a line c. That is to say without working without giving some strokes of the Pencil or the Crayon This was the Precept of Apelles and 't is of so much the more necessity because Painting is an Art of much length and time and is not to be learn'd without great Practice Michael Angelo at the Age of fourscore years said That he learn'd something every day Be ready to put into your Table-book c. As it was the custom of Titian and the Carraches there are yet remaining in the hands of some who are curious in Painting many thoughts and observations which those great Men have made on Paper and in their table-Table-books which they carry'd continually about them Wine and good Cheer are no great Friends to Painting they serve onely to recreate the Mind when it is oppress'd and spent with Labour c. During the time says Pliny that Protogenes was drawing the Picture of Jalysus which was the best of all his Works he took no other nourishment than Lupines mix'd with a little water which serv'd him both for Meat and Drink for fear of clogging his Imagination by the Luxury of his Food Michael Angelo while he was drawing his day of Judgment fed onely on Bread and Wine at Dinner And Vasari observes in his life that he was so sober that he slept but little and that he often rose in the Night to work as being not disturb'd by the Vapours of his thin Repasts But delights in the liberty which belongs to the Batchelors Estate c. We never see large and beautifull and well-tasted Fruits proceeding from a Tree which is incompass'd round and choak'd with Thorns and Bryars Marriage draws a world of business on our hands subjects us to Law-suits and loads us with multitudes of domestick Cares which are as so many Thorns that encompass a Painter and hinder him from producing his works in that perfection of which otherwise he is capable Raphael Michael Angelo and Hannibal Carracci were never marry'd and amongst the Ancient Painters we find none recorded for being marry'd but onely Apelles to whom Alexander the Great made a present of his own Mistress Campaspe which yet I would have understood without offence to the Institution of Marriage for that calls down many Blessings upon Families by the Carefulness of a vertuous Wife If Marriage be in general a remedy against Concupiscence 't is doubly so in respect of Painters who are more frequently under the occasions of Sin than other Men because they are under a frequent necessity to seeing Nature bare-fac'd Let every one examine his own strength upon this point but let him preferr the interest of his Soul to that of his Art and of his Fortune Painting naturally withdraws from noise and tumult c. I have said at the end of the first Remark that both Poetry and Painting were upheld by the strength of Imagination Now there is nothing which warms it more than Repose and Solitude Because in that estate the Mind being freed from all sorts of business and in a kind of Sanctuary undisturb'd by vexatious Visits is more capable of forming noble Thoughts and of Application to its Studies Carmina secessum scribentis otia quaerunt
Giacomo 275 Pussino Gasparo 335 Nicolò 328 Q. Quintin Matsys 278 R. Rafaelle da Vrbino 270 Ricciarelli Daniele 288 Riley John 247 Rotenhamer 312 Rosso 280 Rubens 317 S. Sacchi Andrea 336 Salvator Rosa. 341 Salviati Francesco 288 Gioseppe 301 Sarto Andrea del 270 Schiavone Andrea 296 Sebastian Bourdon 345 Sebastiano del Piombo 272 Singnorelli Luca. 259 Simone Memmi 255 Sisto Badalocchi 324 Snyders 321 Spagnoletto Ribera 323 Sprangher 303 T. Taddeo Zucchero 298 Taffi Andera 255 Tempesta Antonio 305 Testa Pietro 329 Tintoretta Marietta 293 Tintoretto Domenico ib. Giacomo 292 Titiano 267 V. Van Dyck. 330 Vanni Francesco 312 Vasari Giorgio 294 Vdine Giovanni da. 276 Vecellio Francesco 269 Oratio ib. Veronese Paolo 299 Verrocchio Andrea 259 Vinci Leonardo da. 260 Viola 317 Viviano 333 Volterra Daniele da. 288 Vouet Simon 324 Z. Zampieri Domenico 321 Zucchero Frederico 302 Taddeo 298 ERRATA Page Line Instead of Read vij 21 Bambovio Bamboccio 17 7 liberataque librataque 21 Marg positurorum positurarum 41 18 transluent translucent 98 17 51st rule 60th Rule 110 21 Neglecting the Copiers The Copiers neglecting ib. 25 reltaion relation 120 14 43d Precept 13th Precept 128 19 indishabile en dishabillee 136 11 4th Precept 41st Precept 161 2 it comprehends comprehends 219 12 his Brothers his Sons 221 21 gentleness gentileness 237 14 great general 254 12 Benedict IX Benedict XI 325 15 Richlieu Richelieu 329 5 Primum Praeceptum De Pulchro Praeceptum De Speculatione Praxi Praeceptum De Argumento INVENTIO prima Picturae pars Dispositio sive operis totius Oeconomia Fidelitas Argumenti Inane rejiciâ—â—ndum GRAPHIS seu Positura Secunda Picturae pars Varietas in Figuris Figura situna cum Membris Vestibus Mutorum actiones imitandae Figura Princâ—â—ps Figurarum Globiseu Cumuli Positurorum diâ—â—ersitas in cumulis Tabulaelibramentum Numerus Figurarum Internodia Pedes exhibendi Motusmanuum motui capitis jungendus Quaefugienda in Distributione Compositione NaturaGenlo accommodanda Signa Antiqua Naturae modum constituunt Sola Figura quomodotractanda Quid in Pannis observandum Quid multuâ—â— conferat adâ—â— abulae ornamentum Ornamentum Auri Gemmarum Prototypus Convenientia rerum cum Scena Charites Nobilitas Res quaeque locum suum teneat Affectus Gotthorum ornamenta fugienda CHROMATICE Tertia pars Picturae Tonorum Luminum Umbrarum ratio Corpora densa opaca cum translucentibus Non duo ex Coelo Lumina in Tabulam aequalia Album Nâ—â—grum Colorum reflectio Unio Colorum Aer interpositus Distantiarum Relatio Corpora procul distantia Contigua Dissita Contraria extrema fugienda Tonus Color varii Luminis delectus Quaedam circa Praxim Campus Tabulae Color vividus non tamen pallidus Umbra Ex una Patella sit Tabula Speculum Pictorum Magister Dimidia Figura vel integra ante alias Eâ—â—igies Locus Tabulae Lumina lata Quantitas Luminis loci in quo Tabula est exponenda Errores vitia Picturae Prudentia in Pictore Elegantium Idaea Tabularum Pictor Tyro Ars debet servire Pictori non Pictor Arti. Oculosrecreant diversitas Operis facilitas quae speciatim Ars dicitur Archetypus in mente Apographum in tela Circinusin oculis Superbia pictori nocet plurimúm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod mentâ—â— conceperis manu comproba Matutinum tempus Labori aptum Singulis diebus aliquid faciendum Affectus inobservati naturales Non desint â—â—ugillares Ordo Studiorum Natura Experientia Artem perficiunt The Passages which you see mark'd with an Asterism * are more amply explain'd in the Remarks Precept I. Of what is Beautifull Of Theory and Practice Concerning the Subject Invention the first part of Painting The Disposition or Oeconomy of the whole Work The faithfulness of the Subject Whatsoever palls the Subject to be rejected Design the second part of Painting Variety in the Figures The Memberâ—â—s and Drapery of every Figure to be suitable to it The Actions of Mutes to be imitated Of the principal Figure of the Subject Grouppes of Figures The diversity of postures in the Grouppes Equality of the piece Of the number of Figures Of the Joints and Feet The motions of the hands and head must agree What must be avoided in the distribution of the Figures That we must not tie our selves to Nature but accommodate her to our Genius Ancient Figures the rules of imitating Nature A single Figure how to be treated Of the Draperies What things contribute to adorn the Picture Of precious Stones and Pearls for ornament The Model The Scene of the Picture The Graces and the Nobleness Let every thing be set in its proper place Of the Passions Gothique Ornaments are to be avoided Colouring the third part of Painting 〈…〉 Of dark Bodies on light grounds 〈…〉 Of White and Black The reflection of Colours 〈…〉 Of the Interposition of Air. The relation of Distances Of Bodies which are distanced Of Bodies which are contiguous and of those which are separated Contrary extremities to be avoided Diversity of Tones and Colours The choice of Light Of certain things relating to the practical part The field or ground of the Picture Of the viâ—â—city of Colours Of Shadows The Picture to be of one piece The Looking-glass the Painter's best Master An half figure or a whole one before others A Portraict The place of the Picture Large Lights What Lights are requisite Things which are vicious in painting to be avoided The prudential part of a Painter The Idea of a beautifull piece Advice to a young Painter Art must be subservient to the Painter Diversity and facility are pleasing The Original must be in the Head and the Copy on the Cloth The Compass to be in the Eyes Pride an Enemy to good Painting Know your self Perpetually practise and do easily what you have conceiv'd The Morning most proper for work Every day do something The Passions which are true and natural Of table-Table-books The method of Studies for a young Painter Nature and Experience perfect Art ¶ 1. The Number at the head of every Observation serves to find in the Text the particular Passage on which the Observation was made ¶ 9. ¶ 24. * * Mr. Le Brun. * * Mr. Colbert ¶ 37. ¶ 39. ¶ 40. ¶ 45. ¶ 50. ¶ 52. ¶ 54. Pliny 35. 10. 10. 3. ¶ 61. Declam 19. * * Lib. 2. Sat. 7. ††Lib. 10. Ep. 22. ¶ 63. ¶ 66. ¶ 69. ¶ 72. De Opt. Gen. Orat. ¶ 74. ¶ 75. ¶ 76. * * Tableaux * * That is to the Eye by Diagrams and skeâ—â—ches c. ¶ 77. In Oeconomico Comm. vetus ¶ 81. Art of Poâ—â—try ¶ 83. ¶ 87. ¶ 89. ¶ 92. Pro lege Man ¶ 95. ¶ 102. ¶ 103. ¶ 104. ¶ 104. ¶ 105. ¶ 107. ¶ 112. ¶ 113. ¶ 114. This depends on the Age Quality of the persons The Apollo and Venus of Medices have more than ten Faces * * The Appolo has a Nose more * * The Apollo has half a Nose more and the upper half of the Venus de Medâ—â—ces is to the lower part of the Belly and not â—â—o the Privy parts ¶ 117. ¶ 126. ¶ 128. ¶ 129. ¶ 132. ¶ 137. ¶ 145. ¶ 152. ¶ 162. ¶ 164. ¶ 169. ¶ 176. ¶ 178. ¶ 188. ¶ 193. ¶ 195. ¶ 196. ¶ 202. ¶ 204. ¶ 210. ¶ 211. * * Polydorus Athenodorus and Agesander all Rhodians ¶ 215. ¶ 217. Lib. 2. Paedag. cap. 12. Plutarch ¶ 220. * * A Figure made of wood or cork turning upon joints ¶ 221. Lâ—â— 25. 12. ¶ 222. ¶ 233. ¶ 247. ¶ 256. ¶ 263. ¶ 267. ¶ 280. ¶ 283. ¶ 286. ¶ 290. ¶ 329. ¶ 330. ¶ 332. ¶ 355. ¶ 361. ¶ 365. ¶ 378. ¶ 382. ¶ 383. ¶ 385. ¶ 386. ¶ 387. ¶ 393. ¶ 403. ¶ 403. ¶ 417. ¶ 422. ¶ 433. ¶ 434. ¶ 435. ¶ 442. ¶ 443. ¶ 445. 8. 20. 5. 8. Tuscul. lib. 5. Georg. 3. 1. 5. Ep. 16. ¶ 449. ¶ 458. Offic. B. 1. 1 Off. ¶ 464. Diss. 34. ¶ 466. ¶ 468. ¶ 473. ¶ 475. ¶ 478. ¶ 480. ¶ 484. 1500. l. Petron. Ar biter ¶ 487. ¶ 496. Veget. de re Milit. lib. 2. Lib. 1. de fin ¶ 500. ¶ 509. ¶ 509. ¶ 510. ¶ 511. ¶ 514. ¶ 520. ¶ 522. ¶ 541. ¶ 544. An. Mun. 2730. An. Mun. 3198. 3502. 3506. An. Mun. 3518. An. Mun. 3530. 3546. An. Mun. 3553. An. Mun. 3586. An. Mun. 3594. 3618. An. Mun. 3626. An. Mun. 3647. 3698. An. Mun. 3780. 3797. 3901. An. Mun. 3907. An. Dom. 69. An. Dom. 580. 1240. Aet 60. 1276. Aet 60. 1285. Aet 60. 1300. Aet 50. 1324. Aet 32. 1370. Aet 71. 1417. Aet 26. 1421. Aet 80. 1431. Aet 86. 1432. Aet 56. 1439. Aet 82. 1441. Aet 80. 1445. Aet 75. 1446. Aet 78. 1449. Aet 44. 1450. Aet 76. 1469. Aet 48. 1470. Aet 58. 1472. Aet 40. 1474. Aet 90. 1477. Aet 34. 1477. Aet 99. 1478. Aet 42. 1483. Aet 37. 1484. Aet 56. 1485. Aet 62. 1487. Aet 72. 1492. Aet 54. 1493. Aet 63. 1494. Aet 70. 1494. Aet 39. 1495. Aet 48. 1496. Aet 45. 1498. Aet 80. 1498. Aet 56. 1500. Aet 47. 1504. Aet 36. 1508. Aet 48. 1509. Aet 57. 1510. Aet 53. 1510. Aet 82. 1512. Aet 82. 1514. Aet 64. 1519. Aet 56. 1522. Aet 84. 1522. Aet 60. 1528. Aet 84. 1529. Aet 37. 1532. Aet 56. 1535. Aet 50. 1543. Aet 66. 1544. Aet 84. 1546 Aet 56. 1550. Aet 34. 1554. Aet 72. 1555. Aet 64. 1557. Aet 45. 1560. Aet 49. 1560. Aet 80. 1564. Aet 40. 1568. Aet 47. 1569. Aet 40. 1569. Aet 56. 1574. Aet 36. 1575. Aet 67. 1576. Aet 46. 1577. Aet 63. 1578. Aet 82. 1579. 1581. Aet 60. 1581. Aet 66. 1582. Aet 59. 1584. Aet 60. 1590. Aet 77. 1590. Aet 76. 1594. Aet 71. 1599. Aet 42. 1599. Aet 75. 1599. Aet 73. 1600. Aet 60. 1600. Aet 82. 1600. Aet 63. 1607. Aet 67. 1608. Aet 30. 1609. Aet 63. 1610. Aet 37. 1610. Aet 60. 1614. Aet 59. 1617. Aet 63. 1619. Aet 54. 1626. Aet 68. 1646. Aet 45.