XLI. Contraria extrema fugienda. XLU. Tonus et color varii. 365. XLIII. Luminis de lectus. Supremum in tabulis lumen captare diei. Let the bodies everywhere be of Diversity of different tints and colours; that those tints and colwhich are behind may be tied in friendship together; and that those which are foremost may be strong and lively. 365. XLIII. *It is labour in vain to paint a high-noon, or mid-day light, in your The choice Insanus labor artificum; cùm attin- picture; because we have no colours of light. gere tantùm Non pigmenta queant: auream sed vespere luceml; which can sufficiently express it: but it is better counsel to choose a weaker light; such as is that of the Seu modicùm mane albentem; sive evening, with which the fields are gilded by the sun; or a morning light, whose whiteness is allayed; or that which appears after a shower of rain, which the sun gives us through the breaking of a cloud; or during thun- 370. der, when the clouds hide him from our view, and make the light of a fiery colour. XLIV Smooth bodies, such as crystals, of certain polished metals, wood, bones, and things relating to the stones; those which are covered practical with hair, as skins, the beard, or the part. hair of the head; as also feathers, silks, and the eyes, which are of a watery nature; and those which are liquid, as waters, and those corpo- 375. real species, which we see reflected by them; and in fine, all that which touches them, or is near them, ought to be "carefully painted flat, in flowing colours; then touched up with sprightly lights, and the true lines of the drawing restored, which were lost, or confused, in working the colours together. *Let the field, or ground of the The field or picture, be pleasant, free, transient, ground of light, and well united with colours, which are of a friendly nature to each other and of such a mixture, 380. as there may be something in it of every colour that composes your work, as it were the contents of your palette. "And let those bodies that are back in the ground be painted with colours allied to those of the ground itself." XLV. the picture. LI. Effigies. LII. 890. Multa ex naturâ speculum præ clara docebit ; Quæque procul sero spatiis spectantur in amplis. Dimidia effigies, quæ sola, vel integra plures Ante alias posita ad lucem, stat proxima visu, Et latis spectanda locis, oculisque remota, Luminis umbrarumque gradu sit picta supremo. Partibus in minimis imitatio justa juvabit Effigiem, alternas referendo tempore eodem 395. Consimiles partes; cum luminis atque coloris Compositis, justisque tonis; tunc parta labore Si facili et vegeto micat ardens, viva videtur. Locus tab- Visa loco angusto tenere pingantur, amico ula. Juncta colore, graduque; procul quæ picta, feroci If there be a half figure, or a whole L. one, to be set before the other fig- ure, or a A half figures, and placed nearer to the view, and next the light; or if it is to be ers. painted in a great place, though at a 990. distance from the eye; be sure on these occasions not to be sparing of great lights, the most lively colours, nor the strongest shadows. 895. LI. *As for a portrait, or pictures by A portrait. the life, you are to work precisely after nature, and to express what she shows you, working at the same time on those parts which are resembling to each other: as for example, the eyes, the cheeks, the nostrils, and the lips; so that you are to touch the one, as soon as you have given a stroke of the pencil to the other, lest the interruption of time cause you to lose the idea of one part, which nature has produced to resemble the other; and thus imitating feature for feature, with a just and harmonious composition of the lights and shadows, and of the colours; and giving to the picture that liveliness, which the freedom and force of the pencil make appear, it may seem, the living hand of nature. LII. The works which are painted to The place of be seen near, in little or narrow the picture. places, must be very tender and well united with tints and colours; "let LV. Errores et vitia pictu ræ. Quæ vacuis divisa cavis, vitare Trita, minuta, simul quæ non sti- Luminis umbrarumque tonis æqua- 410. Foeda, cruenta, cruces, obscoena, LVI. Prudentia in pictore. Sordidaque et misera, et vel acuta, Quæque dabunt formæ, temerè con- partes. If the picture be set in a place What lights which receives but little light, the are requicolours must be very clear; as, on the contrary, very brown, if the 405. place be strongly enlightened, or in the open air. LV. which are Remember to avoid objects which Things Implicitas aliis confundent mixtaque entangled in each other: "For the Dumque fugis vitiosa, cave in 415. Damna mali; vitium extremis nam LVII. Elegantium idea tabularum. Pulchra gradu summo, graphidos stabilita vetuste LVI. But while you endeavour to avoid The prudential part of a one vice, be cautious lest you fall painter. into another; for "extremes are al- 415. ways vicious." LVII. Those things which are beautiful The idea of a beautiful in the utmost degree of perfection, piece. according to the axiom of ancient painters, ought to have somewhat of greatness in them, and their outlines to be noble; they must be disentangled, pure, and without alteration, clean, and knit together; composed of great parts, yet those but few in number. In fine, distinguished by bold colours; but of such as are related and friendly to each 420. other. And as it is a common say Advice to a ing, that "he who has begun well, young painthas already performed half his work;" er. * so there is nothing more pernicious to a youth who is yet in the elements of painting, than to engage himself under the discipline of an ignorant master; who depraves his taste, by LVIII. 125. Ex pravis libare Typis, mentemque veneno Inficere in toto quod non abstergitur ævo. Nec graphidos rudis artis adhuc citò qualiacunque Corpora viva super, studium meditabitur, ante Illorum quam symmetriam, internodia, formam 430.,Noverit, inspectis, docto evolvente magistro, LIX. Ars debet servire pictori, non pictor arti. LX. Oculos recreant diversitas et Archetypis; dulcesque dolos præsen serit artis. Plusque manu ante oculos quam voce docebitur usus. Quære artem quæcumque juvant; fuge quæque repugnant. Corpora diversæ naturæ juncta placebunt ; operis facil- Sic ea quæ facili contempta labore itas, qua speciatim ars dicitur. LXI. videntur; Ethereus quippe ignis inest et spiritus illis ; Mente diu versata, manu celeranda repenti. Arsque laborque operis grata sic fraude latebit: Maxima deinde erit ars, nihil artis inesse videri. 440. Nec prius inducas tabulæ pigmenta colorum, Expensi quàm signa typi stabilita nitescant, Archetypus in mente, apographum in tela. LXII. Circinus in oculis. Et menti præsens operis sit pegma futuri. Prævaleat sensus rationi, quæ officit arti Conspicua; inque oculis tantummodo circinus esto. an infinite number of mistakes, of which his wretched works are full, 425. and thereby makes him drink the poison which infects him through all his future life. Let him who is yet but a beginner, not make so much haste to study after nature every thing which he intends to imitate, as not in the mean time to learn proportions, the connexion of the joints, and their outlines: and let him first have well examined the 430. excellent originals, and have thoroughly studied all the pleasing deceptions of his art; which he must be rather taught by a knowing master, than by practice; and by seeing him perform, without being contented only to hear him speak. LIX. *Search whatsoever is aiding to Art must be your art, and convenient; and avoid subservient those things which are repugnant er. to the paintto it. LX. * Bodies of divers natures, which Diversity are aggrouped (or combined) to- are pleasing. and facility gether, are agreeable and pleasant to the sight; as also those things which seem to be slightly touched, and performed with ease; because 435 they are ever full of spirit, and appear to be animated with a kind of celestial fire. But we are not able to compass these things with facility, till we have for a long time weighed them in our judgment, and thoroughly considered them: by this means the painter shall be enabled to conceal the pains and study which his art and work have cost him, under a pleasing sort of deceit; for the greatest secret which belongs to art, is to hide it from the discovery of specta 445. Utere doctorum monitis, nec LXIII. Superbia Est cæcus nam quisque suis in re- Ast ubi consilium deerit sapientis 450. Id tempus dabit, atque mora inter- 455. LXIV. τεαυτού Non facilis tamen ad nutus, et ina- * Profit yourself by the counsels of 445. LXIII. the knowing; and do not arrogantly Pride an endisdain to learn the opinion of emy to good every painting. man concerning your work. All men are blind as to their own productions, and no man is capable of judging in his own cause. * But if you have no knowing friend to assist you with his advice, yet length of time will 450 never fail; it is but letting some weeks pass over your head, or at least some days, without looking on your work; and that intermission will faithfully discover to you the Dicta, levis mutabis opus, genium- faults and beauties. Yet suffer not que relinques : Nam qui parte sua sperat bene posse Multivaga de plebe, nocet sibi, nec Cumque opere in proprio soleat se τὸν Ut data quæ genio colat, abstineat- Fructibus utque suus nunquam est LXV. Quod mente conceperis manu quæ sunt extorta Vera super meditando, manûs labor yourself to be carried away by the LXIV. Since every painter paints himself 455. in his own works, (so much is na- Know ture accustomed to produce her own yourself. likeness,) it is advantageous to him to know himself, to the end that he may cultivate those talents which make his genius, and not unprofitably lose his time, in endeavouring to gain that which she has refused him. As neither fruits have the taste, nor 460. flowers the beauty which is natural to them, when they are transplanted into an unkindly or foreign soil, and are forced to bear before their season, by an artificial heat; so it is in vain for the painter to sweat over his works, in spite of nature and of genius; for without them it is impossible for him to succeed. LXV. * While you meditate on these Perpetually practise, truths, and observe them diligently, and do easily 465. Nec tamen obtundat genium, men- by making necessary reflections on have con comproba. LXVI. Matutinum tempus labori ap tum. improbus adsit. tisque vigorem. Optima nostrorum pars matutina |