Yale University Library

39002005183513

YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

De Arte Graphica \
O R, T H E
ART O F
PAINTING. Translated from the
ORIGINAL LATIN
O F
C.A.DU FRESNOr.
By Mr. W I L L' S.
With NOTES mijcellaneous and explanatory.

Traffant fabriliafabri. Hor.

LONDON:
Printed, for R. F r a n c k i. i n, in Covent-garden. 1 754.
[Price 2s, 6d<]

ERRATA.
DED. 1. 3 for pecular read peculiar. P. 9 1. 8 in the
notes for tbofe read thefe. P. 10 for national read
natural. P. 13 1. 11 for unlefs read ufelefs. P. 93.
for left read leqfl.

T O '
His R o, y a h Highness,
WIL LI AM AUG USTUS
DUKE OF
CUMBERLAND,
And Duke of BrunfWick-Lunenburgh, &c.
&c. &c. Captain General of all His Ma-
jefiys land Forces, &c. &c. &c.
SIR,
IF the elegant, and not unufeful arts, do
not find favour with the Great, to whofe
pecular fervice and pleafure they are de
voted, where can they hope it ? or even feek a
fhelter from the envious infults of brutality
and ignorance ?
I might here attempt an encomium on
thefe arts, point out and enumerate the ad
vantages mankind1 derive from them, but a re
cital of things fo well known would be pre-
fuming on your highnefs's moments, fo valu- ,
able to the public. The

DEDICATION.
The original of the poem (which, with
your highnefs's gracious leave, I lay before
you) tho? fhort, was yet a work of time, and
contains the long-ftudied precepts of an art
that hath been efteemed by the greateijt men
in all ages.
The invaluable rights , of Englifhmen, al*
thai: is moft dear to us or our pofterity, you,
Sir, have gloriouily defended and preserved.
Arts now the children, the innocent children of
peace, implore your prote&ion.
I have the honour to be, with the utmoft
refpedt and veneration,
Sir, Tour Royal Highnefs's
Moft humble, moft obedient,
And moft devoted Servant,
JAMES WILLS.

PRE-

PREFACE.
jf French verfion of the following Poem having been made
*y* by monfieur de Piles, was, as Mr. Graham fays in
his dedication of it to lord Burlington, Mr. Dryden's
guide in the Englifh one, publifh'd with his name : but as
this firfl attempter, Mr. Graham obferves, " had fre-
" quently miftaken the fenfe of the author, and often
"fail'd of fetting him in the mofl advantageous light,
" his follower alfo, the Englifh tranjlator, had done the
"fame, Mr. farvis, therefore, a very good critic in the
" language as well as in the fubjeB of the piece, was pre-
" vailed en to correcJ it." Can we therefore doubt that it
came from the prefs as perfeSl as pofjible ? However,
, Ver. 24. Tantus inert divis honor artibus atque poteflas.
is rendered, So much thefe divine arts have been honour'd, and
fuch authority they preferve amongft mankind.
This miflake mufi certainly have come from Monf. dePiles,
for he has made a long note on this conftruffion : but if Mr.
Dry den had but cajl his eyes on the Latin text, would he
have fuffered this to have pafs'd, the fenfe being, if the
ineft means any thing,
So great power and honour is in the divine arts ?
which alfo is a natural condufion or inference from what
had been faid before, and a commendation of the arts, that
enhances their value ; for the refpeSl a perfon receives may
be only a proof of the regard of the be/lower, but what he
b deferVes

ii PREFACE.
deferves is his natural right, and he ought not to be de
frauded of it.
103. Grandia inaequalis.
The inaequalis is taken no notice of tho' containing in it-
fejf one of the mofi effential principles of compofition : fee
Jhe note on it,
401. Grandia figna volunt fpatia ampla.
Rendered,
Large figures muft have room enough.
The true meaning is, That in paintings for great dif-
tances the figures or objeSisfhou'd have large lines, not per
plex d, broken, or interrupted, but full and clear to the
eyes : of the utmofi confequence in this art, and what none
but the greatefl mafiers have ever underflood i fee the no
tions of perfection, line 416.
Jn many other paffages alfo, the fenfe is mifiaken, and
the whole confufed and imperfect : nor is it to be wonder d
at, for a meer grammatical conflruSlion was not fufficient
for a tranflation of this author \ the things neceffary for a
right under /landing of him being conflant manual practice,
long application, and reflections rifing from it, with a
fight of the fine things in Europe, from whence thefe rules
were collected : and, whatever may be thought, it is an ar
duous tafk to render juflly thefe comprehenfivefve hundred
and fifty lines, of- winch however I may have acquitted
myfelf I am well apprized, that {by fane perfons 1 fhall
rather be blamed for the prefumptim of exerting the powers
nature and induftry hav&fupplied me with, than commended
even for doing it witbfuccefs ¦, and that if in the different
parts J affume of poet, painter, and the little fcholarfkip
requifite, I have committed no egregious blunder, kftno very
material thing. to cavil and carp at, I fhall probably pafs
quite unnoticed, or at bejl be damnd with faint praife :
but I have not dared beyond prefer ipti 'on, for
 Picloribus atque poetis,
Quilibet audendi Temper fuit aequa poteftas. Far

PREFACE. , iii
For the confiruSiion of the Latin original, it is very
eafy to thofe, who are content to pafs over many places with
out under/landing them. The copy, I am bold to fay, will
afford fome light even to perfons converfant in the language,
but not thejubjeti ofthep$em ; and fuels will know alfo, that
this Jranfiation could not be done by the intermediation of
an interpreter, and will make fome difiinBion between
barely underfianding an author and thoroughly feeling
him. For the poetry y it is a fort -of idhnefs, to which I have
been ever addicted, and have eften wifh'd, as ought
many others infeBed in like manner with the Cacoethes
fcribendi, that it ' was as eafy to let alone Ms to make verfes.
But engaged in this workt I often wifh'd it was as eafy t*
make them, efpecialiy onfo dry afubjeB, as to let it alone,'
. If I acquit myfelf as a painter, I fhall be fatisfied. I
could indeed have wifh'd fome of thofe gentlemen, whd are
ever blaming the efforts ofhonefi men in this art, would cha
ritably have done us this good office \ and given us fome
proofs of their own fuperior abilities, either as men or
fcholars, or any thing, or even in their own profeffions, in-
Jlead of reprehending our want of them. But want of me
rit is fo univerfal, that methinks it fhould be no reproach
to one order of men more than another, and we can only
be blame able for not endeavouring well.

%* Mr. Wills' here takes leave to recommend to ftu-
• dents in this art, and others curious of the fubjec~t, a
book of Perfpedlive, lately publifh'd. by Mr. Kirby ; -
being an explanation of the principles advanced by
Dr. Brook Taylor, by which all planes and lines in
them are render'd as eafy as the horizontal, and lights-
and fhadows more truly adjufted than in any other
fyftem, that has yet been exhibited.

THE

I F E

O F
Motif. Du Frefnoy. *
CHARLES Alphonfo du Frefnoy was born
at Paris in the year 161 1. His father, who was
an eminent apothecary in that city, intending
him for the profeffion of phyfic, gave him as
good an education as pofiible. During the firft year,
which he fpent at the college, he made a very confider-
able progrefs in his fludies : but as foon as he was raifed
to the higher clafTes, and began to contract a tafte of
poetry, his genius for it open'd itfelf, and he carried all
the prizes in it, which were propofed to excite the e-
mulation of his fellow-ftudents. His inclination for it
was heightened by exercife ; and his earlieft perfor
mances fhew'd, that he was capable of becoming one
of the greateft poets of his age, if his love of painting,
which equally pofTefs'd him, had not divided his time
and application. At lafl he laid afide all thoughts .of
the ftudy of phyfic, and declared abfolutely for that of
painting, notwithftanding the oppofition of his parents, who

* The reverend and learned Dr. Thomas Birch having favoured the tranf-
lator with this life of the author Mr. du Frefnoy, he takes this opportunity
of making his acknowlegements, not only for this, but many other afts of
kindnefs and humanity, which, during the courfe of many years acquain
tance, he has received from him', and ftands indebted to him for.

The L I F E of Monf. du Frefnoy. v
who, by all kinds of feverity, endeavoured to divert him
from purfuing his paflion for that art, the profefBon of
which they unjuftly confidered in a very contemptible
light. But the ftrength of his inclination defeating all
the meafures taken to fupprefs it, he took the firft op
portunity of cultivating his favourite ftudy.
He was nineteen or twenty years of age when he be
gan to learn to defign under Francis Perier -, and having
fpent two years, in the fchool of that painter, and of
Simon Vouet, he thought proper to take a journey into
Italy, where he arrived in the end of 1633, or the be
ginning of 1634.
As he had, during his ftudies, applied himfelf very
much to that of geometry, he began, upon his coming
to Rome, to paint landfkips, buildings, and antienjt
ruins. But for the firft two years of his refidence in
that city he had the utmoft difficulty to fupport himfelf,
being abandoned by his parents, who refented his hav
ing rejected their advice in the choice of his profeflion j
and the little ftock of money, which he had provided
before he left France, proving fcarce fufficient for the
expences of his journey to Italy. Being deftitute there
fore of friends and acquaintance at Rome, he was re-
duc'd to fuch diftrefs, that his chief fubfiftence for the
greateft^pa'rt of that time was bread and a fmall quantity
of cheele. But he diverted the fenfe of his uneafy cir-
cumftances by an intenfe and indefatigable application to
painting, till the arrival of the celebrated Peter Mignard,
who had been the companion of his ftudies under Vouet,
fet him more at eafe. They immediately engaged in the
ftri&eft friendfhip, living together in the Tame houfe,
and being commonly known at Rome by the name of
the Lifeparables. They were imploy'd by the cardinal
of Lyons in copying all the beft pieces in the Farnefe
Palace. But their principal -ftudy was the Works of
c Raphael

vi The L I F E of Monf. du Frefnoy.
Raphael and other great mafters, and the antiques ; and
they were conftant in their attendance every_ evening at
the academy in defigning after models. Mignard had
the fuperior talents in practice : but du Frefnoy was a
greater mafter of the rules, hiftory, and theory of his
profeffion. They communicated to each other their
remarks and fentiments, du Frefnoy furnifhing his friend
with noble and excellent ideas, and the latter inftructing
the former to paint with greater expedition and eafe.
Poetry fhar'd with painting the time an3 thoughts of
du Frefnoy, who, as he penetrated into the fecrets of
the latter art, wrote down his obfervations -, and having
at laft acquired a full knowledge of the fubjedt, form'd
a defign of writing a poem upon it, which he did not
finifh till many years after, when he had confulted the
beft writers, and examined with the utmoft care the
moft admir'd pictures in Italy.
While he refided there he painted feveral pictures,
particularly the Ruins of the Campo Vaccino, with the
city of Rome in the figure of a woman -, a young wo
man of Athens going to fee the monument of a lover ;
./Eneas carrying his father to his tomb ; Mars finding La-
vinia fleeping on the banks of the Tyber, defcending
from his chariot, and lifting up the veil, which cover'd
her, which is one of his beft pieces ; the birth of Venus ;
and that of Cupid. . He had a peculiar efteem for the
works of Titian, feveral of which he copied, imi
tating that excellent painter in his colouring, as he did
Carrache in his defigns.
About the year 1653 he went with Mignard to Ve
nice, * and travell'd throughout Lombardy ; and during* his
* This is the account of Monf. Felibien, Entretiens fur les vies et fur let
mmrages des plus excellenspeintres, torn. lr. edit. Lund. 170c, p «, ButtlJ
late author of Abrege de la vie des plus fameux peintres. Part 1 1 p 284. edit
a t!74!- 1" 4t°- %s, that Frefnoy went to Venice without Mignard'
and that the latter, being imported by the letters of the former, madia vifit
to him in that city. Uk

The LIFE of Monf. du Frefnoy. vii
his ftay'in that city painted a Venus for Signor Mark
Paruta, a noble Venetian, and a Madonna, an half
length. Thefe -pictures fhew'd, that he had not
ftudied thofe of Titian without fuccefs. Here the two
friends feparated, Mignard returning to Rome, and da,
Frefnoy to France. He had read his poem to the beft
painters in all places, thro' which he pafs'd, and parti
cularly to Albano and Guercino then at Bologna ; and
he confulted feveraTmen famous for their (kill in polite
literature. He arrived at Paris in 1656, where he lodged with
Monf. Potel, Greffier of the council, in the ftreet Beau-
treillis, where he painted a fmall room ; afterwards a pic
ture for the altar of the church of St. Margaret in the fub-
urb St. Antoine. Monf. Bordier, intendant of the finances,
who was then finifhing his houfe of Rinci, now Livry,
having feen this picture, was fo highly pleas'd with it,
that he took du Frefnoy to that houfe, which is but two
* leagues from Paris, to paint the ialon. In the ceiling Was
reprefented the burning of Troy; Venus is ftanding by
Paris, who makes her remark how the fire confumes
that great city ; in the front is the god of the river, which
runs by it, and other deities : this is one of his beft per
formances, both for difpofition and colouring. ' He af
terwards painted a confiderable number of pictures fof the
cabinets of the curious, particularly an altar-piece for
the church of Lagni, reprefenting the affumption of the
virgin and the twelve apoftles, all as large as life. At .
the hotel d'Erval (now d'Armenonville) he painted fe
veral pictures, and among them a ceiling of a room with
..four beautiful landfkips, the figures of which were by Mig
nard. As he underftood architecture very well, he drew
for Monf. de Viiargeie . all the defigns of a houfe, which
that gentleman built four leagues from Avignon ; as like-
wife thofe for the hotel de Lyonne, and for that of the
grand

viii The L I F E of Monf. du Frefnoy.
grand prior de Souvre. The high altar of the Filles"
Dieu in the ftreet St., Denis was alfo defign'd by .him.
Tho' he had finifh'd his poem before he had left Italy,
and communicated it, as has been already mention'd, to
the beft judges of that country ; yet after his return to
F ranee, he continued ftill to revife it, with a view to
treat more at length of fome things, which did not feem
to him fufficiently explain'd. This employment took up
no fmall part of his time, and was the reafon of his not
having finifhed fo many pictures as he might otherwife
have donev And tho' he was defirous to fee his work in
print,he thought it improper topublifh it without a French
tranflation, which he defer 'd undertaking from time to
time out of diffidence of his own fkill in his native lan
guage, which he had in fome meafure loft by his long
refidence in Italy. Monf. de Piles was therefore at laft
induced, at his defire, and by the merit of the poem, to
tranflate it into French, his verfion being revifed by du
Frefnoy himfelf. And the latter had begun a commen
tary upon it, when he was feiz'd with a palfy, and after
languishing four or five months under it, died at the
houfe of one of his brothers at Villiers-le-bel, four leagues
from Paris, in 1665, at the age of fifty-four, and was
interr'd in the parifh church there. He had quitted his
lodgings at Monf. Potel's upon Mignard's return to Paris
in 1658, and the two friends lived together from that
time till the death of du Frefnoy.
His poem was not publifh'd till three years after his
death, when it was printed at Paris in 1 2010. with the
French verfion and remarks of Monf. de Piles j and has
been juftly admir'd for its elegance, and perfpicuity. De

THE

A R
O F
P A I N T I N G,

* « « *

De Arte Graphica.
Non eadem PiSlorum operam ftudiumque merentur :
Arnba quippe facros ad relligionis honor es
Sydereos fuperant ignes, aulamque tonantis io
Ingreffa, divum afpeclu alloquioque fruuntur ;
Oraque magna Deum, & diffa obfervata reportant,
Ceelefiemque fuorum operum mortalibus ignem.
Inde per hunc orbemfludiis coeuntibus errant,
Car pent es quce dignafui, revolutaque luftrant 15
Tempora, qucerendis confortibus argumentis. Denique
The great Mr. Dryden, after having ( in his comparifon of thefe arts,
where every thing that regards poetry is folid, and the produce of found
judgment) finely obferved, " that Oedipus is fomewhat arrogant at his firft
" entrance, and is too inquifitive thro' the whole tragedy; yet thefe imper-
'• fedtions being balanced by great virtues, they hinder not our companion
" for his miferies j neither yet can they deltroy that horror, which the nature
" of his crimes has excited in us," adds " fuch in Painting are the warts
" and moles, which giving likenefs to the face are not therefore to be omit
" ted j but thefe produce no loathing in us."
If inftead of mere Face-painters, or fuch who profefled Hiftory-painting,
yet feem to have thought expreffion, or telling a ftory, juftly no part of their
duty, Mr. Dryden had converfed with Raphael, Corregio, the Carraches or their
fcholars, PouJ/in, Le Ssur, or Carlo Marat, he would have had other concepti
ons of the art, or if he had had alfo a proper intelligence of the author,
that lay before him.
However, the love of nature, one common principle, infpires in both
thefe arts ; and whether the little Painter, impelled by his imitative genius,
fcrawls what he fees, or the infant Poet breathes his impaffion'd mind in
artlefs numbers, it is the fame objeft ftill ; and if the means were equally
eafy, the purfuit would-be alike continued. The mother, the nurfe, the play
fellow furnim language ; but the imitation of objefts requires time andin-
ftruftion. Verfe-making is pra&iced without a matter, by genius only ; but
drawing, even with one, is hard and laborious : this exercifes his talent with
facility, the other with pain finds his inability, and at length gives it up.
Nor is this difference to the young ftudent only j even Sahator Rofa
cries out, fenfible of the different difficulties of thefe arts,
Uanno mi <vede,
Finger per gloria, e Poetar per gioco.
A Painter requires alfo the knowledge (if not in a great degree, as,
Carlo Marat with a candor infeparable from great abilities has fhown
in his Print called the fchool) of many things, fuch as_ Ofteology, Ana
tomy,

The Art of Tainting.
Thofe have rejected, meritlefs of art ;
For, facred to religion, both tranfcend
The ftarry fires, and penetrate the dome, IO
Where dwells the thunderer ; view the heavenly forms,
Their fovereign dictates hear, and thence bear down
To mortals in their works celeftial fire.
Thence o'er this orb, with ftudies join'd they range,
Searching from nature, and revolving times, 1 5
Fit argument, and matter for their toils.
C What
tomy, Proportion, Geometry, Architedlure, Perfpe&ive, &c. the leaft of
which are more difficult to attain than all the technical (if I may be al-
low'd thephrafe) rules of poetry, which meafures founds and words only,
and bears no proportion to the knowledge of forms, which reducing all
vifible objefts to their firfl principles of quantity and the lines that include it,
with their contrails and variations, diftinguifh what is beautiful, what deform'd ;
ibr as thefe are certain and diftinft properties, ever the reverfe of each other,
fo are the caufes which produce them, and thefe the Painter ought to under-
ftand; for, without this knowledge, all the other rules that can be laid down, are
infufficient to produce a fine compofition : 'Tis true, by what we call a good
eye, without this fpeculation, a great deal may be done, but without certainty:
.this knowledge therefore is neceffary to excell, and is a do&rine, I believe, the
antients were well acquainted with, as their works fufirciently evince.
As every body pretends to Poetry, fo flie flatters every body ; all are hap
py in her good graces ; flie is very loquacious, and will be heard ; but Paint
ing has no tongue ; Ihe is a reclufe lady, bufied in labour, toiling always,
coy and referved : if ihe condefcends to coquet indeed with a few gaudy
colours for the fake of the ignorant, the knowing defpife her for it ; in fhort
¦flie has but few friends, and being unfit for the world is treated accord
ingly. However, both thefe arts are greatly ufeful. No prevailing folly can ef-
cape one of them unmark'd, or pafs without ridicule ; for altho' the Flajhes and
Fribbles might have flood the wit of any poet, yet when they were pointed
eut, and made the common jeft, they fhrunk from themfelves , and tho' they
might not be aftiamed, were afraid to appear fo contemptibly. Tragedy alfo
humanizes thofe, who are fo happy as to know no other miferies than what
they fee reprefented on the ftage, exercifes thofe paffions, which lie dor
mant, and fupinely languiih without objefts to excite them, and not only
warns them of the inftability of fortune, but prepares them for it.
With Painting and Sculpture almoit all arts are connefted. By means of
thefe we furvey paft ages, look back on the old world, Egypt, Greece and
Rome ; their cuftoms, modes, even the perfons of their greateftmen are familiar
to us, with their long train of fabulous worn-out deities, who now, how avveful
<ir dreaded foever they have been, are reduced to the ftate, which Epicurus would:
have formerly affigned them, and
Semota a nojiris rebus,. -poffefs

De Arte Graphical
Dent que queecunq ; in ccelo, terraque, marique
Longius in tempus durare, ut pulchra, merenturr
Nobilitate fua? claroque infignia cafu,
Dives & ampla manet PicJores atque Poetas 2o
Materies ; inde altafonant per fcecula mundo
Nomina, magnanimis her oi bus inde fuperfles
Gloria, perpetuoque operum miracula reflant :
Tantus inefi divis honor artibus atque potefias. Non
poffefs their pedeftals in peace, and are admired, as gods made with
hands mould be, only for their workmanihip. ,
To Painting we owe that pleafing enlargement ofourfelves, by which we
look back to the times preceeding our own, and are almoft prefent in them,
by having fo many reprefentations of perfons and things worthy note. Harry
the fourth, or Charles the firft, are as well known as if living : different, diftant
countries, their modes, inhabitants, and natural productions are brought home
to us ; we fee them without danger, fatigue or expence.
All the manufactories, which have their origin in defign, owe their exiftence
to Painting. Flowered filks, which we ufed to import ; printed linnens
raifed in a few years by the beauty of the patterns, of which, I am
told , there is a great export ; printed paper for hangings ; copper, graving,
if fome excellent engravers among us meet a due encouragement ; all chafed
works, filver and gold, jewellers works, with many more : now a trade being/
fettled for any of thefe commodities, brings alfo a demand for other goods
with it, gives them a preference to thofe of other countries, if better
performed, and has many other advantages and beneficial connections to a
trading country. Ver.. 24, Such power, fuch honours are in ar{s divine.
If the defire of fame were the fole motive to a value of thefe arts,' and.
a prefervation of our names and adlions from oblivion the only ufe of
them, they would then principally concern thofe, whofe merits entitle them.
to an after remembrance ; or who are capable of adling worthily for the
fake of it. But as there are, I fear, fewr who defiie, and fewer, who deferve
this furviving charafter, or value mere glory abftrafted from its immediate
advantages, I think our author has not fuificiently recommended the arts,
or interefted us enough in their favour.
Poetry firft civilized mankind ; taught them to reverence the Gods, and.
be obiervant of laws to each other ; mitigated the fierce, inforced the gen--
tier paffions ; painted vice in its true colours, with all its mocking infepa-
r^ble confequences ; virtue pleafing, lovely, and the fource of'Happinefs.
Pamting and Sculpture, innocent in themfelves, intending too, perhaps with.
their, filter Art, to promote the fame good ends, were yet the means of ido
latry.

The Art of Tainting.
Whate'er in heaven, or earth, or fea is fair.
Great in itfelf, or rendered by ftrange chance
Worthy remembrance, ample fcope fhall give,
And rich materials unto either art. 20
Hence names refound for ages o'er the world;
To mighty heroes glory hence furvives,
Preferved in deathlefs monuments of fkill ?
Such powers, fuch honours are in arts divine. Nor
Iatry, and men became fo enamoured of bare imitations of nature, as for
getting the, author of nature itfelf, they transferr'd that worfhip to them, which
was due to him alone ; yet is the blame to be laid on the arts, or on thofe
who made this ufe of them ?
Crafty and enthufiaftic men have avail'd themfelves, for their own pur-
pofes, in all ages, of a natural bias to religion inherent in man, and by mif-
reprefentations of the deity, moved it from its only bafis, aright conception of
him, and made obedience to his will, the beft human motive, inftrumental
to the worft and moft inhuman aftions, not only to idolatry, but even to
perfecutions, mafiacres, yc. &c.
In a pure religion, tho' I think none fhould pretend to reprefent the great
objefts of it by fenfible images, or that the mind fhould be interrupted by
them in places facred to devotion, yet in other places, as Piftures are faid
to be the common people's bible, if reprefentations from it frequently occur'd,
they would have their ufe ; and as our Saviour appeared in a human form,
full of divine goodnefs and charity, feeing him daily exerting it in thofe
afts of beneficence, which he was always engaged in, would be exemplary,
help religion, and ftrengthen the authority of its founder.
As a humanift, I venture to affert, that publick memorial's, and exhibitions
of great and virtuous aftions, good in themfelves or ferviceable to the ftate,
would be ufeful ; they are loft in books, can be known to few, in dead or
foreign languages ; but thus preferved, they inform the ignorant as well as
the learned ; we need but look to underftand ; the praife alfo they incite,
may found fo grateful in our ears, as to animate us to defire and deierve the
like; nor would it derogate from the wifdom of a ftate, if they decreed
thefe or fuch other reward's and diftinftions, as charging the publick with no
expence, might entail honours on perfons, below a blue, red or green garter,
or plain knighthood . "The Romans, a people form'd for greatnefs, knew
this; fox fomething more than mere pecuniary rewards are required to ftir
up generous minds, and more than a mere mercenary fpirit fhould be encou
raged even on political motives.
To confirm thefe obfervations, Saluft, a writer of the greateft weight, in.
his introduction to .the Jugurthine war, has this Pafiage. Nam [ape audi<vi
Q. Maxumum,P. %c\^vrDS.xa,praterea ci'vitatis ncflrce praclaros viros folitosita
dicere, cum majorum imagines intuerentur, •vehementiffirnum libi anifiivm ad lirfc/tem acczndi ,.

8 De Arte Graphica.
Nonmihi Pieridum chorus hie, nee Apollo vocandut, 25
Majus ut eloquium numeris, aut gratia fandi
Dogmaticis illufiret opus rationibus horrens :
Cum nitidd t ant urn &facili digefia loqueld,
Ornari pracepta negent, contenta doceri.
Nee mi hi mens animufve fuit conflritigere nodos 30
Artijicum manibus, quos tantiim dirigit ufus ;
Indolis ut vigor inde potens obfiriSius hebefcat,
Normarum numero immani, geniumque moretur :
Bed rerum ut pollens ars cognitione, gradatim
Naturce fefe infinuet, verique capacem 3 5
Tranfeat in genium, geniufque ufu induat artem. Pr&cipua
accendi. Scilicet non ceram illam, neque Jiguram, tantam vim in fefe habere; fed
memoria rerum geftarum earn flammam egregiis viris in peSiore crefcere neque
prius fedari quam virtus eorum famam atque gloriam adcequaverit. " For I
" have often heard, that J§\ Maxumus, P. Scipio, befides other excellent men of
" our city, ufed to fay, when they beheld the images of their anceftors, their
" fouls were vehemently inflamed to virtue. Truely it was not the wax nor
" the figure, that had this power on them, but the memory of the great adlions
" they had done, which kindled this flame in the breafts of thefe illuftrious
" men ; nor was it to be quenched, before'they, by virtue, had arrived at the
" fame height of fame and glory."
At Venice the great hall, and the other apartments of the Doge^s palace,
which are ufed for publick occafions, are covered with Paintings of the great
aftions of that Signiory, animating remembrances of its power, conduct
and fortune. Suppofe a houfe of lords or commons in England fo orna
mented, or even a lord mayor's houfe, do we want matter for fuch glo
rious records ? Would not fuch memorials do us national honour, keep emu
lation alive, and check that foolifh, growing contempt of our country
which is often the only acquirement of travel, and imported by the very
perfons, who make us contemptible by their ignorance, folly and extra-
gance in every country, thro' which they pafs ?
This art being fo connected with others, that they cannot fubfift without
it, I fhall now take a more extenfive view of it and them, and confider
whether they arein general detrimental or advantageous to mankind.
In order therefore to form right judgments, wemuft apply to fafts, confider
the times when, and the places where thefe arts moft flourifhed, what per
fons promoted them, and the confequences.
The times were thofe, when the human mind, with all its various exer.
Sions, was moft extraordinary; the places, Egypt where knowledge firft
dawned

The Art of Tainting.
Nor need I the Pierian choir invoke, 25
Or on Apollo call to fwell the ftrain,
And grace with founding elegance my vcrfe, \ r
To rules ill-fuiting j clearnefs my fole aim : I
For ornaments with precepts ill agree, j
Their end and purpofe only to be taught.
Nor is it-my intent to check, or ftay 30
The artift's hand, which ufe alone directs,
By a huge heap of rules ; fo bound, perplex'd,
His fancy fails, his native fire is quench'd ;
But to aid him with knowledge, by degrees
His mind fo ftrength'ning, capable of truth,
That fcience may itfelf with genius blend, 3 5
Genius with fcience 3 practice make them one.
D First,
dawned, then Greece where thofe foundations of fcience were laid, which
exfift at this day, Rome continued what flie had eftablifhed.
The effefts were in Greece, that men,of genius mutually affifting each
other, raifed human nature almoft above itfelf. Liberty, philofophy and va
lour never were more confpicuous : and that fmall number of people, fcanty
traft of land, and fhort fpace of time, have yielded more benefit and glory
to mankind, than the mighty Affyrian and Perfian monarchies ; mere names
to us, while we reap hourly folid advantage and pleafure from thofe,
The perfons, who promoted thefe arts, or were imployed in them, were
the firft of mankind. The greateft philofopher, Socrates, was a fculptor. The
moft rapid conqueror was a patron of, and had a perfonal friendfhipfor Apelles.
The beft men, the moft important of the antients, have left us fuch tefti-
monies in their writings, as fufliciently evince their efiimation of it.
How pleafing mull it have been to a people form'd as well to tafte as to
produce fine things, when thofe admirable fculptures, which yet remain,
came warm from the duffel, and thofe celebrated pictures now loft, and of
which we can form no idea, appeared ! What converfation among fuch ftatef-
men, generals, philoiophers, poets, painters, fculptors, architects ! livery
thing mull have been adequate 'and refined to the higheft degree of rational
enjoyment. But now let us change the fcene, and turn our eyes on thofe times and places,
where no arts flouriih'd. There immerfed in'ignorance, unaquainted with the
proper exercife of reafon, forming nothing butabfurd and rude notions of the
deity, ignorant of natural rights ; fubmitting, and flaves to the lawleis will of
one, who governing and governed by fear, becomes cruel for his own fafety,
^et dreading the injured, wafhes away his fears with their blood, accu
rals latins;

IO De Arte Graphiea.
Primumprse- Pracipua imprimis artifque potiffima pars efir
ceptum de A . ,
pukhro. Nfife quid in rebus natura crearit aa artem
Pulchrius, idque modum juxta, mentemque vetufiam :
Qua fine barbaries cceca & temeraria pulchrum 40
Negligit, infultans ignota audacior arti,
Ut curare nequit, qua", nnn mnAs> rto-va tt e[fe -,
lllud apud .veteres fuit un de notabile di£lum3.
Nil Pictore malo fecurius atque Poeta.
Cognita amas, £? amata cupis, fequerifque cupita j. 4.5;
Pafjibus affequeris tandem qua fervidus urges .-
Ilia tamen qua pulchra decent ; non omnia cafus
$ualiacumque dabunt, etiamve fimillima veris : Nam-
mulating wickednefs, heaping mifery, luft the entertainment, ambition the
purfuit. and violent death the end ; the country wafte, barren, the people
dejected, retaining the form, but loft to all the comforts of humanity.
Such is the prefent ftate of fome countries ftored by providence with
vaft natural bleffings ; and the fame caufes we may infer ever have, and
ever will produce the fame effects.
Let us look among the wild Arabs, the wandring Tartars, or the fa--
vages of America, ailraggling vagrant people, who prey, fight and pro-.
create in common with other animals, roaming about in fmall parties,,
full of horrible fuperftitions,, bufied in revenges, and delighted with put
ting their enemies to the moft excrutiating deaths.
Whence that good order fo confpicuous in the great cities of Europe, par
ticularly in this, where near a million of people live in perfeft harmony,.
with the moft oppofite interefts, opinions and inclinations. What could effect
this miracle but employment ? What fyftem of government fufficient, were
they idle ; or what employ them but things, which regarding our national ne-
ceffities (fo good is providence) might be fpared ? Such are the produftions of."
art ; and they. do not only employ men, but divert their pafiions. Ambition is
innocent, when it puts men on excelling in an "art. Avarice is profitable to.
the publick, when it induces men to earn and deferve better, in order to en-
grofs cuftom. The paffion moft apt tomiflead is fubdued by labour : it leaves
neither time nor fpirits for adventure ; marriage is thought of; a healthy race
enriches the publick, and extends itfelf to pofterity.
Every workfhop is a little fyftem of government, and renders men more
fubiervient to the greater ; mifchievous tempers are bound down by various
kinds of attention ; and he, who would ftir up a rebellion, propagate a.
falfe religion, or otherwife difturb the peace of a ftate, is perhaps condem-
>.•:&, from f:x to fix, to pore on fome curious piece of difficult mechanifm.

The Art of Tainting. n
First, chief, and moft important is, to know The firft prin
ciple of choicSi
What faireft is created, apt for. art,
Making the antient ftile and choice our teft ;
Elfe barbarous, blind, and rafhly fhall we dare ; 40
Beauty neglecting, fpurn it's nobleft aim,
And with audacious ignorance offend.
How fhall we ftrive for that we do not know ?
Hence with the antients this fam'd adage rofe,
Than wretched Painters and bad Poets none
Alike are felf-fufficient, prompt and vain..
The known thou lov'ft, defireft fhalt obtain, 45
With fteps at length, if fervidly thou urge :
What beauteous yet in all agrees, no chance,
Or fimilarity of truth can give ;
D a By
A day or two of holidays will convince us, how little the groffer part
of mankind are fitted for idlenefs. What drunkennefs, brutality and foil;
are to be feen in all places of common refort ?
Nor are arts more neceffary to employ fome, than to amufe others, and.
render their leifure both innocent and pleafurable. They alfo dignify the
human Race, and raife it above1 all other animals ; who indeed poffefs fome
things in common with us ; for the bird builds, and an Irifh cabin may be
raifed by inftinft, but St. Pauls is the work of reafon.
I have ventured to give my thoughts on this fubjedl ; becaufe I am told
a queftion has lately been ftarted in France, , whether arts have done more
good or hurt to mankind ? What can be faid againft an obvious truth, is
hardly worth attending to; but if in a ftate, ignorance be preferable to know
ledge, why is not an ignorant man preferable to a. man of knowledge? As
it requires fome fenfe to play the fool tolerably, fo it requires fome fcience,
even to abufe it ; but vanity infpires a thouiand ridiculous Angularities ;,
and the Ephefian Temple muft fooner be confumed, than one Fool made for
Fame be forgdt, Ver. 37, Firft, chief, and moft important is to knew.
This precept, which regards choice, is juftly inforced by our author, and
is that, in which the antients have excelled the moderns ; and kthe modern
Italians, affifted by their excellent remains, all their neighbours and co-
temporaries.

%% De Arte Graphica.
Nam quamcumque modofervili haudfufficit ipfam
Naturam exprimere ad vivum-, fed ut arbiter artis, $o
Seli get ex ilia tantum pulcherrima PiSlor.
Quodque minus pulchrum, aut mendofum, corriget ipfe
Martefuo, formce Veneres captando fugaces.
2. De fpe- Utque manus grandi nil nomine praSlica dignum
culatibne & , „ .
praxi. Afjequitur, pur urn arcana quam deficit artis 55
Lumen, & in praceps abitura ut caca vagatur j
Sic nihil ars opera manuum privata fupremum
Exequitur, fed languet iners uti vinSla lacertos j
Difpqfitumque typum non lingua pinxif Apelles.
Ergo licet tot a nor mam haud poffimus in Arte 60
Ponere (cum neque ant qua funt pulcherrima dici)*
Nitimur hac paucis, fcrutati fumtna magifira
Dogmata natura, artifque exemplaria prima
Alfius intuiti ; fie mens, habilifque facultas
Indolis excolifur, geniumque fcientia complet ; 6$
Luxurianfque in monfira furor compefcitur arte :
Eft Modus in rebus, funt certi denique fines,
Quos ultra citraque nequit confiftere rectum.
His pofitis, erit optandum thema nobile, pulchrum,
^uedque venufiatum circa for mam atque colorem 79
Sponte capax, amplam emerita mox prabeat arti
Miitaiam, retegens aliquid falls & document}, Tandem

3. de argu-
mento.

The Art of Tainting. 13
Nor fhall a fervile imitation rife
T o exprefs the fire of animated life j e q
Judge of his art, the Painter fhould felect,
From all what's fine, lefs fo, faulty, correct
By his own skill ; and ever inftant fnatch
Thofe tranfient beauties, which are born and dye.
And as the practis'd hand does nought worth praife, 5- p/ IPecu-
lation and
If deftitute of the pure lights of art, praahe.
But errs precipitate and blindly ftrays j 55
So nothing rules produce, deny'd its aid,
Unlefs they die inert, if this be bound j
Apelles made not Pictures with his tongue.
A l t h o in all we cannot furnifh rules, 60
When what's moft beauteous is indefinite ;
Endeavouring yet, a few we may deduce
From nature, fov'reign miftrefs, ftudious fought,
And works, the great exemplars of this art.
So the mind's powers fhall we from hence improve ;
So genius fhall with knowledge be compleat, 6j
And wild luxuriant fancy be reftrain'd j
For there to things are meafures, certain bounds,
Nor this fide, or beyond them, right fubfifls.
Thus far, and now defirous of a theme, o/thear-
Grand, beautiful, that of itfelf may give 70 ^umnK
Sweet eye-delighting forms, colours and hues;
Copious, replete with matter worthy art ;
Difclofing too inftructive fenfe and wit.
E tA

j^ De Arte Graphica.
Tandem opus aggredior ; primoque occurrit in albo
Difponenda typi, concepta potente Minerva,
Machina, qua noflris Inventio dicitur oris. 7$
Inventio pri- ]/fa quidem priiis ingenuis infirutta fororum
ma picture 2
pars. Artibus Aonidum, & Phoebi fublimior aflu.
4. Difpofuio, Quarendafque inter pofituras, luminis, umbra,
totius°POe- Atque futurorum jam prafentire colorum
conomia. par £raf iarmoniam, captando ab utrifque venufium. 80
Sit thematis ^enuina ac viva expreffio, juxtd
5. Fidelitas °
argumenti. <fexfum antiquorum, propriis cum tempore formis.
6 inane r " ^ec quod inane, nihil facit ad rem, five videtur
ciendum. Jmproprium, minimeque urgens, potiora tenebit
Ornament a oper is % tragi ca fed lege fororis, 8$
< Summa ubi res agitur, visfumma requiritur artis.
Ifta labor e gravi, fiudio monitifque magiflri
Ardua pars nequit addifci rarifjima : namque,
Ni prius athereo rapuit quod ab axe Prometheus-
Sit jubar, infufum menti cum famine vita, 90
Mortali haudcuivis divina hac munera dantur ;
Non uti Daedaleam licet omnibus ire Corinth um.
JEgypto
Ver. 76. Of various aSiions, lights and fhades.
After having read and confidered the ftory attentively, and inform'd our-
felves of all that has any relation to it, or can help us in forming juft con-
, ceptions of it, We may endeavour to digeft it in our minds, and begin to
form fome fort of ideas of the future Pidlure, which we may perfect and
improve by experimental fketches. If we Gould attain the very identical
idea of a Fact, as itrealy exifted, I fhould think it would be preferable to any
other, and that the Painter fhould confider himfelf fo far ty'd to the obferv-
ance of truth, as to be only the copieft of fuch an idea, if it could be obtain 'd.
I will add alfo, fthat in writing for the flage, if the real prefence of
the Perfons to be reprefented could be fuppofcd, and under thofe various
agitations of mind, which their fituations would naturally produce, and
the author would confider himfelf, rather as tranfcribing from them, than
dictating to them, it would prevent what is too frequent, that is, the Poet's
fpeaking in his own Perfon ; a thing Monfieur St: Evremond farcaf-
tically reprehends, when he fays, he was obliged to fupprefs a dramatic
piece of his own, on difcovering himfelf to fie the hero of it. But conceited egotifts ,

The Art of Tainting. if
At length the work aufpicious I begin invention the
burvey the canvas ftretch'd, the ground prepar'd, painting,
And image to my mind, fo Pallas aid
The future piece ; this part's invention call'd. y$
She, of th' Aonian fifters, firft in arts,
Glows more fublime with Phoebus, facred fire.
O f various actions, lights, and fhades, now fo, 4. o/ the pre.
And future colours, fhou'd we pre-conceive, TfplfrZZf
That grace and harmony be gain'd from all. 80 '*' ™ork-
Genuine the ftory, lively too exprefs; s. Fidelity to
True to the antient text, the place, the time. fub/eJ!"6
Things, that unapt, conduce not to the end, 6. Things not
Improper feem; in no wife let affume Vu %%&.
The faireft place, where moft the work fhou'd fhine ;
But of her fifter tragedy this learn, 85
Where the main action lies, to exert moft art.
Nor this with labour wearilefs, or rules,
By mafters given, (o arduous part !) is learn 't,
Or rare, unlefs with life th' etherial fire,
Of which Prometheus ftole, be firft infus'd ; 90
Not mortal, but the gift of power divine 5
Nor all, may to Dedalean Corinth hje.
E 2 In

egotifts are apt to make themfelves fo on all occafions ; even in fome of
a more folemn nature ; for altho' reprefentations of the firft Being, under
a human form, are fufficiently exploded, yet he is often reprefented with
a human mind, and fuch paffions are afcribed to him, as are charafteriftic
of the good or bad temper, pride, ignorance and fuperftition of thefe in
competent carvers without chiffels, who prefume to tread on holy ground.
But Mr. Pope fays, that
Fools rufb in, <v.'ker-e angels fear to tread.

1 6 De Arte Graphica.
Mgypto informis quondam Pifiura reperta,
Gracorum fiudiis, & mentis acumine crevit :
Egregiis tandem illufirata, & adult a magifiris, 95
Naturam vifa efi mirp fuperare labore.
Quos inter, graphidos gymnafia prima fuere
Portus Athenarum, Sicyon, Rhodos, atque Corinthus,
Difparia inter fe, modicum ratione laboris ;
Ut patet ex veterumfiatuis, forma atque decoris 100
Ar-
Ver. 03 . In Egypt, firft this art, found formlefs, rude.
That is, perhaps in fuch a ftate as might barely ferve for hieroglyphics >
from the ufe of which it feems to have its origin ; for letters, the figns o^
found, being" not yet invented, they had no means or way of communicating
ideas than by Pictures, and fuch other forms as had a known fignincation.
It muft neceffarily therefore have been their care, in order to avoid miftakes
in publick records, laws, &c. to have had the objefts fo far truely delineated,
as that one thing fhould not be taken for another ; a horfe for a dog, a
hand for a tree, &c. and this was no other way to be effected, than by ap
plying to the real objefts, and comparing the reprefentations with the things
to be reprefented ; fo correcting them, if need were, as to leave nothing im
perfect that might render the fenfe dubious of what they intended to exprefs.
• Hence I think, with great probability we may conceive imitation arofe
and what dexterity praftice might give, and how it would by gradation con
tinue advancing itfelf, till men of refleftion and fcience, fuch as were the
Greeks, tranfplanting it, made it their ftudy, and raifed it to the utmoft degree
of perfedtion it ever attain'd ; for altho' it may be queftion'd, whether the
antients excelled the moderns in Painting, yet I think it will fcarce admit
a conteft ; for Sculpture and Painting having ever kept an equal pace, as we
muft own their fuperiority in one art, I think, according to this known truth,
there can be little reafon for denying it in the other. It may be alfo allowed
without prejudice to the moderns, or imputation on them as wanting abilities ;
for let it be confidered, that their gods, which were innumerable, all paft
thro' the iculptors hands ; that their illuftrious men and heroes alfo fouo-ht
a kind of immortality from them ; that ftatues were decreed as rewards, and
medals {truck, by publick order, not on great occafions, or to great per
fons only, but to all fuch as remarkably diftinguifhed themfelves, or did any
eminent fervice to the ftate. The boy -pluckingthe thorn from his foot, the
knife-grinder, the mother enquiring of he? fon what was done in the fenate,
are inilances On what octafions the arts were called in the ifland of Rhodes
alone is faid to have had thirty thoufand moft rare ftatues in it; what num
bers muft Rome, Athens, Corinth, then have contained ; or any of thofe
places where the arts flourifhed, or were efteemed r From hence we
may judge what a prodigious employ there was, and conclude, that
^ fuch an immenfe practice would awaken, roufe and put in action, thofe
noble faculties, which languifh, lie dormant in mankind, and are loft for
want of exercife and occafions worthy their exertion. The

The Art of Tainting. 17
In Egypt firft, this art, found formlefs, rude,
The Greeks, with ftudy, nervous fenfe, improv'd,
And fo at length matur'd that nature feera'd, 9 c
By their great mafters wondrous fkill furpafs'd,
These of their fchools were held in moft efteem,
The Athenian, fhofe of Sycion, Corinth, Rhodes,
Nor much unequal, or in choice, or ftile,
As yet from antient ftatues we may judge -p 100
F Of

The churches abroad are the only props, to what of art can exift a-
mong the moderns; but here, in this country, notwithftanding the wild
wafte of expence, and the vaft profufion, which for fome years paft hath been
laid out in buildings, Painting, their nobleft ornament, has had no fhare ;
by Painting I mean, Hiftor'y-Paintirig. The five orders only have engroffed
all. Ver. 96. By their great mafters wondrous fkill, furpafs'd.
It is certain, that' an elegant choice of objefts, a fine difpofition of them ,
with a judicious handling, the refult of an elevated genius, juft reafoning
and long praftice, prefent us with beauties, we were not aware of. Agree
ments and harmonious affemblages, that ftrike and furprize us, and fuch as
the dull thoughtlefs mere imitator never dreara'd of, but that nature
is then excelled, or can be, no one who has ever ftudied, or been truly at
tentive to its beauties, I hope will allow. I regard not the . affcrtions of
ignorant enthufiafts, who like thofe irt religion ever confound truth with
abfurdities. What Mr, Pope has {aid, with refpeft to poetry, holds alfo
true in this art,, Tis nature alt, but nature methodized.
The beft antiques are moft fcrupulous imitations of it; nor can we per
ceive that the antients artifts dared to deviate from it,, or that they took any
liberties: all was warranted by it; nothing done on their own authority , for
that becomes manner, the effect of ignorance, flath, and fuch a felf-fuffi-
cience as deferves contempt.
When people talk of mending nature, they fhould be confidered as per
fons who have but a very fuperfkial knowledge of it. Thefe nature- menders
are of the fame fpecies with thofg, who cut off the ears of dogs, and cats; and
-dock horfes tails, marring thereby the divine workmanfhip in the form,
and its goodnefs to the animal, by depriving it of that ufe thepaitwa*
intended for.

1 8 De Arte Graphica.
Archetypis ; quels pofterior nil protulit cetas
Condignum, & non inferius longe, arte, modoque.
7. Graphu, Horum igitur vera ad normam P 'ofitura legetur ;
fecundate- Grandia, inaqualis, formofaque partibus amplis
turajpars.j ^nteriora dabit membra, in contraria motu 105
Diverfo variafa, fuo librataque centre.
Membrorumque finus ignis fiammantis ad infiar,
Serpenti undanfes fiexu ; fed lavia, plana,
Magnaque figna, quafifine tubere fubdita ta£fu,
Ex

Ver. 103. By their juft maxims be pofltions chofe>
grand and unequal.
Large and fuch as fill the eye j alfo unequal, unlike each other, for dull
repetitions of the fame forms feen together, pall, difguft the fight ; they muft
therefore be diverfify'd, and limbs, altho' like each other to a degree of exact -
nefs fhould be varied by motion, fo as to fill very different fpaces. The leaves
of a rofe tree, except in fize, differ not, but are all of the fame fhape, yet by the
various turns and direftion of them, make very different quantities in
their reprefentations ; one is feen full and fronting, another fhortened, ano
ther fide- ways; one perks up, another finks, all vary.
Nature is fo fond of variety, that in a pavement of real fquares, mot one ap
pears fo, unlefs a line from the eye be perpendicular to its centre, and they not
only leave their true form, but every fquare varies in Its appearance from
the next to it, and one and all from each other, except a line of any of
them be perpendicular to the eye, and the point of fight be in the centre of
the pidlure, then one fide only has this variation..
The leffening of objefts alfo, as they remove from us, is a thing in
nature that gives vaft variety ; thus in the profile of a building, all" the
lines feemingly tend to the horizon, and give us a graceful -diverfity ; for
tho' the diftant part of the building is as high as the near, yet not appearing
fo, the eye is infenfibly relieved from famenefs, which otherwife would tire it.
Fer. 107. Of flefh the lines ', &c.
In this precept is defcribed what kind of lines are proper to give that flefh-
ly foftneff, which we admire in fine pidtures and ftatues ; the proper under-
Handing of which, is a very conftituent part of a good Sculptor and Painter,
and in which Monfieur Bouchardon has a peculiar excellence.

The Art of Tainting* 19
Of form and grace beft models, and than which
Succeeding ages nothing have produc'd,
In art and manner not inferior far.
B y their juft maxims be pofitions chofe, 7- Drawing
the figure and
Grand and unequal, foremoft to the fight itspofuion.the
fecond part of
The parts moft beauteous, fully, amply plac'd, Fainting.
With motions different, varying contrary, 105
And every figure on its centre pois'd,
Of flefh the lines fhou'd bend as yielding flame,
Or the fnakes wavy motion, when it glides j
,But fmooth, large, plain, and with fo mild a fwell,
As fcarce wou'd be perceptible to touch ;
F 2 Flowing

It may not be, amifs here, iP for the entertainment of my readers, who
fhall have honour'd me thus far, we 109k back to thofe famous lines which
Pliny has given us an account of, and in which Apelles and Protogenes con-
tendedtfor fuperiority.
That they were, as is commonly thought, lines fo fmall and fine, that,
the difficulty lay only in dividing one with a ftill lefsv who can believe ?
Were this the faft, they could not have been feen at any diftance ; yet the
large table on which they were done, preferved to poflerity in the Palace
of Ceefar, attracted the eyes and admiration of all, efpecially of artifts. When
Apelles fnatch'dup a Pencil, in order to give fuch a fpecimen of trahfcendent
fkill, as might furprize Protogenes, fo great a mailer ; was this all he could
do to diftinguifh himfelf,; and was it fuch a trifle that could make Protogenes
cry out " Apelles was arrived ? " Did two fuch great men amufe themfelves
with fuch children's- play, as making fmall lines, of no ufe in the art, or
glory to the performer ?
Nor could it be a fimple unmeaning bend, like the letter S. V'ery well \
An accomplifhment for a grayer in copper ; being what is called a fine
ftroke, and what tollerable prints 'are full of, but of little confequence to
the extenfive comprehenfive art of Painting.
What it really was is only to be known by practice ; for whoever has
drawn with any degree of correftnefs from antique ftatues, or even at
tempts it, muft find a very little remove of aline makes a vaft difference,
and that a line cannot be too fmall to be precife ; this fmallnefs or delicacy
cannot be ot'herwife or better expreffed, than by the fiimnne- tmuitatis of
Pliny, which from the ^common ignorance of this art hath been mifunder-
ftood ; thefe lines therefore muft have expreffed fome part or the whole of
the human figure.
To

20 De Arte Graphica.
Ex longo deduBa fluant, non feSia minutim. 119
Infertifque toris Unt nota ligamina, juxta
Compagem anatomes, & membrificatio Graco
Deformata modo, paucifque expreffa lacertis,
Quails apud veteres ; totoque Eurythmia partes
Componat ; genitumque fuo generante fequenti 1 1 5
Sit minus, & puncio videantur cunStafub uno.
Regula certa licet nequeai profpeSlica did,
Aut complementum graphidos ; fed in arte juvamen,
Et modus accelerans operandi : at corpora f alfo
Sub vifu in multis refer ens, mendofa labafcit 1 20
Nam Geometralem nunquamfunt corpora juxta
Menfuram depiSla oculis, fed qualia vifa. Non
To fhow the great confequence of this fmall difference, it is faid, that
Hannibal Carrache, on overhearing a fcholar boaft, that he had been but
little out, fhewing his mafter's correftion at the fame time on his drawing,
cry'd " harkee, young man, I have been thirty years learning that little."
no Flowing, deduced from lengths, not cut minute.
Not meeting in ftiarp points like angles. When lines flow, they feem exten-
fions from diftant unfeen beginnings ; when they rife from points they feem to
have their beginning or termination there. An oftangle feems eight lines
joined, but a circle feems but one line without beginning or end, for which
reafon, eternity is reprefented by a ferpent in that form.
117. Tho' ive perfpeSive call no perfeEi rule.
Being defirous to make this work as ufeful and inftruftive as poffible I
communicated it not only to learned perfons, but to fuch of our profeffi'on
whofe judgment and candor I thought I might rely on. Among thefe to
gentleman of eminent abilities in our art, who has ftudied perfpect'ive ¦
fo as to be a moft accurate judge and mailer of th; fubjeft, having made'
fome remarks on this paffage, which I thought very jiift, I have for the
ufe of my reader, obtain'd them, and they are as follow,
A thorough knowledge of the principles, and a habit obtahvd of them in the
pradtice of perfpeftive will enable a man to draw better than he could if he
had no luch knowledge, and habit ; and even in cafes where the rules are not
employed; for he who knows previously, and fcientifically how all objefts
in all fituations, and pofitions ought to appear, will fee more accurately, and
exprefs more precifely how they do appear, when prefented before him. And

The Art of Tainting.
Flowing, deduc'd from lengths, not cut minute, no
O f tuberant mufcles the known ligaments,
Be inferted- anatomically true.
In limbs obferve greek forms, with few exprefs'd,
Such was their choice ; and may the whole compofe,
From parts agreeing one fweet fymmetry :
Let that, which by another part's p'roduc'd,
Be lefs than that, from whence it is produc'd> 1 1 5
And all concurring ftrike the eye at once.
Tho' we perfpective call no certain rule
To accomplifh drawing, yet it is a help,
A method that facilitates the work :
Yet bodies erring oft it reprefents 120
Falfe to the fight, and leads into a fault ;
For geometrical and to their real fize,
As meafur'd, objects never can be feen ;
They fhould be painted as they ftrike the eye.
G Not

And in this fenfe, perfpective may indeed be faid to be an aid to defign-
ing, as this author expreffes it -. Nay, is abfolutely an effential, being that,
without which many objefts cannbt be reprefented at all, and is fo far from
leading into errors that it is the only means to avoid them ; for whatever is
drawn by its rules is demonftrably true, and whatfoever will not bear the
application of them is demonftrably falfe.
Architedlure, and all forms terminated by right lines are entirely repre
fented by it. Nor is it poffible to draw them without ; and the points, or
boundaries of all other objefts, whether curvilinear, mixed, or multiform,
-may be fo determined, tho' the intermediate parts be fupplied, and the figures
compleated by hand.  So that contrary to his affertion, perfpeftive is a
certain rule, and its precepts perfeftly true.

11

%% De Arte Graphical
8. Vanetas Non eadem forma fpeciet, non omnibus eetas
Mqualis, fimilifque color, crinifque figuris :
Nam variis velut orta plagis gens difpare vultu eft. 125
9. Figura fit Singula membra, fuo capiti conformia, fiant
membrh & Unum idemque fimul corpus cum veflibus ipfit :
Mutorum filens pofitura imitabitur aStus.
10. Mutorum .
aftiones imi- Prima figurarum, feu princeps dramatis, ultro
£.1 rinse
ProHliat media in tabula, Pub lumine primo 1-20
1 1 . Figura J j j. j
pxinceps. Pulchrior ante alias, reliquis nee operta figuris.
12. Figura. Agglomerata fimul fint membra, ipfaque figura
feu cumuli. Stipentur, circumque globes locus ufqtte vacabif;
Ne, male difperfis dum vifus ubique figuris
Dividifur, cunStifque operisfervente tumultu 135
Partibus implicitis, crepitans confufio furgat.
I mPdiverfi" Inque figur arum cumuli s cum omnibus idem
tasincumulis Corporis infiexus, moiufque ; vel artubus omnes
Converfis pariter non connitantur eodem ;
Sed quadam in diverfa trahant contraria Membra, 140
Tranfverfeque aliis pugnentt & catera frangant .
Pluribus adverfis averfam oppone Jiguram,
PeSioribufque bumeros, & dextra membra Jinifiris,
Sen multis confiabit opus, paucifve figuris.
librarnemui ^^ ^ ^^ VaCU0 ne friZ^ Campo, H$
Aut defertafiet, dum pluribus altera formis Fervida
Ver. 125, Not the fame fhape, or -equal age have all.
Amongft the aftonifhing things in nature, it is not the leaft that the hu
man countenance fhould vary fo little, yet that little be fufficient to identify
every perion among fo many millions.
Ver. 128, And copy anions from th' expreffive mute.
A very ufeful precept, for fuch unhappy perfons -aft very expreffive, and
and by adban iupply the want of voice.

The Art of Tainting.
Not the fame fhape, or equal age have all,
Complexion like, or color of the hair,
Men's faces differ as their native climes.
Let fingle Members to their head conform,
Drapery and figure all unite, make one,
And copy actions from th* expreflive mute.
Let the chief perfon feize the middle fpace,
Glow eminent, and in the ftrongeft light,'
Unrival'd, unconfus'd, by thofe around.
Let objects be connefted ; yet, twixt groupes
Leave fpace ; left figures, ill difpers'd o'er all,
Diftract the fight, and from th' entangled parts
A tumult rages, clafhing andembroil'd.
And in thefe groupes, let not all bodies bend
With like inflections, motions, nor let limbs
Turn like each other, as they meant the fame ;
Different and contrary fome fhou'd tend,
Others tranfverfe, may crofs, and break the reft.
To figures fronting backs fhall be oppos'd;
To fhoulders breafts -, to the right fide the left ;
Or be there many in the piece, or few.
Let not this fide all void and vacant lie,
A defert fpace, while that enrich'd and full,
G 2 Teems

*1
2. Of diver-
fifying the fi
gures. 9. Of confor
mity of the
parti, of the
figure 'and the
drapery, loOfexpref-
Jive aclions
n. Of the
principal fi-
l^Ogure.

ll. Of groupes
andfipacesforrepofe.

'35

• 13. Ofdiver-
fiffing aclions
in the groupes.

140

^4^ ^ ^Ballancing
the fides of the
Compofition.

Ver, 1 45, Let not this fide all void and vacant lie,
A port folio of good pints, will fhew how well, and in what manner
great Mailers have obferved this precept.

i4> De Arte Graphica.
Fervida mole fua fupremam exurgit ad oram.
Sed tibific pofitis refpondeat utraque rebus,
Ut fi all quid furfum fe parte attolat in una,
Sic aliquid parte ex alia confurgat, & ambas 150
Mquiparet, geminas cumulando aquajiter oras.
25 . Numerus Pluribus implicitum perfonis drama fupremo
figurarum. In genere ut rarum efi ; multis ita denfa figuris
Rarior efi tabula excellens ; vel adhuc fere nulla
Prafiitit in multis, quod vix bene pr aflat in una [: 155
Quippe folet rerum nimio difperfa tumultu,
, Majeftate car ere gravi, requieque decora;
Nee fpeciofa nitit vacuo nifi libera Campo.
Sed fi opere in magna, plures thema grande requirat
Effe figurarum cumulos, fpeSlabitur una 160
Machina tota fei ; nonfingula quaquefeorfim.
16. Intemo- Pracipua extremis raro internodia membris
dia & pedes
exhibendi. Abdita fint : fed fumma pedum vefiigia nunquam.
17. Motus Gratia nulla manet, motufque, vigor que figuras
manuummo- . * *
tui capitis Retro aliisfubter majori ex parte latentes, 165
jungendis. . / ...
Ni capitis motum manibus comitentur agendo.
ofenda^indif- Difficilis fugito afpeSlus, contraSlaque vifu
'"m 'ofit* & Membra fub ingrato, motufque, aBufque coaSlos,
Quodque refert fignis, reiJos quodammodo traSlus,
Sive parallelos plures fimul, & vel acutas, 170
Vel geomef rales (ut quadra, triangula) formas : -In

CO

The Art of Tainting. 15
Teems to its utmoft edge, and fartheft bound j i^.Bailanc-
„ - . .- . . ing the fides of
.but fo contrive, if ought rife on one part, the compo.
Its oppofite with objects correfpond, "'
To ballance it; both fill'd, fhou'd counterpoife. i^.Thinum.
Perplex'd with many actors, as a play ^ ^ "ffig^s.
Seldom tranfcends, with numerous figures throng'd,
More rare is yet a Picture excellent ;
For none in many have deferv'd our praife,
Who fcarcely could perform one figure well; 155
In hurry, if too much o'ercharg'd, we lofe
Majeftick grandeur, graceful fweet repofe,
Nor beauty, urtlefs unembarras'd, fhines.
B u t if y@ur work be large and theme require,
Numbers and groupes together be all feen, 160
Not feparate and confus'd, but at one glance. 1 6. The knit-
The extremes of joints but rarely are conceal'd, ting, "f ioints
J .± ' and extremi-
The feet are never ; paint them always bare, ties- 17. The mo-
Grace, motion, vigour, ftill thofe figures Want, tion "f^
hands muft a-
Which others moftly hide, unlefs the hands sr& with the
^ „ ..,,,, ' expreffion of
Expreffive motion with the head agree. 165^ head in
figures behind.
Fly afpects difficult, fhortenings to fight, Jj 8* Wh"t
The limbs contracting hateful, motions forc'd, -voided in com-
° pofition.
Actions conftrain'd, ftraight fpaces, equal,
Repeated parallels or lines acute, 170
And geometric, as triangles, fquares ;
H And
Ver. 186. Fly afpecls difficult, &c.
Thefe maxims demand confideration; for no compofition can be good
where they are not obferved.

z6 De Arte Graphica.
Ingratamque parifignorum ex or dine quandam
Symmetriam : fed pracipua in contrariafemper
Signa volunt duci tranfverfa, ut diximus antd.
Summa igitur ratio fignorum habeatur in omni ijc
Compofito •, dat enim reliquis pretium, atque vigor em.
19. Natura Nonita natura afiantifis cuique revinflus,
genio ac- , .
commodan- Hanc prater nihil ut genio fiudioque relinquas ;
da. Necfine tefie rei natura, artifque magifira,
^uidlibet ingenio, memor ut tantummodo rerum, 180
Pingere poffe putes ; errorum efil plurimd fybva,
Multiplicefque Via,' bene agendi terminus unus ;
Linea reSla velut fola efi, & mille recurva.
Sed juxta antiquos naturam imitabre pulchram,
gualem forma rei propria, objeSlumque requirit. 185
20. Signa Non te igitur lateant antiqua numifmata, gemma,
antiqua na
tura; modum Vafa, typi, fiatua, cqlataque marmora fignis,
conftituunt. -.*''.
Quodque refert fpecie veterum pofi facula mentem ;
Splendidior quippe ex illis affurgit imago,
Magnaque fe rerum fades aperit meditanti ; 100
Tunc nofiri tenuem facli miferebere fort em,
Cumfpes nulla fiet reditura aqualis in avum. Exquifita

Ver. 185. To objeils giving beauteous proper forms.
Not fatisfying ourfelves with flight fketches and hints only, but aim
ing at truth, in order to which we fhou'd know not only what objefts are,
but alfo what they ought to be ; fo as to choofe fuch as are worthy imi
tation ; and not to lofe and mifpend time and labour on things not deferv-
ing it. ' Here reafon and good fenfe come in, for without them a tolerable
hand and eye never will raife any one above a mere copyift.

19. Govern
imitation by
knowledge,
knowledge by
imitation.

The Art of Tainting. %y
And what makes regular difgufting forms,
Principal lines tranfverfe, as we have faid,
And contrary fhould tend ; this your chief care
Thro' all the compofition fhall deferve, 175
'Twill force and value give to every part.
Nor be in all fo ftrict to nature bound,
You. nought to ftudy or to genius leave;
Nor fov'reign miftrefs think without her teft,
That what you lift you can by memory paint ; 180
Errors have many labyrinths, various ways;
Of well performing there is only one,
One fole ftraight line ; there are a thoufand curves.
A s did the antients, nature imitate,
To objects giving beauteous proper forms. 185
Nor to thee therefore be their works unknown, „„ *¦,
' 20. The an.
Their gems, intaglio's, vafes, coins, releifs,
Cameos, ftatues, all that hath refer 'd
To diftant ages their fuperior minds ; 1 90
Thence more exalted will conceptions rife
To him, who meditates the face of things,
And then our languid times and fate he'll grieve,
Void even of hope that fuch fhall e'er return.
H2 If

tique remains
fhou'd diretl
our ftudies.

Ver. 187. Their gems, intaglios, vafes, coins, relievo.
All which affift ; however, I would advife the ftudent in this art, ftill to
mix the ftudy of life with thefe however fine, yet inanimate objefts. Pauffin
had, perhaps, pleafed us more if nature had been as musji ftudy'd in his
figures as in his landfcapes. Nor had Csrregio or Titian charm'd us fo much,
if they had fubmitted to the fame reftraint of imitating the antique ftatue.
Rubens form'd a manner that had little regard to them, and good colouring is
only to be learnt from nature itfelf.

i8 De Arte Graphica.
21. Sola fi- Exquifita (let forma, dum fola figura
guraquomo- . . . ; .
dotradtanda. Pingitur ; & multis variata coloribus efio.
Lati, ampliq-,finus pannorum, & nobilis crdo iq§
22. Quid in Membra fequens, fubter laiitantia, lumine & umbra
pannis ob- . f r r r
fervandum. Exprtmet ; ille licet tranjverjus Jape feratur,
Et circumfufos pannorum porrigat extra
Membra Jinus ; non contiguos, ipfifque figura
Partibus imprefjos, quafi pannus adhareat illis y zoo
Sed mo dice expreffos cum lumine fervet & umbris :
Sluaque intermiffis pafifim funt diffita vanis,
Copulet, induBis fubterve, fuperve lacernis.
Et membra, ut magnis, paucifque expreffa lacertis,
Majefiate all is pr a ft ant, forma, atque decor e : 205
Haudfecus in pannis, . qucsfupra optavimus amplos,
Perpaucos finuum fiexus, rugafque, firiafque,
Membra fuper, verfufaciles, inducer e pr aflat.
Naturaque rei propriusfit pannus, abundans
Patriciis ; fuccinclus erit, crafufque bubulcis, 2 1 o
Mancipiifque ; levis teneris, gracilifque puellis.
Inque cavis maculifque umbrarum aliquando tumefcet,
Lumen ut excipiens, operis qua mafifa requirit,
Latius extendat, fublatifque aggreget umbris.

23. Quid Nobilia armajuvant virtutum, ornantque figuras, 215
ferat ad t&.Qualia mufarum, belli cultufque deorum,
bulse orna-
mentum. AW

The Art of Tainting. 2.9
If one fole figure's painted, be the form 2'- How to
, . . treat a Jingle
Well ftudy'd, colours various, rich. figure.
BRoar>, ample be of draperies the folds, 195 22. What to
In noble order flowing o'er the limbs, "drlpriZ
Which underneath let light and fhade exprefs ;
And though tranfverfe they often may be borne,
And circumfus'd, ftill may they ftretch beyond,
Not feem contiguous to imprefs the parts, 200
As clofe adhering to the figure bound,
Yet mod'rate all, with light and fhade preferved,
What every where, void, empty fpace divides,
Connect with folds, above, beneath, out-fpread :
And as the limbs, with mufcles large and few, 205
Others excell in grandeur, form and grace,
So, nor yet diff 'rent, as above we've wifh'd,
Are draperies with a few large bending parts,
Sinkings and plaits, which ply as the limbs turn.
To perfons what are proper be aflign'd ;
Such as are dignify 'd require long robes; 210
Succinct and coarfe mark flaves and country hinds ;
Light, thin and airy fuit the tender maid ;
In the receffes and dark blots of fhade,
As light receiving, folds may fometimes fwell,
' The mafs expanding if the work requires,
More broad enlarg'd by the diminifh'd fhades.
The arms and enfigns of the virtues grace, 215
And decorate the figures; fuch belong ornamental.
To war, the mufes, and religious rites.
I Nor

30 De Arte Graphica.
24. Oma- Necfit opus nimium gemmis auroque refertum ;
mentum auri . . . .
& gemma- Rara etenim magno in pretio, fed plurima vili.
rum.
25,Prototy- Quce deinde ex vero neque ant prafente videri,
pus.
Prototypum prius illorum for mare juvabit. 220
26. Con- Conveniat locus, atque habitus ; ritufque decufque
venientia re- , ,
rum cum Servetur : fit nobihtas, charitumque venzi/las,
27.Charites (Rarum homini munus, calo, non arte petendum.)
28. Res Natura fit ubique tenor, ratioque fequenda.
cum^uum" Non vicina pedum tabulata excelfa tonantis 225
Aftra domus depitta gerent, nubefque notofque ;
Nee mare depreffum laquearia fumma, vel or cum-,
Marmoreamque feret cannis vaga pergula molem :
Congrua fed propria femper Jlatione locentur.

tencat.

tus.

29. Affec- Hac prater, motus animorum, & corde repoftos 230
Exprimere affecJus, paucifque coloribus ipfam
Pingere poffe animam, atque oculis prabere videndam,
Hoc opus, hie labor eft. Pauci, quos aequus amavit
Juppiter, aut ardens evexit ad sethera virtus,
Dis fimiles, potuere manu mir acuta tanta. 235
Hos ego rhetoribus traSiandos defero ; tantiim
Egregii antiquum memorabo fophifma magifiri,
Verius affectus animi vigor exprimit ardens,
Solliciti nimium quam fedula cura laboris. Denique

The Art of Tainting.
Nor too replete the work with gold or gems ;
Rare things are held of price, the plenty fcorn'd.
Whate'er we cannot prefent have to view,
Drawings, or models of them fhall fupply.
To countries fuit the modes ; cuftoms obferve,
Decorum, noblenefs with grace unite>
Rare gift to man, from heaven not art befought.
To nature fo tenacious hold in all,
And reafon's dictates, as not near the depth,
The very bottom of the piece, to draw
Jove's ftarry frame, or clouds, or winds, or make
High at the top the fea's deprefTed waves,
Or gloomy Orcus, or the pond'rous weight
Of marble place on the light flender reed ;
Congrous be all, and in due ftation fix'd.
And thefe, befide emotions of the mind,
The heart's infelt affections to exprefs,
And animate few colours, call the foul
Forth vifible to fight, is labour, toil.
Few, righteous Jove, in this hath bounteous bleft,
Or arduous virtue to the fkies upborne,
Above mortality with powers divine,
So great, fuch miracles are wronght by hands.
Of thefe to treat, I rhetoricians leave,
From the great antients only this fhall quote,
Paffions more true, from flrong conceptions touch' d,
Than anxious labour, or toofed'hus care,
I 2 Admit

31 ¦v.
24. How
far jewels
and gold may
be ifed.
25. To fup
ply the want
220 of real objeas.
26. Confif-
tence of man
ners with
countries. 27. Grace
and grandeur.
225
28. Propri
ety to be ob
ferved in all.

23° zg.The paf
fions.

*15

It De Arte Graphica.
30. Gotho- Denique nil Capiat gothorum barbara trito 24.6
rum orna- ~
menta fugi- Qrnamenta mo do, faclorum & monfira malorum :
^ueis ubi bella, famem, & peflem, difcordia, luxus,
Et Romanorum res grandior intulit orbi,
Ingenua peri ere artes, periere fuperba
Artificum moles ; fua tunc miracula vidit 245
Ignibus abfumi piSiura ; latere coacla
Fornicibus, fortem & reliquam confider e cryptis ;
Marmoribufque diu fculptura jacere fepultis.
Imperium interea, fcelerum gravitate fatifcens,
Horrida nox totum invafit, donoque fuperni 250
Luminis indignum errorum caligine merfit,
Impiaque ignaris damnavit facia tenebris.
Unde color atum graiis hue ufque magiflris '
255.CHR0. j\[H fuperefl tantorum hominum, quod mente modoque
matice ter- J £ J * i
tia pars pic- Nofirates juvet artifices, doceat que labor em ; 255
Nee qui chromatices nobis, hoc tempore, partes
Refiituat, quales Zeuxis traSlaverat olim,
Hujus quando magd velut arte aquavit Apellem
Pifforum Archigraphum, meruitque coloribus altam
Nominis aterni famam, toto orbe fonantem. 260
Hac quidem ut in tabulis fallax, fed grata venu/las,
Et complementum graphidos (mirabile vifu) Pulchra
Ver. 253. Hence coloured from the Greeks nothing remains.
How grateful muft it have been to have beheld what wonders that inimi
table choice, juft proportion, and propriety of expreffion (of which we have
fuch amazing proofs in the remains of antiquity) would have done, accom
panied with colours, lights, fhades, &c. for from fuch fcraps of their Paint
ing as are fpar'd to us we can form no idea adequate to their known excel lent

tura;

The Art of Tainting, 33
Admit no barbarous gothic ornaments, 240 30-T" awid
gothic orna-
Chimeras ftrange, brooded in evil times,

ments.

But worn out now ; thefe famine, difcord, war,
Peftilence, luxury, and of Roman power
Th' unweildy weight, brought forth upon the world ;
Perifh'd ingenuous arts, perifh'd proud piles,
Its monuments ; Painting then too beheld 245
Her wonders, wrapt in all-devouring flames,
Or elfe condemn'd her fmall remains to truft
To vaults and fepulchres ; then bury'd long,
And whelm'd in its own ruins., fculpture lay.
I n the mean fpace, the empire fpent with crimes,
Darknefs o'erfpreads, horrid, of light, heav'n's gift, 250
Unworthy, and immers'd in errors fad,
To chearlefs ignorance doom'd the impious age.
H e n ce colour'd from the Greeks nothing remains,,
Prodigious men, to fhew their tafte and ftyle,
And teach our artifts a right way to toil. 255
Nor is, who may to us thofe parte reftore,
In which excelling Zeuxis fight deceiv'd, Jft/J °Z'rd
Mated Apelles, firft in art, and rais'd, ^f*fJ
Nor yet unmerited, a deathlefs name.
-Colouring with faithlefs, but yet pfeafing, charms,
Compleats the work, makes wonderful to fight ;
K Fair
lence in thefe points. The Aldobrandine Marriage has too much of the
baflbreleivo, no body has imitated it; and many modern. Painter's works
are fuperior to it. A Satyr's head in tlie Barberini palace is in a better
ftyle, very mafterly in the execution : but whether tinie has irijur'd the co
lours or not, there is now no knowing; br that it ever had any great merit
of that kind : as to what Herculatieum has produced, accounts vary fo much,
ve can ixy nothing certain.

^ De Arte Graphica.
Pulchra vocabatur, fedfubdola, lenafororis :
Non tamen hoc lenocinium, fucufque, dolufque
Dedecorifuii unquam ; illi fed femper honori, 265
Laudibus & meritis $ banc ergo nofe juvabit.
Lux varium, vivumque dabit, nullum umbra, colorem.
Quo magis adverfum efi corpus, lucique propinquumt
Clarius efi lumen ; nam debiUtatur eundo.
Quo magis efi corpus directum, oculifque propinquum,,
Confpicitur melius ; nam vifus hebefcit eundo. 271
Ergo in corporibus, qua vifa adverfa, rotundis,
Integra fint, extrema abfcedant perdita fignis
3i.Tono- confufis non pracipiti labentur in umbram
rum lumi- J J ' t -J
num & urn- clara vradu, nee abumbrata in clara alta repente 27c
brarum ra- e> > *
tio. Prorumpant ; fed erit fenfim hinc atque inde meatus
Lucis & umbrarum; capitifque unius ad infiar,
Totum opus, ex multis quamquamfit partibus^ unus
Luminis umbrarumque globus tantummodo fiet,,
Sive duas, vel tres adfummum,, ubi grandius effef 280
Divifum pegma in. partes fiatione remotas.
Sintque ita difcreti inter fe, ratione colorum;
Luminis, umbrarumque, antrorfum ut corpora clara-
Obfcura umbrarum rmuies fpeBanda. relinquat -,
Claroque exiliant. um&rata atque afpera campo.. 285:
Ac
Ver. 2.76. But both with gentle, Wc
Nature, no lefs indulgent to fight than to our other fenfes, rarely fuffers
violent or harfh oppofitions ; fhe cloaths the earth with green, which par
takes of the. azure, or whatever other colours the fky is of, till it is divide^..

The Art of Tainting. 3?
Fair fhe is call'd, but wily, as with fraud,
Solicitous to gain her fifter'S love ;
But yet her fraud alluring, nor her wiles
Were fhame to- her, but ever honour deem'd, 265
And worthy praife, and this to know fhall help.
Light various vivid colour gives, the fhade gives none :
An object more oppos'd and near its fource,
Partakes it more; it weakens going off".
What is direct, approaching near the eye 270
Is feen diftinct, lefs fo as it removes.
Therefore, of bodies round, oppos'd, and full, ST. Of the
Th' extremes receding, fhould be dim and faint, "djufting the
¦nt 1 1 i-i • • n j tonei °f Aff^*
Nor let clear lights precipitate, on fhade, and fhade.
Nor let dark fhades abruptly rufh on light, 275
But both with gentle foft tranfition blend;
And as. of one fole head let all the piece,
Altho.' of many parts compofed, make one,
One only mafs, or two, or three, not morej 28a
When- large the work, or from a diftance feen.
So feparate be colours, light and fhade,
That objects bright be on th' obfcure releiv'cF,
And fhadow'd objects feen diftinct on light. 285
K 2 As

from it by the horizon ; the morning and' evening fun gleams over and tinc
tures all with its golden beams ; the fnadows, which otherwife would be too-
opaque, are tempered and enlightened by the furrounding blue of the
heavens ; the fkins of animals are beautifully ftain'd and variegated by
diffufions of darker colours ; and the feathered kind are luxurioufly enrich 'd
with beauteous and etherialhues, all tranfides ; nothing is abrupt* harflvdiffa-
nant, or uivpleafing.

grj De Arte Graphica.
Ac veluti in fpeculis convexis, eminet ante,
Afperior reipfd vigor, & vis auSla colorum
Parti bus adverfis ; magis & fuga rupta retrorfum
Illorum efi (ut vifa minus vergentibus oris)
Corporibus dabimus for mas hoc more rotundas. 2 go
Mente modoque igitur plafies, & pidlor, eodem
Difpofitum traciabit opus ; qua fculptor in orbem
Afterit, hac rupto procul abfcedente colore
Affequitur piSlor, fugientiaque ilia retrorfum
yam fignata minus confufa coloribus aufert : 29S^
Anteriora quidem direSle adverfa, colore
Integra vivaci, fummo cum lumine & umbra
Antrorfum difiinfia refert, velut afpera vifu.
Si c que fuper planum inducit leucoma color es.
Hos velut ex ipfd natura immotus eodem 300
Intuitu circum fiat u as daret inde rotundas.
Cor- D enf a figurarum folidis qua corpora formis
V^tt^fJ* Subdita Cunt taclu, non tranflucent, fed opaca
*ran,,ucen- jn tranfiUcendi fpatio ut fuper aera, nubes,
Lympida fiagna undarum, & inania catera debent 30 c
Afperior a illis prope circumfiantibus effe ;
Ut di'd'uiSla magis firmo cum lumine & umbra,
Et gravioribus ut fuficnta coloribus, inter
Aerius fpe cie s fubfijlant jemper opaca :
Sed contra, procul abcedant per lucid a, den [is .« Tq
{'.¦•rporibijs leviora ; u'i nubes, aer, & unda. Ncn

The Ant &f Tamtittg. %*?
As in a convex .glafs the part projects
Neareft the light, -ihdnes fharp, wMa colours -ftroag,
While thofe declining, weaken as remov'd,
Grow dim ; tis fo round bodies we fhoaldTpaint. zyb
With like intent Painter and fculptor treat
Their works ; that, with his chizel, rounding off
What this, with broken colours, makes recede,
Diftancing faint, on parts projecting near, 29?
Heaps glaring colour with ftrong light and ihade,
Brings forward and diftinct refers to fight,
And fo the whole diipofes on a plane,
So ftrengthens and releives that duly feen, 300
Figures as ftatues ftanding forth feem round.
Denfe bodies, folid forms, apt to die touch, Dark
And not with light impregnate, but opaque, b°dies on li^f
In a tranfparent fpace of air or clouds,
Or limped ftagnant waters, or ought bright,
More fharp than objects near them be pronounc'd, 305
Be more exprefs'd and firm with light and fhade,
And with more heavy colours too fuftain'd,
Subfifting, might bright fpaces ftill opaque ;
But contrary the lucid and more bright 310
Far fhall abfcede, as clouds, the air, and waves.
L Weft-

38 De Arte Graphic*.
33. N3n Non poterunt diverfa locis duo lumina eddem
duo ex ccelo .... ....
lumina in ta- In tabula paria admitti, aut aqualia pingi :
quaiia. Majus at in mediam lumen cadet ufque tabellam
Latius infufum, primis qua fumma figuris 315
Res agitur, circumque oras minuetur eundo :
Utque in progreffu jubar attenuatur ab ortu
Soils ad occafum paulatim, & ceffat eundo ;
Sic tabulis lumen, tota in compage colorum,
Primo dfontey minus fenfim declinat eundo. 320
Majus ut infiatuis, per compita Jlantibus urbis,
Lumen habent partes fupera, minus inferiores ;
.Idem erit in tabulis : majorque nee umbra, vel ater
Membra figurarum intrabit color , atque fecabit :
Corpora fed circum umbra cavis latitabit oberrans : 325
Atque ita quaretur lux opportuna figuris,
Ut late infufum lumen lata umbra fequatur.
Unde, nee immeritb, ftrtur Titianus ubique
Lucis & umbrarum normam appelldffe Racemum. Purum

Ver. 3 2 j. But round them, in receffes MA,fhotfdftray.
This line bears in it the beft principle of force that was ever difcover'd
and is, whatever may be pretended, very little known ; therefore may
deferve refleftion. Prints of Corregio, Rubens, Vandyke, &c. will afford fpe-
cimens of its ufe : it alfo regards colours and is the beft means of fettinir
them off, and helping the frailty of thefe feeble materials. '
I muft here, as appertaining to the fame precept, obferve that our author
has no where mentioned the Chi aro f euro in Italian, or Clara obfeuro in La
tin ; terms varioufly apply'd, but feldom rightly, meaning only what the
words imply, a clear fhadow, which gives fuch beauty and tendernefs to
flefh. The

TJoe Art of Tainting.
Nor fhall two lights from different parts appear
In the fame piece painted with equal force,
But let the greater on the middle fall
More broad diffus'd, where the chief figures are, 315
And moft important bufinefs is in act ;
Wafting itfelf and weakning to its verge.
But as from its firft eaftward dawn, the fun,
Or weft declining, fheds a feebler ray,
In pictures fo deriv'd from its prime font,
Light over all fhould gleam fo be difpers'd,
And fo infenfibly fhou'd lofe and fade. 320
As ftatues, which the public ways adorn,
Have their fuperior parts enlighten'd moft,
The inferior left, fo pictures fhou'd be made.
Nor dark, or ftronger black fhou'd interfect,
Or harfhly entering objects feem to cut,
But round them, in recefies hid, fhou'd ftray : 325
And fo to figures opportune feek light,
That broad diffus'd, broad fhadows may fucceed,
Whence with good reafon Titian, faid, of this
A bunch of cluft'ring grapes fhou'd be our rule.
L 2 Pure

39

3 3. Two e-
qual lights not
in the fame
PiHure.

The early Painters, who drudg'd after living objefts in clbfe places, where
no reflections (they being furrounded with darknefs) could relieve the opa
que fide, flavifhly followed what they faw, and endeavoui'd, in vain,, by
flrong fhadows, to give force : but in procefs of time, by obferving objects
in the open air, where all is clear and perfpicuous, the dark as well as the
illumined part they began to emancipate, and help'd by the above principle
of darks in receffes, gave a greater force and finer maffes to their works
than had been known; and compofitions, however large or diftant from the,
eye, had their due effeft and were feen with proportionable pleafure.

4,o De Arte Graphica.
34. Album Purum'albumeffe potefi propi ufque magifque remotumf^o
& nigrum. . . , . .„
Cum nigro antevenit propius ; fugit abfque remotum :
Purum autum' nigrum antrorfum venit ufque propinquum.
Lux fucata fuo tingit, mifcetque colore
Corpora, ficque fuo, per quern lux funditur, aer.
3;. Colo- Corpora jun&a fimul, circumfufoque colcres 335
rum refleftio. £xcipi'unf} propriumque aliis radiofa refiedlunt.
Pluribus in folidis liquiddfub luce propinquis,
colorum. Participes, mixtofque fimul decet effe colores.
Hanc Normam Veneti Pi&ores rke fequuti,
(Qua fuit antiquis corrupntio dicta colorum) 340
Cum plures opere in magno pofuere figuras $
Ne conjunct a fimul variorum inimica colorum
Congeries formam implicitam, & concifa mimitis
Membra daret pannis, totam unamquamque figuram
Afifini, aut uno t ant urn vefiir\ colore, 345
Sunt foliti ; variando tonis tunicamque togamque
Carbafeofque finus, vel amicum in lumine & umbra
Contiguis circum rebus foci ando color em.
37. Aer in- Qua minus efi fpacii aerei, aut qua purior aer,
tei-pofitus.
CunSta magis difhnaa patent, Jpeciefque refervant : 3.J0
Qudque magis denfus nebulis, aut plurimus aer

Amplum

The Art if Tainting, 4,1
Pure white may be, or nigh, or elfe remote, J4- White
and black %
With black comes onward, but without flies off;
Pure black, will not be diftanc'd, will be near.
Light, with its hue, does every object tinge,
On which it falls, and with its colours mix,
As doth the air thro* which the light is pour'd.
Bodies. together join'di from colours round 33 c ^.There-
Their tincts receive, reflecting back their own, ilJ^ "'
Many near objects, feen in one clear light, , v .
Colours fhou'd have participating mix'd j colours.
This rule Venetian Painters have bbferv'd,
(A breaking of them by the antients call'd) 340
When many figures in large works they plac'd,
Left various difagreeing colours joined,
A heap perplex the forms, divide the parts
With portions of fmall narrow draperies j
And every figure with fefembling tincts, 345
Or one fole colour cloath'd, by different tones
Diftinguifhing the garments, fine from courfe,
And thofe were outward worn, from thofe within ;
Or with foft amicable light and fhade,
And focial colour they connected all.
In lefs aerial fpace, or air more pure,
Things more diftinct appear, their forms preferv'd; 350 dflmofair!'
If denfe, with clouds more hazy, thick, and grofs,
M And

qx De Arte Graphica.
Amplum inter fueritfpatium porrecJus, in auras
Confundet rerum fpecies, & perdet inanes.
38. Diftan- Anteriora magis femper fiinita, remotis
tio. Incertis dominentur & abfcedentibm, idque ^SS
More relativo, ut majora minoribus extent.
39. Corpora CunSta- minuta procul maffam denfantur in unam j
procul diftan- . .
tia.. Ut folia arboribusfylvarum, & in aquore fluShts.
40. Conti- Contigua inter fe co'e'ant, fed diffita difient,
gua ' ' * Difiabuntque tamen grato, & difcrimine parvp: 360
41 Contra- , Extrema extremis contraria jungere noli :
ria extrema J °
fugienda. Sed medio fint ufque gradu fociata colon's.
42. Tonus Corporum erit tonus atque color variatus ubique 3
& color varii. ...
Quarat amiatiam retro ; ferus emicet ante.
43, Luminis Supremum in tabulis lumen captare diet, 36 j
deieftus. Infanus labor artificum ; citm attingere tantum
Non pigment a que ant : auream fed vejpere lucem j
Seu modicum mane albentem ; five atheris a&am
Pojl hyemem nimbis transfufo file caducam $
Seu nebulis fultam accipient, tonitruque ritbentem. 370
44. Qua:. Levia qua lucent, veluti cryflalla, metalla,
praxim. Ligna, offa, & lapides ; villofa, ut vellera, pelles,
Barba, aqueique oculi, crines, holoferica, pluma ;
Et
Ver. 365. To aim at the meridian blaxe of gay.
Iwouldadvife a painter, however, whofe end is art, altho* he do not
make pictures of them, to try every effeft of nature for his ftudy • Rubens
it is obvious form d a mam from experiments, partly of the fun's
light, and alfo from others, which he made. It may be] impoffible

355

The Art of Tainting.
And diftant more, uncertain all appear,
Their forms confounded, faint, imperfects loft.
* Parts neareft finiih'd more than the remote,
Shall ever govern them, weak going off,
But relative as great things do the lefs.
Small things feen far do all compofe one mafs,
As couritlefs leaves on trees in bow'ring woods,
Or waves that furrow up a diftant fea.
What's near let join, diftant divide remov'd,
With gentle difference yet, grateful to fight.
Mix not extremes with contrary extremes ;
Gradual a medium keep with focial Tincts.
Colours of bodies, tones, vary over all,
Tender they keep behind, glow foremoft ftrong.
To aim at the meridian blaze of day,
Which colours cannot reach, is frantic toil j
Chufc rather the mild ev'ning's golden beams,
Or the pale morning's grey and modeft light ;
Or when aflant the heav'ns, the ftorm, now o'er,
The fun gleams forth ; or wrapt in outftretch'd clouds,
Swoln with loud burfting thunder, red it glares. 370
Smooth polifh'd furfaces, chyrftal, bones, wood,
Metals and ftones, fhaggy, as wool, fkins, beards ;
Aqueous, as locks, bright eyes, filks, feather'd plumes ;
M 2 Tran-

4?

38. Of the
keeping or dij-
tancing ob
jects.

39. Diftant
objecls.

40. Bodies
o 60 contiguous and
feparate. 41. Violent
oppofitimis to
be avoided.
42. Ofntr
colours and
Tones.
» 6 C 43 • Choice of
* J Light.

44. The
handling o:
penceling.

to reach it; but fometling maybe attain'd worth, nay overpaying, the trouble.
Thechemift finds often, in the purfuit of one fecrc-t, another perhaps, more
valuable. Claud, toraine aim'd ever - vnt t:-.s.- fun itfelf, which, tho'
he fail'd of, yet his Ikies are the bn^utcit and beft ever painted.

44 De Arte Graphica.
Et liquida, utfiagnans aqua, reflexaque fub undis
Cor pore a fpecies, & aquis confer mina cu.n£la, 375
Subter ad extremum liquidefint pidla, fuper que
Luminibus percuffafuis, fignifque repofiis.
4;. Campus Area, vel campus tabula vagus efio, levifque
Abfcedat latus, liquideque bene unStus amicis
Tot a ex mole coloribus, una five patella ; 380
Quaque cadunt retro in campum, confinia campo.
46^ Color yfoidus ea0 color nimio non pallidas albox
vividus, noa J ¦ « - *
tamenpaih- Adverfifque locis ingefius plurimus ardens :
Sed leviter parceque datus vergentibus oris.
47. Umbra. CunSla labor efimul co'e'ant, velut umbra in eddem. 385
48. Ex una Tota fiet tabula ex una depidla patella.
bulla. Malta ex natura fpeculum praclara docebit -,
lumpfftorum Quaque procul fero fpatiis fpeBantur in. amplis.
m&o EKmidia Dimidia effigies, qua fola, vel Integra plures
figura, vel in- yqnfe a}jas p0fita ad lucem, flat proxima vifu, -jao
tegra ante a- r J . •*"
lias. Et latis fpeSlanda locis, oculifque remota,
Luminis umbrarumque gradu fit piSla fupremo.
Effi ¦ Partibus in minimis imitatio jufia juvabit
Effgiem, alternas referenda tempore eodem
Confimi les partes -, cum luminis atque color is 30c
Compofitis, jufiifque Tom's ; tunc part a labore
Si facili & vegeto mkat ardens, viva videtur. Vifa

The Art of Tainting.. 44?
Tranfparent, as ftill waters, and the forms
Corporeal they reflect ; all things like thefe, 375
Liquid and clear till the laft touches paint ;
Then fharply ftrike the lights, the fines replace.
The fcene, or back ground, fhou'd be light and free, ^.f he back
Receding gradual with foft fbcial tincts,
From all the colours in fweet union wrought j 3 80
And objects in at fhou'd due diftance keep.
Vivid be colours, nor too pate, or white,
On objects near, heap'd, hodied, glowing ftrong ;
But thin and fparing, at the goings off".
Let all, as labour'd in one fhade, unite. 385 -^.Aiia-
The whole fhou'd from one pallet painted feem.
Much excellent from nature mirrours teach,
And things, feen far in fpacious views at eye.
If a half figure's painted, or a whole,
Before the reftadvane'd, approach the light.
Be next the eye, from places large and wide,
At diftance view'd, the force of light and fhadej 3 90
In this, with its tranfitions be fupreme.
Small parts with imitation juft fhall add
To portraits femblance, what are fimilar,
Touching alternately, and at one time, 395
And when of light and colour well ton'd tincts,
The whole's compos'd, your labour's end's attain'd ;
If then 'tis painted, facile, lively, bold,
It quits the canvas, animated lives.
N Pictures

' ground.

46. Force
"without pale-
iiefs.

greeing. Afi-From the
fame pallet.
49. The
Xooking-glafs of ufe.
50. Figures
advanced Be
fore others.

^.Por
traits. ,

4.6 De Arte Graphica,
52. Locus yifa loco anguflo tenere pingantur, amico
tabulae. •«-«/"«
Junfta colore, graduque ; procul qua pifta, fefoct
Sint £? inaquali variata colore, fonoque. ; 400
Grandia figna volunt fpatia ampla, ferofque colons.
Lu • Lumina lata, unffias fimul undique copulet umbras
lata. Extremus labor. In tabulas demiffa feneftrisr
54. Quanti- JJ J J
tas luminis 5/ fuerit lux parva?, color clariffimus efio :.
tabu\ae&cx- yividus at contra, obfcurufque, in lumine aperto. 405
Errores ^^ vacuis divifd cavis, vitare memento ;
& vma pic- Trita, minuta, fimul qua non fiipata dehifcunt ;
Barbara, cruda oculis, rugis fucata colorum],
Luminis umbrarumque t'onis aqualia cunSl-a j ,
Foe da, cruenta, cruces, obfccena, ingrata,' chimeras, 41®
Sordidaque & mifera, & vel acuta, vel afpera taftu ;
Quaque dabunt forma, temere congefta, ruinam,
Implicit as aliis conf undent mixtaque partes.
Dumque fugis vitiofa, cave in contraria labi
_56.Pruden- jyamna mali; vitium extremis nam femper inharet. aic
tia in pictore. J r t'J
Pulchra gradu fummo, graphidos fiabilita vetufia ;
tiumidsata- Nobilibus fignis, funt grandia, diffita, pura, '
Terfa, velut minime confufa, labore ligata,
Partibus ex magnis paucifque eff£la, colorum
Corporibus difiintfa feris, fed femper amicis. ' .420 %ui

The Art of Tainting.
Pictures feen clofely fhould be painted neat,
Tenderly wrought, with colours that unite ; 400
Seen far fhou'd glare, with tincts oppos'd and ftrong;
Diftance requires vaft lines and colours fierce.
Broad lights, melting around, unite with fhade,
Labour extreme ; and where fmall apertures,
Or windows low, admit but little light ;
The colours fhou'd be ftrong, vivacious, clear ;
In open day, the contrary, obfcure.
Things, with vacuities divided, fhun,
The trifling, common, or what not connects,
But leaves a chafm ; the barbarous, and fuch
Whofe nature muft offend and fhock the fight;
Streight narrow fpaces, ftain'd with different tincts,
Or lights, and fhades, uf one fame equal tone ;
The foul, the bloody, cruel and obfeene,
Odious, fantaftick, fordid, mean, acute,
Or whofe afperities the touch difpleafe,
In ruins heap'd up, undigefted forms,
All that confounds with mix'd entangled parts.
Whilft faults avoiding, warily take heed :
On contraries tis evil's curfe to Hide :
Vice ftill is found inherent in extremes.
Supreme perfection, antient mafters held,
Muft have large lines, forms great and unperplex'd,
Clean, pure, be in no wife confus'd, or yet
With labour ftiff, refult from few -tc^ parts,
Diftinct with colours ftrong, vy, .; ¦ : al all. 420
Who

4?
$2.The_jlace
of 'the piSure.

53, Broad
lights.

54. The
light to be
confidered whence the
^ 5 picture is feen.
SJ. Things
to be avoided.

4IO

56. Shunning
one extreme
4 1 5 nue muft be
aivare of
another. 5 7. The an
tient idea of
a fine picluve.

$H De Arte Graphica.
58. Pifior cj>yi' bate ccepit, uti fatJi jam fertur habere
Dimidium ; piBuram ita nil, fub limine primo
Ingrediens, puer, offendit damnofius arti,
Quam varia errorum genera, ignorante magifiro,
Ex pr avis lib are Typis, mentemque veneno 425
Inficere in toto quod non abfiergitur avo.
Nee graphidos rudis artis adhuc cito qualiacunque
Corpora viva fuper, fiudium meditabitur, ante
Illorum quam fymmetriam, internodia, formam
Noverit, infpeSlis, doSto evolvente magifiro, 430
Archetypis ; dulcefque dolos prafenferit artis.
Plufque manu ante oculos quam voce docebitur ufus.
bet9fe?v7rede~ %*** artem qu&cunque jitvant ; fuge quaq; repugnant.
pifton non Corpora diverfa natura junSta placebunt j
60. Ocdlos sic ea qua facili contempt a labor e videntur : aoc
recreant di- # p '^ ^
verfitas & o- JEthereus quippe ignis inefi & fpiritus illis ;
peris facili -
tas, quae fpe- Mente diu verfata, manu celeranda repenti.
ciatim ars .
dicitur. Arfque labor que opens grata fie fraude latebit .--
Maxima deinde erit ars, nihil artis imffe videri.
Nee prius inducas tabula pigmenta colorum, 440
Expenfa quamfigna typifiabilita nitefcant,
typus inr° Lt menti prafens open's fit pegma futuri .
mente, apo-
graphum in P'ravalent
tela.

Ver. 440. Nor. on the canvas yet the colours fpread.
If this precept be not duly obferved in an hiftorical Compofition, it will
very much embarrafs the Painter in his procefs of the work-, and create many

The Art of Tainting. 49
Who well begins is faid to have done half, s8- ne
c ¦!_•»• f n %. vditantage of
bo nothing, entnng on firft rudiments, a good, and
The pupil more can hurt ot art offend, bad.Za/iel.
Than doth of errors all the various kinds,
Which ign'rant mafters broach ; for fo mifled,
So with bad things the tafte corrupt," depraved, 425
Life fcarce fhall ferve to wear th' infection out.
Nor uninform'd beginners yet fhou'd draw
From living objects, or thefe meditate,
'Ere taught anatomy, proportion, form, 430
>Ere with a learned mafter well revolv'd,
And exercis'd from good originals ;
And felt the fweet deceptions of the art.
More can the hands explain than words can teach.
Seek what may help your art, repugnant fly. 59. A rule
Bodies of different natures join'd fhall pleafe, ftudy°M
If painted freely, as with labour fcorn'd ; 43 5 thl'anTfT-
For there in thefe a fire, a fpirit, breathes. " lty f '"•'''
Long practice, and a fwift and ready hand.-
Still ftudy, labour hide, with grateful fraud,
Then art is greateft, when it feems not art.
Nor on the canvas yet the colours fpread, 440 6,. jhede.
»Ere the defign be weigh'd, and fettled well, g^jj
And prefent to your mind the future work. t^lefZe
O T pt'we Proceeii on
• the work it-

fi'f-

many fuch difficulties as will fruftra'te that eafe, chearfulnefs, and delight,
neceffary to produce what is good or pleafing.

fo De Arte Graphica.
6z.Circinus Pravaleat fenfus rationi, qua officit arti
in oculis. _ ""
Confpicua ; inque oculis tantummodo eircinus efip.
63. Super- Vtere doclorum monitis, necfperne fuperbus 445
nocrtpiuri- I^ifcere, qua de te fuerit fententia vulgi.
Efi cacus nam quifquefuis in rebus, & expers
Judicii, prolemque fuam miratur amatque.
Afi ubi confilium deerit fapientis amici,
Id tempus dabit, atque mora intermiffa /abort. 4 e o
Non facili s tamen ad nut us, & inania vulgi
DiBa, levis 'mutahis opus, geniumque relinques :
Nam qui parte fua fperat bene poffe mereri
Multivaga de plebe, nocet fibi, nee placet ulli.
56. yvZS, Cumque opere in propria foleat fe pingere piffor, 455
treaty. (Prolem adeo fibi ferre parent natura fuevit)
Proderit imprimis picJori yrS^i <na.f\hy,
Ut data qua genio colatf abfiineatque negatis,
FruBibus utque fuus nunquam efi fapqr, atque wwftas
Floribus, infuetp in fun^o, pracoce fub anni a fa
Tempore, quos cultus violentus & ignis adegit :
Sic nunquam, nimio qua funt extorta labor e,
Et picJa invito genio, nunquam ilia placebunt. Vera

Ver. 445. Attend the learn 'dadvifer, nor woith fcorn.
The eyes of the ignorant are lefs fallible than we believe them : their
teft is nature j the trueft, obvious difproportion, or great refemblance
ftrike them. But the flame of a candle, as at Windfor, of which all
fpeak

The Art of Tainting.
Let fight be pleased, tho' reafon fhall fubfide ;
And let your eyes your only compafs be.
Attend the Iearn'd advifer, nor with fcorn
Proudly refufe to hear; the vulgar voice.
To what himfelf produces each is blind,
Of judgment void, and likes and loves his own.
Wanting the council of a knowing friend,
Lay by your work ; time fhall that want fupply.
Nor, pliant at the beck and fenfelefs prate
Of the dull vulgar, fickle change thou oughti
Deferting what thy better fenfe had fix'd ;
For who in all wou'd pleafe th' inconftant croud,
Self-hurt may toil; obliges, pleafes none.
When in his works a painter paints himfelf,
And nature makes all things bring forth their like,
It well fhall profit him to know himfelf,
That where his talent lies he may indulge,
And from what is deny'd, prudent abftain.
As fruits have never flavour, flowers their hue,
Forth of their native foil, but premature,
And out of feafon forc'd with fires to bloom ;
So what with pains is done, heavy and flow,
Extorted, fpight of nature, fhall difpleafe.
O2

Si
62. The on
ly compafs the
eyes.
445 63. Pride
gnuft not Jhut
our care to ad-

45°

455 64. The
Painter fhou'd
inotv himfelf.

460

Of

fpeak, or the fteps, which are manifc'ly falfe, charm alike, both inconfider-
able things; they don't know, bu, ^.cy fee, and will, if let alone, per
haps blunder out fomething you ma;/ ir.f«r from.

yi De Arte Graphica.
65. Quod Vera fuper meditando, manus labor improbus adfit.

mente con-

res.

ccperismanu Nec tamenobtundat genium, mentifque vigor em. 465
comproba. ...
66 Mtt' Optima nofirorum pars matuttna dierum,
num ye.™?™ Diffkili banc igitur potior em impende labori.
lafaoriaptum. ^ ° ' •*
g. Nulla dies abeat, quin linea duStafuperfit.
lis diebus aii- Perque vias, vultus hominum, motufque notabis
quid facien
dum. Libertate fud proprios, pofitafque figuras ' 470
tus inobfer- Ex fefe faicles, ut inobfervatus, habebis,
vati & natur- .
ales, .Mw quodcumque man, terns, £? /« #£>-<? pulchrum
69 Nonde- _,....
fint pugiiia- Lontigent, chartis propera mandare paratis,
Dum prafens animo fpecies tibi fervet hianti.
Non epulis nimis indulget pi Slur a, meroque 475
Parcit : amicorum nifi cum fermone benigno
Exhauflam reparet mentem recreata • fed inde
Litibus, & curis, in ccelibe libera vita,
Seceffus procul a turba, ftrepituque remotos,
Villarum, rurifque beata filentia quarit. 480
Namque recolleSlo, totd incumbente minervd,
Ingenio, rerum fpecies prafentior extat ;
Cpmmodiufque operis compagem ampleSlifur omnem.
Infami tibi non potior fit avara peculi
Cur a, aurique fames, modi c a quam forte beato, 48 e
Nominis aterni, Of laudis pruritus habenda,
Condi gna pulcrorum operum mercedij in avum. Judicium,

The Art of Tainting,
Of truth while ftudious, ever let your hand
Strenuoufly practife that which is conceiv'd,
Yet not o'erpower with toil the active mind. 465
Of day, for us the early morn is beft,
Be it afliga'd to things moft difficult.
Let not a day, without a line, depart.
In ftreets mens vifages and motions mark,
Free, unconftrain'd, hence eafy attitudes
And natural turns you unobferv'd acquire.
Quick what in air, or earth, or fea, appears,
To ready paper truft whilft memory ferves,
And the impreffion's firm and ftrong retain'd.
Nor too much painting fhou'd indulge in feafts, 475
Or quaff full bowls ; converfe of friends benign
Chears the exhaufted mind and recreates;
Averfe to ftrife, to Cares, free and alone,
It flies from crouds, and the world's noify din,
Pleas'd with the humble villages, and feeks
In rural fcenes a heav'nly calm repofe. 4 80
Here all collected in itfelf, the mind,
Incumbent to its tafk, more clear conceives
Species and forms, connections, all the work.
Of ill-got -wealth let not the meagre care, 485
Hunger of gold, poffefs thee j rather ftrive,
With mod'rate means fubfifting and content,
Inflam'd alone with glory, thirft of praife,
Rewards, worthy great works in ev'ry age.
P Judgment?

SI
6$. Practice
fhould accom.
pany fpecula-
tion.

66. The
morning beft
for ftudy.
6y.Dofome-
thing every
day.
47° 68- Natura/
exprefjions and
attitudes. 69. Memo
randums or
fketches on aji
occafions.

^ De Arte Graphica.
Judicium, docile mgenium, tor mbik, fenfitt
Sublimes, firmum corpus, fiorenfque jwmtto,
Commoda res, -labor, artis amor, doSfaffte m&gifi*r j 49©
Et quamcumque voles otxafio porrigat anfam,
Et genius quidam adfuerit^ fyd&fque lenigMm,
Dotibus his tantis, nee adhuc ars tanta paratur.
Difiat ab ingenio hnge manus. Optima 4o£tts
Genfentur, qua pmv-a minus >, lafet omnibus error-, 495
Vitaque tarn longa brmkr non fuffirit arti.
Definimus nam poffe fener, cum fcireperiti
Incipimus, doSlumque manum gravat agra fitteffius :-
Nee gelidis fervet juvenilis in artubus ardor.
%uare agite, ojuvenes, placido quos fydere natos 500
Pacifera ftudia attestant tranquiHa Minerva .*
Quofque fuo fovet igne, fibi 'que vptavit alwtmosl
Eja agite, atque animis ingentem ingentibus artem
Exercete alacres, dum firenua corda juvenilis
Viribus extimulat vegetis, patienfqne laborum efi ; 505
Dum vacua errorum, nulloque imbuta fapart Pura

Ver. 500. Therefore roufe youths ! 'who, bern -with placid -ftars !
Our author here fpeaks with that animating warmth and affection which
juft notions of this art ever will infpire ; and tho' I have tranflated it ani.
mated perhaps with warmth enough, yet I know not here how, confiftent
with candor, to advife in this point; for the talents, neceffary to form a good
Painter, will put a man in many better ways in our country, and more
conducive to happiiiefs, than painting, and lefs liable to difappoihtment and
dragxtn. If

The Art of Tainting. SS
Judgment, a docile mind, anobteheart,
A fenfe exajted^ and a body firm,
Youth flourifhiiog* fuch fortune as may aid, 490
And affidtrity and love of art ;
Add too a \aamedimfter j yet nor thefe,
Nor whatfo'er thou wifh tho'ropportuiae.
If genius not affift, and planets finile,
Great gifts, fhall yet avail in this great art.
The mind better conceives than hands exprefs.
What hath leaft ftttkte as beft the learn-'d approve* 49X
To all are their own imperfections hid,
Life fleets too iaft for this extenfive art-s
In years we fink when we begin to know,
The mafter fiand's enfeebl'd with weak age,
And youthful ardour warms not frozen limbs.
Therefore rouje, youths! who, bom with placid ftars, 50©
Peace-bearing Pallas doth with .ftudies charm,
Tranquill ana1 cherifheth with her own fire
Her favour'd. offspring ! jxiufe, apply yourfelves ;
Strenuoufly labojir, and with courage great,
Vaft as the art, purfue k ; youth now boils,
And ftimulates the blood with active powers, 505
Fits you for toil, no errors rooted now,,
No^pTepoflefiions, now the mind is clear,
P 2. Is
If we had an academy where a proper education might firft fet youtfc
right, and when they were fo, properly diftinguilh them, we don't want .
worthily difpofed patrons, or wealth, to encourage it ; but as the thing is,
nothing can be done.

6s De Arte Graphica,
Pur a nitet mens, &*rerum fitibunda novarum,
Prafentes haurit fpecies, atque humida fervat.
7a. Ordo In geometrali prius arte parumper adulti,
ftudiorum. . , , _
Signa antiqua fuper Graiorum addifcite formam ; 5 1 0
Nee mora, nee requies, noSluque diuque labori,
Illorum menti atque modo, vos donee agendi
Praxis ab affiduo faciles affueverit ufu.
Mox, ubi judicium emenfis adoleverit annis,
Singula qua celebrant prima exemplar i a claffis, 515
Romani, Veneti, Parmenfes, atque Bononi,
Partibus in cunStis pedetentim, atque or dine redlo,
Ut monitum fuprd efi, vos expendiffe juvabit.
Hos apud invenit Raphael miracula fummo
DuSla modo, venerefque habuit quas nemo deinceps. CZQ
^uidquid erat forma fcivit Bonarota potenter<
Julius a puero mufarum eduSius in antris,
Aonias refer avit opes, graphiedque poefi
<$ua non vifa prius, fedtantiim audita poetis,
Ante oculos fpeStanda dedit f aer aria phcebi : eze
^uaque coronatis complevit bella triumphis
Heroum fortuna potens, cafufque decor os,
Nobilius reipfd antiqua pinxiffe videtur.
Clarior ante alios Corregius extitit, ampld
Luce fuperfufa, circum coeuntibus umbris, ro<>
Pingendique modo grandi, & traStando colore Corpora,

The Art tf Tainting, f;
Is free~} and charin'd with novelty
Imbibes things .greedily, fieferves them long,
Firft of geometry fee fomething learnt;
To antient ftatues then addict yourfeif ; der 'of ftudy.
Study their foiims, nor ought delay, or reft, |io
Or interraffion fhall a&rdto toil,
Or day, or night ; their choice and ftyle from hence,
Thus ardently purfuing, you attain.
At length when judgment fhall with years increafe,
Works the firft -celebrated you may view.
Singly contemplate, or at Venice, Rome, 5 1 5
Bologna, Parma, ftudymg part by part,
In their juft order by the rules we've given ;
Reflections ftoring, fhall your conduct guide.
Here Raphael's miracles, with fovereign fkill,
Exhibit grace peculiar and his own. 52a
Defign and form beft Bonarota knew.
But Julio, by the mufes fofter'd, train'd,
Aonian treafure fpreads things yet unfeen,
By poets only fung and confecrate
To Phcebus, full reveals to fight ; 525
Wars he with conqueft ended, triumph crown'd;
The heroes fortunes fill'd with high events,
Great as when acted, to have painted feems.
Advanced before the reft Corregio fhines,
Broad lights diffufing on foft rounding fhades,
Vaft ftile erf painting, excellent in all.
Q_ The

j.g De Arte Graphica.
Corpora. Amicitiamque, gradufque, dolofque colorum,
Compagemque ita difpofuit Titianus, ut inde
Divus appellatus, magnis fit honoribus auStus,
Fortunaque bonis : quosfedulus Hannibal omnes 535
In propriam mentem, atque modum mird arte co'egit.
N Plurimus inde labor Tabulas imitando juvabit
ktxv^^Egregias, operumque Typos ; fed plura docebit
eiunt. Natura ante oculos prafens ; namfirmat & auget
Vim genii, ex illdque artem experientia complet. caq
Malta fuperfileo qua Commentaria dicent.
Hac ego, dum memoror fubitura volubilis avi
CunSla vices, variifque olim peritura ruinis,
Paucafophifmatafum graphica immortalibus aufus
Credere pieriis, Roma meditatus : ad Alpes, 54 r
Dum fuper infanas moles, ittimicaque cafira
Bordonidum decus Of vindex Lodoicus avorum,
Fulminat ardenti dextrd, patriaque refurgens
Gallicus Ale ides premit hifpani or a leonas.
FINIS.
Ver. 541. Much I omitting to the comment leave.
It is to be regretted that our author did not accomplifh his intentions ; and
after having given us fundamental principles of the art, branched and en
larged on the particulars part by part, efpecially if he had deme if with the
prefcription he fets to himfelf, and avoided too great an enumeration of
rules ; for maxims not concife enough for the memory produce little. Very
nice fpeculatifts are confounded with their own infignificant ingenuity and
wafte themfelves on trifles : but as Mr. Pope fays,
Let fuch teach others ivho themfelves excell.
Let us hear Carlo Morat who, as Luca Jordain faid, « had fuck'd honev
" from every flower :" '
The print of him, call'd The School, and which is'infcribed to young
perfons ftudious of defign, it is faid, ispublifhed to undeceive thofe who ima
gine, that by the knowledge and ftudy of many arts, they may become perfecl:
in the art of painting, without, in the firft place, acquiring a maftery in drawing

T7ie Art of Tainting. s^
The agreement, the gradation, and the fraud,
Of Colours, with their union, Titian rknew ;
And with fuch art difpos'd, that hence enrich'd
With wealth, with honours heap'd, he's ftil'd divine.
Thefe excellencies fedulous Anibale, - r^r
With wondrous fkill extracting, made his own.
Copying good pictures fhall affift and help, 'Imitat.
Or prints from thefe, but more fhall nature teach, "" andfxPeri-
x ' ence form the
Prefent before our eyes, for this gives power, Painter.
Confirms, enlarges, calls the genius forth,
And hence experienc'd art becomes compleat. r 40
Much I omitting to the comment leave.
Thefe, whilft rememb'ring all muft yield to time,
And with revolving years in ruins fall,
Few maxims, I have dar'd to truft,
Study'd at Rome, to the Pierean maids. fa r
Thefe, toiling in this much-lov'd art, I've dar'd,
Nor by the mufe untouch 'd, in native ftrains,
While Peace on Britain fmil'd, rebellion pin'd,
Condemn'd to its own foil by Wixliam's arms,
Th' aflertor of the king's, the peoples rights.
The E N D. , • .
er having a natural gift and a kind of happy inftinil to know, with grace and
facility, equally to animate and difpofe the things they are to delineate of
geometry, optics, perfpective; a few problems are exhibited with a tanto
che bafta annex'd, that is, fo much is enough; as alfo a figure of anatomy
with the fame motto, fignifying that a too curious knowledge of it will
rather perplex than help us: but to the antique he has given this mon mai
baftanza, never enough : a light and trivial application to them will .not ferve;
they muft be much drawn after long confidered, beautiful forms, juft-proporti-
ons, and a confiftence of character, are their peculiar excellencies. The graces
alfo appear as csleftial goddeffes looking from clouds on the fcholars below,
and feeming to pronounce, fenza di noi ogni fatica e vana, without us all your
labour is vain.

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