enjoy the fruit of his Art whereas before whilest he did paint he enjoyed the Art it selfe The youthfull yeares of our children are more beneficiall and profitable but their infancie for all that is a great deale sweeter Plutarch giveth us a lively example of the pleasure a working Artificer enjoyeth as many as love to paint sayth he * Inlibello cui titulus Non pâ—sse suaviter vivi secuÌ„dùm Epicurum are so taken with the goodly shew of their workes in hand that Nicias when he made a picture famous by the name Necya did often aske his servants whether he had dined His mind forsooth fed upon the study of his worke finding greater dainties in that contemplation then in any other banquet whatsoever I have seene Painters doe their worke sayth Libanius * Declamat VI. singing Neither doth it deserve any admiration that they should worke with so much ease seeing the workman is still refreshed and encouraged by the spirit infused into him by an unexpected successe bestirring himselfe as if the things themselves and not the images were a-doing there is every where nothing but life and motion so are also these new upgrowing things entertained with a great deale of favour and sollicitude sayth Quintilian * Lib. X. c. 1. This same favour also together with the conceived hope conducing to the fertilitie of our wit sayth Lucan carm ad Pisonem § 2. As many then as doe wonder at and deride the indefatigable and vehement fervencie great wits doe use about the workes of art have never loved any thing worth studie and care neither have they so much as understood that our better and more divine part if it be not altogether base and degenerate is nourished or rather feasted with honest and delectable labours even from our tender childhood We doe see therefore how little children themselves cannot rest sayth Tullie * Lib. V. de Finibus bon malorum and as they grow more in yeares they love so well to be alwayes in action that they can hardly be beaten from laborious and toilesome playes so doth also this desire of doing alwayes something still encrease with their ages It is then evident that we are borne to doe alwayes something see also Seneca epist 39. § 3. And in good truth what shall we say to this can there be any so great contentment in the possession of a vast and endlesse estate in the enjoying of all kinde of pleasures and delights as to see men of great places and authoritie that live in great abundance and plentie and doe not want the good will of the world assemble themselves together and make a ring about the astonished Artificer who being thus graced by most eminent persons how do all other men upon any occasion accompany him What shew doth he make in publike places what veneration doth he finde in the assemblies of men of good note how sensible is he of the joyes that doe tickle his heart when he seeth the eyes of all men with a silent admiration fixed upon him alone when he perceiveth that his name is one of the first names parents acquaint their children with when he findeth that the unlearned and carelesse multitude hath got his name and telleth it one to another at his going by country people also and strangers having heard of him in the places of their abode as soone as they come to Towne enquire for him first of all desirous to see the face of him they heard so much of any wit almost may be enflamed sayth Ovid * Lib. III. de Ponto Eleg. 4. by the applause and cheerfull favour of the people § 4. But why should I reckon up these ordinarie joyes that lie open also to the eyes of ignorant men seeing there are secret delights of greater moment felt and knowne by none but the Artificer himselfe for when he publisheth an accurat and well be laboured worke the sound and solid joy conceived out of the absolutenesse of the worke hath as well a certaine weight and durable constancie as the work it selfe when he bringeth on the contrary a sudden and halfe polished worke to the view of the world the anguish and perplexitie of his timorous minde doth commend the good successe the more unto him so that he doth most heartily embrace the pleasure of his fortunate boldnesse And how is it possible I pray you that such an Artificer should not thinke himselfe a most happie man which upon a just affiance of his vertues knoweth himselfe to be lifted up above the reach of envie where he standeth secure of his fame enjoying in this life as if he were now alreadie consecrated unto eternitie the veneration that is like to follow him after his death it is a most comfortable thing to have a fore-feeling of what we hope to attaine unto sayth the younger Plinie * Lib. IV. ep 15. so sayth also Latinus Pacatus the flitting pleasure of sudden successes sayth he * Panegyr Theodosio Aug. dicto as it taketh us so doth it leave us it is a longer felicitie when we are secure of what we expect neither have some great Masters in old times dedicated their best workes at Delphis in the temple of Apollo with any other intent but that they should in their life time preoccupie a lively feeling of an everlasting name Those that have hung up unto the Gods great donaries sayth Libanius * In Antiochico passe the rest of their time with a great deale of pleasantnesse as having now in their daily conversation some fine thing of their owne to relate yea if they had many other things to say that might make them famous yet would they goe by all the rest and boast most confidently that they doe not feare to be buried in oblivion seeing their worke remaineth in the finest place under the Sunne neither doth this confidence deceive them for whosoever doth shew the study of his minde in places of great resort procureth unto himselfe an everlasting glorie such is in my opinion the case of those Painters who have consecrated the wisdome of their hands at Delphis CHAP. VIII AS then the sweetnesse they felt in a happie expressing of that ancient simplicitie made them still to advance these Arts with an undefatigable studie so was likewise the manifold and every where obvious use of these Arts a great cause of their augmentation seeing men love alwayes to take the greatest paines about such Arts and Sciences as are in greatest request the provocations of vices have also augmented the Art it hath been pleasing to engrave wanton lusts upon the cups and to drinke in ribauldrie abominations sayth Plinie * In prooemio libri xxxiii Daedalus made a woodden Cowe to accomplish the shamefull desire of Pasiphaë withall see Higynus * Fabuia 40. But we are resolved to insist onely upon more honest causes and certainly all mankinde hath beene very much wronged by them that would goe and fetch
as being pleasant that we should therefore thinke the work-men worth our imitation We have as yet considered the Art of Painting in her first beginnings or rather in her swadling clouts and cradle it followeth now that wee should consider in the next Booke the progresse of this same Art and what hath set her on foot ⸪ THE SECOND BOOKE THE ARGUMENT THe naturall pronenesse which is in us of imitating all manner of things created as it hath ever been furthered and advanced by the ready helpe of our Phantasie so are there many other causes which have strangely cherished up this most forward inclination of our all-attempting natures but among such a great number of severall causes as are known to have promoted these Arts of Imitation wee must needs preferre God the onely fountaine of good things above all the rest whose infinite goodnesse was forthwith seconded by the diligent benevolence of loving Parents seeing they could not thinke their children well provided for untill they had found out for them a good and carefull Master the young men therefore being once by the helpe of their trusty Masters admitted to the secrets of art and being afterwards left to work out the rest by their own industry if they meant to depart from the wholsome precepts of their Teachers were kept in awe by the feare of most severe and strict lawes made against the corrupters of art but if they had on the contrary so much good nature as not to forsake the sinceritie of their first institution then did the Emulation of others that took a good course keepe them also in the right way and because the Ancients in a prodigious plainnesse of art did not so much study to have their workes commended for the choice exquisitnesse of costly colours as for the power and force of art it selfe these emulators also could not but be mindfull of that same simplicitie of art their hearts were in the mean time filled with a wonderfull sweetnesse of art delighting it selfe in this same plaine and prosperous way of emulation and gathering strength out of the manifold and every where obvious use of these arts as also out of the Honourable estimation these arts are held in with all men whereupon having once felt the tickling pleasure of the much desired glory they did merrily resolve on a most confident boldnesse of art remembring alwayes and above all things the Care due unto such grave and serious arts expressing likewise this sollicitude of theirs by a praise-worthy Ingenuitie in calling both artificers and idiots to assist them but as the heat of emulation the desire of glory and other causes here alleadged were much holpen by the publike felicity of peaceable and flourishing times so did the private fortune of the Artificers by I know not what hidden means bring them to a good and joyfull end LIB II. CHAP. I. GOD Almightie and Nature have questionlesse been a maine cause of the wonderfull encrease of these Arts of Imitation Certainly sayth Philostratus * In Prooemio Iconum if any man will speake after the manner of Sophists Picture is an invention of the Gods as well for that same painting which the severall seasons of the yeare doe paint the meads withall as for those things that doe appeare in the skie Would not you thinke the Sophists to be quick-witted and wonderfull eloquent men seeing they cleare such a great point in a few words The medowes forsooth garnished with flowers and the heaven distinguished with severall figures made up of starres and clouds are a sufficient proofe of what they say though it be very certaine that the most pleasant tapestries of the fields doe not so much helpe the Art as they doe delight the spectator that the wit of man hath set forth the constellations after the image of living and lifelesse things that the uncertaine shapes of clouds most commonly are likened unto any thing our wandring minde conceiveth The image of Pallas also knowne by the name of Palladium and all other Statues celebrated by antiquitie as if they were fallen downe from heaven are no warrantable argument to referre these Arts to the Gods none but vaine men tell such tales none but fooles entertain them since it is evident that mighty Kings have taken a singular delight in preparing such false miracles to deceive their miserable posterities withall How odiously tedious was the Citie of Ephesus in vaunting her selfe to bee the keeper of the great goddesse Diana and of the Image which fell down from Jupiter * Act. xix 35. and yet was shee for all her crackling and boasting abused by a statue brought from Alexandria for Ptolemaeus the King having sent every where for the most famous carvers to make secretly an accurat image of Diana when it was finished hee prepared a royall banquet for the Artificers the banquetting-house being first undermined wherefore none of them could escape but all were in the midst of that fatall feast swallowed up by the ruine of the place and so the true authors of the noble worke-manship being taken away it was easie enough for the King to make any one beleeve that such a compleat worke was sent down from heaven see Suidas or rather Isidorus Pelusiota * Lib. IV. epist 207. for Suidas hath borrowed this storie from him § 2. Seeing then that both the Sophisticall and Historicall proofes come to nothing it may seem best that we should returne to the first men the which as Censorinus speaketh * De die natali cap. 4. were created out of Prometheus his soft clay for so did Democritus Abderita first of all hold that men are made out of water and slime this is questionlesse our safest way seeing no wise man doth acknowledge any other Prometheus besides that power of Divine Providence expressed by Moses in the history of the creation see Genes II 7. compared with Lactantius divin instit lib. II cap. 11. see also Tertullian de Resurr carnis Fulgentius lib. II. Mythol Basilius Seleuciae episcopus orat II. Gregorius Nyssenus de Hominis opificio cap. 22. whence it is that the same Gregorius in another place * Orat. I. de Beatitudinibus calleth man an earthen statue and Suidas speaking of Adam saith this same was the first statue the image named by God after the which all the Art of carving used by men receiveth her directions so was then Adam the first statue made by God as Lots wife was the second see Genes xix 26. Remember Lots wife saith our Saviour Luke xvii 32. least therefore wee should quickly forget her shee seemeth to have been turned into a durable materiall for Plinie * Nat. hist lib. xxxi cap. 7. vide quoque Solinum cap. 31. doth mention some kind of salt which after the manner of stone quarreys withstandeth iron although the miraculous preservation of that statue doth not seeme to require that wee should conceive any such durablenesse of I know not what materiall
Plinie * Lib. II. nat bist cap. 26. if peradventure afterwards any one would take upon him to be heire thereof Another doth not stick to prie into the most profound mysteries of Nature neither will he give his mind any rest till he hath in some measure conceived the nature of the floting clouds the cause of thunder lightning and of all those things that above or about the earth doe terrifie the heart of man He goeth about the search of those things with a very great confidence as knowing himselfe to be placed in this stately theater to view and to consider all such wonders of God Anaxagoras being asked to what end he was brought forth answered To behold the Sunne Moone and Heavens see Diogenes Laertius lib. II in the life of Anaxagoras Yea what is man I pray you but a creature approaching neerest unto God as Quintilian * Declamat CCLX speaketh and ordained to the contemplation of the things contained in the world see also Arriani Epict. lib. 1. cap. 6. Dionys Longinus de sublimi orat § 31. I amblichus in Protrept cap. 3. Although now Quintilian and all the other Authors speak very well to the purpose Tullie for all that commeth a great deal neerer to the point we have in hand man himselfe sayth he * Lib. II. de Naturâ Dcorum is borne to contemplate and to imitate the world not being any manner of way perfect but onely a small parcell of what is perfect § 2. As many then as are taken up with this kind of meditations might seeme to goe farre beyond the ordinary sort of men if they likewise were not left behind by them that doe not onely view but also imitate the wonders of Nature The painters sayth S. Chrysostome * Homiliâ in Psalmum L. after the mixing of their colours endeavour to set forth a lively similitude of diverse visible things thus doe they paint reasonable and unreasonable creatures trees warres battels streames of bloud pikes Kings ordinary men they make also a royall throne the King sitting a barbarous enemy throwne downe under his feet the points of speares running rivers goodly medowes to be short they prepare unto the spectators a very pleasant sight whilest they study by the force of their Art to expresse all manner of visible things The words of Isidorus Pelusiota are likewise worth noting the Painters sayth he * Lib. III. epist 161. when they make bodily shapes of things without bodie use sometimes to paint a lone hand which setteth a crowne upon the head of the Princes of this world signifying that this soveraign power is given them from heaven Socrates toucheth also the large extent of this Art when he sayth * Apud Xenophontem lib. III. Apomnem the Painters studie with their colours to expresse hollow and swelling darke and lightsome hard and soft rough and smooth new and old bodies Flowers among all other visible things shew the greatest varietie of colours yet have the Painters attempted to expresse the same as appeareth in the famous painter Pausias who being in love with his Country-woman Glycera was the first that assayed to bring the Art to such a wonderfull varietie of colours as there is to be seene in flowers for beholding sometimes how neatly shee did make garlands and being no lesse ravished with that dexterity ofhers then with her beautie he could not but take the pencill in his hand to strive with Nature it selfe see Plinie xxxv 10. Apelles likewise painted things that can not be painted Thunder and Lightning see Plinie in the same place It may seeme then that Theophylactus Simocatus did cast his eye upon some such like relation when he * Epist 37. maintaineth that Painters undertake to expresse such things as Nature is not able to doe § 3. It remaineth howsoever that among so many Art as doe procure us everlasting glory this Art is none of the meanest And as it is a very great matter to carry in our mind the true images both of living and lifelesse creatures so is it a greater matter to worke out a true and lively similitude of those inward images especially if the Artificer doth not tie his imitation to some particular though never so faire a body but followeth rather the perfection of an inward image made up in his mind by a most earnest and assiduous observation of all such bodies as in their owne kind are most excelling Such as carve images sayth Maximus Tyrius * Dissert VII having gathered all that in severall bodies is reputed to be faire bring it by the means of their art in one singular imitation of a convenient pure and well-proportioned beautie to passe neither shall you find in haste a body so accurately exact as to compare it with the beautie of a statue For the Arts doe ever seeke what is fairest Ovid seemeth to point at this when he doth describe Cyllarus the fairest of all the Centaures he had a pleasing livelinesse in his countenance sayth he * XII Metam and for as much as he was like a man so came his necke his shoulders his hands his brest neerest of all to the praise-worthy images of the Artists Wee are likewise to observe that Philostratus doth very often compare the beauty of the ancient heroicall Worthies with the beautie of artificiall Statues as you may see in his description of Protesilaus Euphorbus Neoptolemus and elsewhere If you doe take a man brought forth by Nature sayth Proclus * Lib. II. in Timaeum Platonis and another made by the art of carving yet shall not he that is made by Nature wholly seeme statelier For Art doth many things more exactly Ovid expresseth the same when he witnesseth * Metam that Pigmalion did carve the snow-white ivorie image with such a luckie dexteritie that it was altogether impossible such a woman should be borne Such Artificers therefore as carry in their mind an uncorrupt image of perfect beautie do most commonly powre forth into their workes some certaine glimmering sparkles of the inward beautie contained in their minds neither may we thinke this to be very easie for according to Apollonius Tyaneus * Epist 19. his opinion that which is best is alway hard to be found out hard to be judged It is also well observed by an ancient Orator * In Panegyr Maxim Const dicto that the imitation of a most absolute beautie is ever most hard and difficult and as it is an easie matter to set forth a true similitude of deformitie by her owne markes so on the contrary the similitude of a perfect beautie is as rarely seene as the beautie it selfe It was not unknowne unto Zeuxis sayth Tullie * In ipso statim initio lib. II. de Invent. that Nature would never bestow upon one particular bodie all the perfections of beautie seeing that nothing is so neatly shaped by Nature but there will alwayes in one or other part
these prodigious ministeries of base lust from so noble Arts even as we have good reason to detest their importunate wits that have turned the humanitie of such gentle Arts to the instruments of crueltie Medea went about to overthrow Pelias by a hollow image of Diana see Diadorus Siculus lib. IV. Biblioth Perilaus his brasen bull is knowne by the Epistle Phalaris wrote to the Athenians concerning Perilaus his execution Agathocles his litter is mentioned by Diod. Siculus lib. xx Nabis the tyrant his Apega is described by Polybius lib. xviii Ovid * In Ibin vers 569. remembreth a horse made of maple tree wherein the throat of miserable men was broke The Carthaginians had a brasen statue of Saturne stretching forth his hands toward the ground after such a manner that the babe offered him for sacrifice might role downe into the flaming fire that was underneath see Diod. Siculus lib. xx Some of the French have huge images whose great limmes made of twigges they doe fill with men that are to be burned alive see Caesar lib. VI. de bello Gall. cap. 16. as also Tullie pro Manio Fonteio and Strabo lib. IV. Geogr. There was in a cave at Rome a wonderfull great dragon made by mechanicall art carrying a sword in his mouth with eyes of precious stones fearfully glistering unto this dragon there was yearely offered a sacrifice of devoted Virgins handsomly trimmed up with flowers and when these Virgins being ignorant of the danger meant to goe downe to offer their gifts as soone as they did but touch that step of the ladder at which the dragon by a diabolicall art did hang their innocent bloud was instantly shed by the sword they met withall A certaine monke at length which for his merits was well known unto Stilico destroyed him after this manner trying every step at his going down he found out the divelish deceit and warily shunning that same false step he came so neere as to cut the dragon in pieces shewing here also that they are no Gods which are made by the hand of man see D. Prosper part III. de Promiss praedictionib Dei promiss 38. Ungodly Kings and Princes also were wont to trie the mindes of the true worshippers of God by exposing their owne statues and the statues of other false Gods publikely to be adored and that with no other intent but that the servants of the living God might be found out and destroyed so we read that Nabuchodonosor puffed up by prosperitie made an exceeding great golden statue to be adored of all them that had their mindes depraved by flattery none but Shadrach Meshach and Abednego were found to have abstained from that profane office wherefore they were by the Kings command immediately bound and cast into the firie furnace see the prophecie of Daniel cap. 3. see Plinius junior lib. x. epist 97. and 98. Licinnius hath even after the same manner gone about to exercise crueltie upon Auxentius see Suidas where he speaketh of Auxentius Let us now leave the examples of such a beastly fiercenesse seeing they doe not deserve to be related among the causes of the encrease of Art as on the contrary we may very well judge that they have deserved a great deale better of the whole world who studied to advance these Arts by transferring them unto all kinde of things honest or at least not dishonest § 2. But here seemeth the greatest encrease of Art at the first to have been occasioned by necessitie seeing it is granted that inventions to supplie our wants are more ancient then those that serve onely to satisfie our pleasure sayth Tullie * De Perf. oratore Whatsoever is usefull hath his turne before any other thing onely delightfull sayth Varro * Lib. I. de Re rust cap. 4. Man a sociable creature not knowing how to speake to men of another language nor to them that were absent or should live a good while after him was forced before the invention of letters and writing to make use of certaine figures taken from the similitude of divers beasts plants and other artificiall things and so doe we finde that the industry of the most ancient times expressed the inward and secret conceits of any mans minde by the helpe of such markes Diod. Siculus speaking of the Aethiopians the most ancient of all Nations in his opinion their letters sayth he resemble divers living creatures as also extremities of men and most of all artificers instruments for their words are not expressed by the composition of syllables and letters but they are under the forme and signification of images printed into the memory of men by use Corn. Tacitus also speaking of the Aegyptians the Aegyptians did first of all sayth he * Aâ—â—â—â—… lib XI cap. 14. set forth the meaning of their minde by figures of living creatures and the most ancient monuments of humane memorie are as yet seene printed in stones after such a manner Necessitie did also drive Philomela to expresse by a woven picture the grievous case shee was in see Ovid lib. VI. Metam as also Ausonius epist 23. but most of all Achilles Tatius Philomela sayth he * Lib. V. de amorib Clitophontis Leucippes found out a silent voice for shee weaveth a long vesture describing therein the tragicall fact her hand performeth the office of her tongue and shee doth discover unto the eyes of Progne things belonging to her eares telling her by the meanes of a shittle what shee hath suffered Progne from the vesture understandeth the rape It seemeth also that principall men at Rome upon consideration of this necessitie perswaded Q. Pedius to practise the Art of painting Q. Pedius sayth Plinie * Lib. xxxv natur hist cap. 4. nephew to that consular and triumphall Q. Pedius who by Caesar the Dictator was made co-heire with August being dumbe by nature Messalla the Orator out of whose familie the boy's grandmother was did think it fit to have him taught the Art of painting August himselfe being also of that opinion he died a boy having profited very well in the Art Although spoken it seemeth but a slight matter yet being well considered it is a mightie thing that Picture speaketh the language of all men whereas among severall Nations there is such a wonderfull diversity of speaking that a forrainer doth hardly seeme a man unto them that are of another Countrie § 3. The usuall way of Sciences giveth us also an evident proofe of the necessitie of these Arts seeing it is practised almost in all Arts and Sciences that the cleerest grounds an Artist is able to propound are yet illustrated and cleered by Picture how often chanceth it in the naturall science that when words come short a little picture bringeth us to the knowledge of beasts birds fishes and all sorts of vermine wee never saw before this is very often confessed by Aelian * Lib. XV. de Animalib alibi in his Historie of beasts neither may we
first lines for scorning to give way to them that are more skilfull they betray their owne foolishnesse by the securitie of a wrongfully usurped authoritie The ancients were quite of another minde they followed another way Painters and such as make statues yea Poëts also sayth Tullie * Lib. I de Off. will have their worke considered of the multitude to the end it might he mended in what they see reprehended by many they search therefore most diligently by themselves and with others what faults there are committed in the worke The younger Plinie urgeth the same upon another occasion nothing can satisfie my care sayth he * Lib. VII Epist 17. I thinke still how great a matter it is to publish any thing neither can I perswade my selfe otherwise but that we are to peruse often and with many what wee wish might please all men and alwayes § 2. Besides those there is another sort of men who though they doe not out of a presumptuous arrogance reject this Ingenuous care of mending their workes yet doe they decline it out of a timorous bashfulnesse they want courage and constancy to provoke to exspect the judgement of the world A naughtie shame sayth Horace * Lib. I epist 16. doth conceale the unhealed soares of fooles neither is it without reason that the Poët brandeth them that doe so with the name of fooles seeing every vice is nurtured and quickened by hiding of it sayth Virgil * Lib. III. Georg. As many therefore as by smoothering of their imperfections will not encrease their faults and shame both at once must first studie to finde out and to amend of themselves what is amisse which if they despire to doe let them remember at least that there is exceeding great wisdome in a confessed ignorance as Minutius Felix speaketh * In Octavis and that ordinarily according to M. Porcius Cato his saying * Apud Livium li. xxxiv ab v. c. Such as are ashamed without cause shall not be ashamed when there is cause But of this same preposterous shame something is sayd alreadie cap. x § 2. of this second Booke § 3. All of us naturally are too much in love with our owne workes and selfe-love maketh that seeme gorgeous unto us wherein we our selves be Actors I know not how every man maketh very much of his owne doings So it is you love your owne and I love mine sayth Tullie lib. v. Tusc quaest Wee looke upon domesticke things after a familiar manner sayth Seneca * De Tranquanimi cap. 1. and favour doth then most of all hinder our judgement neither may you thinke otherwise but that wee are sooner overthrowne by our owne flattery then by the flattery of others This was understood by those that were to dedicate the statues of Amazons in the temple of Diana at Ephesus for when they were to dedicate them there they resolved to choose that piece of worke that should be accounted the best by the judgement of all the chiefe workmen there which appeared to them to be that that every one commended to be the best next his owne Plin. xxxiv 8. Seeing then it is naturall to all men to be too much in love with what is their owne there is great cause why wee should shake off this importunate presumption that will not give us leave to looke impartially upon our owne workes The ancient Artificers therefore that have been and are as yet most famous did relie more upon the judgement of other Artists then upon their owne liking So doth Synesius * Epist primâ report that Lysippus made use of Apelles and Apelles likewise made use of Lysippus Praxiteles also being asked which of his marble-workes he did like best answered Those that Nicias hath put his hand to see Plinie xxxv 11. § 4. Nether did they content themselves with Artificers alone but they did moreover desire a confluxe of envious and favourable spectators yea of all sorts of men suffering their workes indifferently to be censured by them all see the younger Plinie lib. VII epist 17. It is reported sayth Lucian * Pro Imaginib that Phidias when he made Jupiter for the Eleans and shewed it the first time stood behinde the doore listening what was commended and discommended in his worke one found fault with the grossenesse of the nose another with the length of the face a third had something else to say and when all the spectators were gone he retired himselfe againe to mend the worke according to what was liked by the greater part for he did not thinke the advice of such a multitude to be a small matter esteeming that so many saw many things better then he alone though he could not but remember himselfe to be Phidias Observe here in the meane while that when they gave unto abject and contemptible men such power over their workes it was not because they hoped to learne something by them that might advance the perfection of Art seeing it is a most idle thing sayth Tullie * Lib. V. Tuscul quaest vide quoque Aelianum lib. ii var. hist cap. 1 6. to exspect great matters from an assembly of those whom we contemne one by one as handy-crafts-men and barbarians Polycletus as we reade in Aelian tooke a fine course to make vulgar wittes understand themselves shewing unto them by a lively example that they were more likely to spoile then to helpe the Art if an Artificer should follow their judgement in all things see Aelianus var. hist lib. xiv cap. 8. The Artificers therefore did not admit their directions generally in every thing but they followed their motions onely in such things as did belong to their profession When Apelles had made any workes sayth Plinie * Lib. xxxv cap. 10. he exposeth them in a place where all that passed by might see them hiding himselfe in the meane time behinde the picture to hearken what faults were noted in his worke preferring the common people a most diligent Judge before his owne judgement and he is reported to have mended his worke upon the censure of a Shoo-maker who blamed the Artificer for having made fewer latchets in the inside of one of the pantoffles then of the other The Shoo-maker finding the worke the next day mended according to his advertisement grew proud and began to find fault with the legge also Whereupon Apelles could not containe himselfe any longer but looking forth from behinde the picture bid the Shoo-maker not meddle beyond the pantoffle which saying of his became afterwards a Proverbe CHAP. XIII THe publike felicitie of times must needs be put in among the causes of the advancement of these Arts seeing it cannot be conceived how the heat of Emulation the desire of glory the diligent care and a great many more of the causes alledged could doe any good without this Felicitie of times neither doe wee hold that the blissefulnesse of the ancient times did principally consist
how to apply them seasonably and how to shadow the work conveniently Which canot be performed unles there be prepared a good boord or else a fit linnen cloath for his worke Of what wood the boords used by the antient painters were made is set downe in Pliny lib. xvi Nat. hist cap. 39. about the beginning of that chapter Theophrast likewise hist plant lib. 3. cap. 10. and lib. v. cap. 8. reckoneth up what sorts of wood did serve them for that use But as they made alwaies choice of the wood they knew most proper for their work so doth Joannes Grammaticus likewise teach us That an artificer is to make good choice of the cloath he meaneth to paint on A writer purposing to write well sayth hee * In Aristot lib. II. nat auscult doth sometimes come short of his intent if he meeteth with sinking and blotting paper or else with bad inke This is also a Painters case when the colours or the cloath hepainteth on are unfit for his worke § 4. After that there are good colours and a fit boord or cloath prepared for the worke it followeth that an artificer as the occasion shall require observe these foure things Light Shadow Obscuritie Brightnesse as Plutarch joyneth them all foure very fitly together Painters cause lightsome and bright things seeme more light some and bright sayth he * de Discrim adulator Amici when they doe place shadie and darkesome things neer them This practise of theirs is a great helpe for the eye Our eye delighteth most in the brightest colour saith Maximus Tyrius * Dissertat xxxv yet shal this pleasure be lessened very much if you doe not put some brown colour neer it Yea it doth helpe the beauty of the picture The most contrary colours agree very well about the composition of an excellent beauty sayth Philostratus * Icon. li. II. in Centaur For this reason also is a blacke picture made upon a white ground saith Joannes Grammaticus * In li. I. Meteor Arist as a white or golden picture on the contrary is made upon a blacke ground It is ever so that contrary things are more apparant being placed neer their contraries whereas it is hard to discerne things like placed among things of the same likenesse Even as if you did paint white upon a white and black upon a blacke ground Whence it is that such as weare blacke cloathes cannot so well be discerned in the night time as others that weare white cloathes Those likewise who doe weare white cloaths in the day time but especially in a cleare Sun-shine cannot be knowne so distinctly § 5. Light is altogether requisite in picture seeing there can bee no shadow without it Tertullian * Advers Hermog therefore maketh it an assured marke of a poore and blockish painter to colour the shadow altogether without any light At the first before the Art was raised to that height we do now admire in the Antients there were none but single coloured pictures called Monochromata till the art at length distinguishing her selfe sayth Pliny * Lib. xxxv cap. 5. found out Light and Shadow the difference of colours by a mutuall course setting forth each others light somenesse § 6. Shadow and Light hold so close together that the one cannot subsist without the other Light is most of all commended in a picture by the shadow sayth the younger Pliny * Lib. iii. epist 13. Hence it is also That those who painted with single colours made alwayes some things rise and some fall els they could never have given unto every member his proper lines sayth Quintilian lib. 11. Orat. instit cap. 3. Artificers therfore use alwayes to adde unto their workes some shadowes and deepnings that those things which are inlightned in their pictures might seeme to sticke out the more and to meet the eyes of the beholder Let upon the same superficiall bredth of any flat boord two parallell lines be drawn saith Dionys Longinus * De sublini orat § 15. with the colours of shadow and Light yet shall the ardent flagrancie of light soonest of all meet with our eyes and seeme a great deale neerer Nicias the Athenian did most accurately observe Light and Shadows taking alwaies special care that his pictures should bear outwards from the boord Pliny xxxv 11. Zeuxis Polygnotus and Euphranor studied very much to have their pictures commended for shadowing and breathing as also for rising and falling Philostr lib. II de vita Apollonii cap. 9. Apelles painted Alexander as he held lightning in his hand his fingers seeme to beare outwards and the lightening seemeth to stand off from the boord Pliny xxxv 10. Philostratus observeth the same in the picture of an ivory Venus The goddesse will not seeme to be painted sayth he * Icon. li. II. she sticketh out so much as to make one thinke that it were an easie matter to take hold of her Pausias was the first who found out a picture which many afterwards imitated none could attaine unto First when he would shew the length of an Oxe he painted him standing full opposite against us sayth Pliny * Lib. xxxv cap. 11. and not sidelong making his length neverthelesse to bee sufficiently understood Afterwards where all others do heighten the parts which are to rise with white tempering the colour with some mixture of black he made the whole Oxe of a blacke colour and gave the shadow a body out of it self shewing by a most wonderfull Art risings in smoothnesse and continuitie in abruptnesse As this was questionlesse an excellent piece of rare workmanship so are we for all that to observe here that an artificer sheweth his greatest skill in the picture of fitting figures Those that doe sit saith Philostratus * Icon li. II. in Palaest have many shadowes and it doth bewray singular great wisedome in the Painter that hee made the maid sitting The same Author expresseth this very same point more at large in another place It is easie to hit the shadowes of them that lie downe sayth he * Ibid. in Antlante or stand upright and it requireth small wisdome to do it accurately But the shadowes of Atlas go beyond all art for the shadows of him that stoopeth after this manner though they fall one into another yet do they not darken any of these things that should rise but cause some light about the hollownesse of his belly § 7. Obscuritie or darkenesse seemeth to be nothing else but the duskishnes of a deeper shadow even as Brightnesse may bee sayd to bee nothing else but an intention of light For if you do put white and blacke upon the same superficiall breadth sayth Jo. Grammaticus * In Lib. I. Meteor Aristot the white shall alwayes seeme to be neerer and the blacke further off The painters therefore knowing this when they will make any thing seeme hollow as a Well a Cisterne a Ditch a cave or any such
touch this point a little I must needs adde thus much onely that never any Painter was ranked with the better sort of Artists except learning studie and exercitation had first enabled him with this Facilitie sayth Quintilian * Orat. instit lib. XII cap. 9. A plaine and unaffected simplicitie sayth the same Author * Lib. VIII cap. 3. is commendable for a certain kinde of pure ornament it hath and for a certain kind of neatnesse which seemeth to proceed out of a slender diligence and is lovely even in women The Assyrian Semiramis as Aelianus * Var. hist lib. VII cap. 1. reporteth was the fairest of all women living though shee did very much neglect her beautie there is a certaine kind of negligent diligence sayth Tullie * In Oratore so doth want of ornament make many women more comely Beautie when it is set forth too carefully is no beautie Wee are therefore above all things to take good heed that there do not appeare in our works a laborious gaynesse and an over-curious affectation of grace since it is most certaine that such a poore and silly affectation of finenesse doth but weaken and breake the generous endeavours of a thoroughly heated spirit besides that too much diligence useth to make the worke worse Things not farre fetched are alwayes best because they doe best agree with the simplicitie and truth of Nature Whatsoever doth on the contrary bewray an excessive care and studie can never be gracefull and comely because it dazeleth our senses with the resplendent beames of gay-seeming things not suffering them to see what is in the worke even as ranke grasse doth sometimes over-spread a whole field in such abundance that all the good corne being choked up cannot so much as peepe out Amending it selfe sayth Quintilian * Orat. instit lib. X ca. 4. must have an end there are some which return to every part of their worke as if all were faultie they thinke better of every thing which is not the same even as if it were unlawfull that the first conceits should ever be good they doe altogether follow the practice of those Physicians which seeke worke by slashing and cutting what was sound and whole it falleth out therefore that their workes are full of skars void of bloud and never a whit the better for all the care bestowed upon them It is then fit that there should be something at length which might please us or at least content us that all our filing might be found rather to polish the worke then to weare it out see the younger Plinie lib. IX epist 35. To be short as in many other Arts the maine strength of Art doth principally consist in the warie concealement of Art so doth the chiefest force and power of the Art of painting especially consist therein that it may seeme no Art But we cannot endure this sayth * Orat. instit lib. IV cap. 2. Quintilian and we thinke the Art lost unlesse it doe appeare whereas it doth rather cease to be an Art when it is too apparent Ovid doth well and properly expresse this point in the fable of Pygmalion * x. Metam attributing the cause of the heart-ravishing force which was in that image to Pygmalion his skill of concealing the Art in such a notable piece of Art § 5. It is now evident enough that the chiefest comelinesse of this Grace consisteth in a readie and unconstrained Facilitie of Art and if wee doe but marke it there are in this gracefull facilitie such hidden treasures of all manner of contentment that even the better sort of men love to feed their greedy eyes with such a goodly sight A picture therefore which stirreth no admiration in the heart of the beholders doth hardly deserve the name of a picture even as men of understanding hold him onely to be Artificer who is able to expresse abundantly accuratly pleasantly lively and distinctly whatsoever his learned Invention hath suggested unto him This is that vertue which gathereth great rings of amazed spectators together which carrieth them into an astonished extasie their sense of seeing bereaving them of all other senses which by a secret veneration maketh them stand tongue-tyed the greatnesse of admiration leaving no place for many applauses sayth Symmachus * Lib. 10. Epist 22. Incredible things finde no voice sayth Quintilian * Decl. xix somethings are greater then that any mans discourse should be able to compasse them Marke Damascius I pray you and learne of him what strange effects the sight of Venus dedicated by Herodes wrought in him I fell into a sweat sayth he * Ap. Photiū for the very horror and perplexitie of my mind I felt my soule so much touched with the lively sense of delightsomnesse that it was not in my power to goe home and when I went I found my selfe forced to caste backe mine eyes now and then to the sight It chanceth therefore very often that the truest Lovers of art meeting with some rare piece of workmanship stand for a while speechlesse see Callistratus in his second description of Praxiteles his Cupid yet afterwards having now by little and little recovered their straying senses they breake violently forth in exclaming praises and speake with the most abund nt expressions an eye-ravished spectator can possibly devise When they observe in the picture of Pasiphaë how the little Cupids busie themselves with sawing the timber the Cupids that are a sawing say they surpasse all apprehension and art which may be performed by the hands of men and by colours marke well I pray you the sawe goeth into the wood and is now alreadie drawne thorough it these Cupids draw it and one of them standeth on the ground the other upon a frame c. see Philostratus Iconum lib. I in Pasiphaë Having considered in the picture of Pindarus his nativitie the severall effects of a most exquisite art they cannot forbeare to give unto the standers by a little smack of that sweetnesse which doth so much affect their senses you cannot but wonder at the bees say they so delicatly painted c. see Philostratus Iconum lib. II in Pindaro The picture of Penelope likewise doth not only take them with the sight of that famous web but they fall also upon a little spider which sheweth it selfe hard by to represent the spider so delicatly after the life say they and to paint her laborious net is the worke of a good Artificer and of such a one as is well acquainted with the truth of things c. see Philostratus Iconum lib. II in Telis They doe in the picture of the dying Panthia amazedly observe how her nailes are sweeter than any picture Philostratus Iconum lib. II in Panthiâ and Philostra junior in Venatoribus They shew in the picture representing an ivory Venus how the dancing Nymphs are most divinely expressed Philostratus Iconum lib. II in Venere When they see the golden garment of