ancient carvers made Hercules sometimes with a drinking pot reeling and staggering after the fashion of a drunken man not onely because he is reported to have beene a great drinker but also c. see Macrob lib. V. Saturnal cap. 21. Stratonicus is more truely sayd to have gently laid downe in a cup a Satyre overcome with sleepe then to have engraved him Plinie xxxiii 12. Diodorus did lay the Satyr a sleepe and not engrave him sayth Plato * Lib. IV. cap. 12. Anthol Graec. Epigramm you shall waken him if you stirre him never so little Philostratus in the picture of the sleeping Ariadne behold Ariadne sayth he * Lib. I Iconum or rather sleepe it selfe And againe in Midas his picture the Satyr sleepeth sayth he * Ibidem let us speake softly least he doe awake out of his sleepe and spoile the whole sight § 5. It were an easie matter to alleadge many other examples of that same successe the ancient Masters had in their passionate expressing of all manner of passions but that we know they should not be beleeved if therefore any one in his reading of good authors meeteth with some such like relations that may seeme incredible let him observe here by the way that these great Artificers have had many helps of Art unknown unto us When Aristonidas would expresse the quailing of Athamas his mad fit together with his repentance sayth Plinie * Lib. xxxiv cap. 14. for having throwne downe his owne sonne Learchus he mixed iron and brasse that the rustinesse of the iron shining thorough the clearenesse of brasse might represent a shamefaced rednesse Plutarch doth report that a certaine Artificer who made the statue of Jocasta found a way to mixe in her face some silver with the brasse knowing that the brasse would draw from the languishing silver such a colour as might serve the present occasion see Plutarch lib. V Sympos quaest 1. Aegypt dyeth silver also that it might behold his Anubis in the vessells silver is stained there not engraven the materiall is turned from thence to the triumphall statues and it is wonderfull that the price of a darkened brightnesse should be so much heightened Antonius the Triumvir his pennies were mixed with iron and it is admirable that we desire nothing so much in this Art as to learne the way of corrupting Art these adulterated and corrupted pennies are most greedily sought after so that men sticke not to buy one falsified pennie with many good ones Plinie xxxiii 9. If some lead be added to the brasse of Cyprus there is made a purple colour in the borders of such statues as have that kinde of gowne which was called Toga praetexta Plinie xxxiv 9. Brasse being confounded with gold and silver received in times past a good mixture sayth the same Plinie * Lib. xxxiv cap. 2. and yet was the Art more precious whereas now it may be questioned whether the Art or the materiall be worse it is very strange that the Art should be so much decayed seeing the price of all manner of rare workemanship is infinitely raised It was most of all discovered in the times of Nero the Emperour that the ancient Art of casting in brasse was utterly lost for Zenodorus the Statuarie who in that age was held never a whit inferiour to any of the ancients making a Colosse of C X feet after the image of Nero could not reach the art of tempering the metalls as it was used by the ancients though the Emperour shewed himselfe readie enough to bestow so much gold and silver upon the worke as might be required see Plinie lib. xxxiv sub finem capitis Septimi § 6. As it is then cleare that the ancients by this rare skill of tempering the metalls did sometimes infuse a more notable force of life in their workes so did they more frequently without any such mixing of the materials expresse both in statues and pictures the livelinesse mentioned by Callistratus in his description of Bacchus his statue cast by Praxiteles So sayth the same author in his description of the dissolutely running and revelling Baccha made by Scopas in marble The stone having no life in it selfe hath livelinesse c. And againe in the description of Orpheus his statue his haire is so gallant and maketh such a jollie shew of life and spirit that it deceiveth the sense c It will be worth your paines to see in Callistratus how he maketh these descriptions at large and you shall learne that it is a singular perfection of Art when there is in the worke such a lively expression of passion when there is in the whole bodie such a sweet swelling softnesse and such a neere resemblance of the truth that the image cannot well be discerned from the thing it self whose image it beareth Damagetus * Lib. IV Anthol Epigr Graec. cap. 8. calleth Hercules his fight with Antaeus wrought in brasse a living workmanship There was at Pergamus a famous image of Cephissodorus representing two boyes clipping and kissing one another the very bodies themselves sayth Plinie * Lib. xxxvi cap. 5. and not the marble receive the true prints of the fingers the ivorie image carved by Pygmalion giveth us another example of this softnesse for Pygmalion standing well affected to the fabricke of his owne hands sayth Ovid * Lib. X. Metamorph was apt to perswade himselfe that nothing but a modest shame withheld her from mooving he beleeved that his fingers did sinke into the touched parts fearing least her bodie might grow black and blew where it should be pressed somewhat too hard The same Ovid * Lib. VI Metam when he describeth the rape of Europa woven by Arachne addeth among the rest you would thinke the Bull to be a true Bull and the Sea to be the true Sea So sayth Petronius Arbiter * In Satyrico I was surprised with a certaine kind of horror when I took in hand Protogenes his rudiments which did strive with the truth of Nature it selfe Art therefore is never better but when shee is likest unto Nature Art is then perfect sayth Dionisius Longinus * Desubilim orat § 19. when shee seemeth to be Nature This was the reason why Apelles mistrusting the judgement of partiall censurers did appeale from them to the very beasts for having perceived sayth Plinie * Lib. xxxv cap. 10. that his emulators were like to prevaile by some favour prepared with great sute he shewed every one his worke unto some horses that were brought into the roome but the horses did onely neighe to Apelles his horse and this was ever after held to be a triall of Art see Aelian var. hist lib. II cap. 3. and Valer. Maximus lib. VIII cap. 11. exemplo externo 4. Such Painters on the the contrary as did mistrust their owne skill and found themselves to come farre short of Nature could never abide that their pictures should be compared with that truth
such Images as after a ripe debate were found to admit an explication consenting with Nature the same Author hath pressed this very point in another place with a great deal more earnestnesse Let the Picture bee an image saith hee * Lib. VII cap. 5. of a thing that is or at least can bee of a man namely of a house of a shippe and such like things out of whose limited shapes our Imitation propoundeth it selfe an example the auncients therefore were wont to adorne such parlours as were for the spring and harvest time such porches also and long entries as were for Summer with all kinde of Pictures drawne out of the certaine truth of things naturall But those examples taken by the Ancients out of true things are now by reason of our corrupt manners utterly disliked seeing in our plaisterings there are rather monsters painted then any certaine images of limited things and yet doe not men when they see such false things rebuke them but they doe much more take delight in them neither doe they marke whether any such thing can be or not the weaknesse of their judgement hath so darkened their wits that they cannot examine what the authoritie and reason of decencie demandeth for such Pictures are not to be liked as doe not resemble the truth and if they are made neat and fine by Art yet must wee not instantly approve of them unlesse wee doe finde in them some certaine kinde of arguments free from all offence Now as the Artificer may not abuse the libertie of his Imaginations by turning it unto a licentious boldnesse of fancying things abhorring from Nature so must also a right lover of Art preferre a plaine and honest worke agreeing with Nature before any other phantastically capricious devices Plutarch hath very well observed this There are many at Rome sayth he * De Curiositate which doe nothing at all care for good Pictures and Statues but a man may finde them alwayes upon the monster-market where they stand and stare upon such maimed creatures as want either legges or armes as have three eyes or heads of Ostriches and if there be any other hideous detestable deformitie but although at the first they seeme very much to be taken with such kind of spectacles yet will they soone have their fill on them yea they will loath them if you bring them often before their eyes § 13. It is then a very grosse errour to deeme with the vulgar sort that Painters as well as Poets have an unlimited libertie of devising for if we doe but marke what Horace telleth us in the first entrance of his booke written about the Poeticall Art wee shall confesse that neither Poets nor Painters may take such a libertie as to stuffe up their workes with all kind of frivolous and lying conceits Lactantius also hath observed this point very well men doe not know sayth he * Divin instit lib. I. cap. 11. which be the measures of poeticall licence and how farre we may give way to our fancies seeing a true Poets part doth consist chiefly in this that by some crooked and wandering kinde of conceit he doe decently turne the deeds of Gods and men into a fabulous tale for to devise the whole related matter is the worke of an idle braine and it becometh alyar better then a Poet. The mention we made here of Poets and Painters seemeth now to lead us to consider a little wherein they do chiefly agree the more because it is sufficiently known that the Imaginative qualitie of the which we have handled is alike necessary to them both Thus doe we then in the next Chapter goe about this point once for all admonishing that under the name of Painters all such Artificers are comprised as doe any manner of way practise any of the other Arts of that nature CHAP. IV. ALL Arts sayth Tullie * Pro Archia poeta that doe belong to humanitie have a common band and are ally'd one to another as by a kind of parentage Tertullian speaketh to the same effect when he sayth * De Idololatriâ there is no Art but shee is the mother of another Art or at least of a nigh kindred seeing then that the connexion of the worke in hand enticeth us to prove the truth of these sayings by a mutuall relation there is between Poesie and Picture it followeth also that wee should propound some properties of them both out of which it might be perceived that they are very neere of the selfe same nature Both doe follow a secret instinct of Nature for we do daily see that not Poets onely but Painters also are possessed with the love of those Arts not so much by a fore-determined advise as by a blind fit of a most violent and irresistible fury As for Poets there is a God in us sayth Ovid * Circa initium libri Sexti Fastorum by whose tossing of us we are enflamed this same forwardnesse hath in it selfe the seeds of a sacred minde As for Painters Nicophanes had a most forward mind sayth Plinie * Lib. xxxv nat hist cap. 10. and there are but a few that may be compared with him in this The same Author speaking of Protogenes sayth againe in the same place the forwardnes of his mind and a certain inclination or pronenesse to the Art have carried Protogenes to these things And it is very aptly put in here that a certaine forward pronenesse to the Art made Protogenes so excellent an Artificer seeing they do alwayes with the greatest ease and best successe exercise an Art who out of a free desire give themselves so readily to it that they cannot so much as give an account of this same most forward desire The Peripatetike Philosophers seeme to have understood this perfectly when they doe maintaine that no body can doe any thing neatly and finely unlesse he hath a very good minde to it sayth Tullie * Lib. IV. Tuscul quaest It is required therefore that all such as would willingly attaine to these Arts doe find in themselves some swift motions of their wits and minds both quicke to invent and copious to expresse what is found neither may we thinke that the first beginnings of these Arts proceed from Art seeing it is a gift of Nature that any man findeth this same aptnesse in himselfe and our case standeth well enough if Art can help such tender seeds to a full growth for that Art should infuse them into us is altogether unpossible Out of this observation there doth arise a question propounded and answered by Horace it hath been very much questioned sayth he * De Arte poeticâ whether Nature or Art doth accomplish a Poeme I cannot see what helpe there is in study without a rich veine or else in a rude wit so doth one of these two alwayes require the others helpe and they doe both very lovingly conspire Quintilian doth both propound and answer the same
with very severe and venerable colours of words Apelles followed the directions of this wisedome in his admirable picture of slandrous Calumnie Lysippus could never have made Occasion as passing by if his Invention had wanted the readie helpe of this same wisedome Doe not you know sayth Heliodorus * Lib. IV Aethiop that Painters make a winged God of Cupid to signifie the inconstant ficklenesse of them that are overcome by him see also Xenophon lib. I Apomnem Theophyl Simocatus epist 54. Tzetzes Chiliad V hist 11. Propertius lib. II Eleg. 10. Thousand and thousand exemples of this wisedome might be drawne out of ancient Authors unlesse wee did thinke that these few did sufficiently shew how the rarest workes of Art have ever been derived out of the aboundant fountaine of this same wisdome and that Apollonius therfore had good reason to call Phantasie which is the mother of Invention a thing full of wisedome see Philostr lib. VI de vitâ Apollonii cap. 9. § 12. But if any man listeth for all this to consider the nature of this same wisdome somewhat neerer he shall find that besides what is sayd alreadie foure things are to be observed in the Invention namely Truth Opportunitie Discretion and which ariseth out of these three Magnificence What concerneth the first Picture is ever most carefull of the truth sayth Philostratus * Iconum lib. I in Narcisso and as in historie he doth not lesse seeme to deceive sayth Amm. Marcellinus * Lib. xxix who willingly and wittingly passeth by things done then he who inventeth things that never were done so doth Picture in the expressing of the Truth observe these two rules shee refuseth to expresse what is not in nature and loveth not to omit what is in nature The first is urged by Vitruvius Let picture be an image sayth he of a thing that is or at least can be c. see the continuation of these words together with the confirmation of this point lib. I cap. 3. § 12. The second rule is set downe by Philostratus those that doe not paint things as they fall out sayth he * Iconum lib. II in Venere are not true in their pictures Wee are here likewise to observe that the most famous ancient Painters did make greater account of truth then of the pulcritude of their figures and when the truth of the storie should be in danger by studying neatnesse too much they had rather lose all then lose the truth of the argument Philostratus when he speaketh of Amphiaraus his horses the sweating horses being all overlaid with a thinne kinde of dust sayth he * Iconum lib. I in Amphiarao did seeme lesse faire but yet truer passing well for it was not possible to conceive these horses otherwise seeing the hottest brunt of a most desperate conflict did require over-heated and fiercely enraged horses But when there was no necessitie that forced them to observe in every small thing an accurate resemblance of truth they did sometimes wisely neglect or sleightly passe over such properties of the true similitude as were not so materiall and were likely to overthrow the pulchritude Such as doe paint faire and comely countenances wherein there is some small blemish sayth Plutarch * In vitâ Cimonis wee wish them not to leave it quite nor accurately to expresse it seeing the one maketh the image hard-favoured the other unlike In things howsoever of greater consequence Truth was ever esteemed a maine cōmendation of Picture and that upon very good ground For as it is granted by all that Picture studieth to profit no lesse then to delight it must needs follow that Truth is above all other things to be observed in Picture seeing as Lucian * De Conscrib historia speaketh nothing can be profitable but what proceedeth from truth § 13. Opportunitie followeth for as that stage-player is judged impertinent who bringeth a tipsie dancer upon the Theater in the robes of a grave Senator so is it ever expected that an Artificer should wisely observe in his works a convenient decency agreeing with the circumstances of the present occasion neither is it without reason that Philostratus * Iconum lib. I in Paludibus speaking of wisedome and occasion nameth them the chiefest points of Art The enamoured Bacchus as he is described in the same Author serveth for an example Bacchus his picture is knowne by the passion of love expressed in his face sayth he * Iconum lib. I in Ariadne as for the bravery of his sumptuous apparell wrought all over with flowers as for the skins of fallow deere as for the javelins wrapped about with ivie all these things are throwne away as being now out of season The younger Philostratus likewise when he describeth the picture of Hesione that was to be devoured by a Sea-monster the occasion doth not permit sayth he to make an accurate expression of her beautie seeing the feare of her life and the agony of those things shee saw before her eyes as it did corrupt the flower of nature so did it for all that leave unto the beholders sufficient markes to conjecture her perfection by the things present Such another most sweet and gracefull feare is noted in the picture of the distressed Andromeda that stood now likewise readie to be torne a pieces see Achilles Tatius lib. IV de Clitophontis Leucippes amorib Neither did the ancients onely observe what circumstances were most proper for the present occasion of their workes but they did consider also what place was fittest for them No pictures doe deserve commendation sayth Vitruvius * Lib. VII cap. 5. but such as resemble the truth and though they are trimmed up by Art yet may wee not instantly judge well of them unlesse wee doe finde that the things therein contained are not offensive when they come to be tried by reasoning Apaturius Alabandeus made at Tralleis a scene with a neat hand wherein he had made images instead of columnes centaures also to uphold the chapiters of the pillars c. He made moreover an upper-scene wherein the seelings the porches the halfehouse-tops were diversly adorned by the Painter Wherefore when the strange shew of this same scene drew the eyes of all men and when all were readie to allow of it by a generall approbation there did step forth a certaine Mathematician named Licinius who sayd that the Alabandeans had the reputation of wise men in all manner of civill affaires but that now they were judged unwise for a small fault of undecency seeing all the Statues in places of publike exercise were Orators pleading and those in the market-place did hurle a great stone run or play at ball The whole Citie therefore did beare the reproach of the unseemly gesture which their Statues had contrary to the propertie of the places wherein they were erected neither did Apaturius offer to answer for himselfe but having taken away the scene he corrected and
altered it according to truth Although now it may seeme easie to observe the decency of a convenient place and that a reasonable wit upon the least warning may doe therein well enough yet doth not the occasion of the circumstances which are to be observed in painting admit such unchangeable rules and precepts of Art as to tie all Masters to them but as in many other things so most of all in the consideration of this same occasion it falleth out very often that circumstances are changed according to the place and time represented Counsell is a maine thing in the Artificer sayth Quintilian * Lib. II cap. 13. seeing it is turned and altered diversly according to the occasions of things The same Author sayth againe in another place to the same purpose It sufficeth me to affirme sayth he * Lib. VI cap. ult that counsell is the chiefest thing in our whole life and that it is in vaine to teach other Arts without it yea that providence without doctrine is able to effect more then doctrine without providence Counsell also in my opinion doth not much differ from judgement but that judgement busieth it selfe about things that shew themselves counsell about things that lie hid and are not yet found out or at least are doubtfull and uncertaine The Art of painting requireth studious endeavours assiduous exercitations great experience deepe wisedome and a most readie counsell Precepts in the meane while helpe the Art very much if they doe propound unto us the right way and not one usually beaten track onely but when precepts doe faile our wits must supply the rest and we must warily consider what is decent and expedient Nealces was very wittie and subtill in the Art sayth Plinie * Lib. xxxv cap. 12. for when he painted a sea-fight between the Persians and the Aegyptians and would expresse that this fight was fought in the river Nile whose water resembleth the sea he declared by an historicall argument what he could not shew by Art for he made an asse drinking upon the shoare and a crocodile lying in waite to intrap him Timanthes also perceived that he was to cover something in his picture with the which he overcame Colotes judging that some circumstances might not be shewed or else that they could not be expressed as the matter did require for when in the sacrificing of Iphigenia saith Quintilian * Lib. II cap. 13. he had painted Calchas sad Ulysses sadder and had attributed unto Menelaus the greatest sorrow Art could effect having spent all his passions and not finding how to expresse her fathers countenance worthily he thought it good to cover his head and to leave the apprehension of the fathers heavinesse to the consideration of the beholders Plinie doth mention the same picture Timanthes did abound in wit sayth he * Lib. xxxv cap. 10. that same Iphigenia so much extolled by the Orators as shee stood neere the altar readie to die was his worke for having painted all them that stood by full of griefe especially her uncle when he had now consumed the whole image of sadnesse he covered her fathers face not knowing how to shew it as it was fit There are also other proofes of his wit as namely a sleeping Cyclops in little whose greatnesse when he studied to expresse he painted some Satyrs hard by measuring his thumbe with the stalke of some kinde of hearbes There is ever much more understood in his workes then there is painted and though the Art be great yet doth his wit goe beyond the Art § 14. Discretion is here also a great point but very often neglected by them that observe Truth and occasion too much for as in Tragedies so likewise in Pictures all things are not to be laid open before the eyes of the spectator Let not Medea sayth Horace * De Arte. murder her owne children in the presence of the whole people let not the villanous Atreus boile the flesh of man openly There are doubtlesse many things misbecoming them that doe professe a severe integritie of uncorrupt manners so that an Artificer had better leave them out with the losse of some part of the storie then with the losse of modestie Lucian calleth the picture of Pylades and Orestes who slew Clytemnestra and Aegisthus a most just or discreet picture adding withall the reason of such a new and unused denomination The Painter sayth he * De Domo devised a grave course for having but shewed the impious undertaking a farre off and running over it as if it were alreadie done he made the young men busie with the slaughter of the adulterer see also the description of Timomachus his Medea as we find it in the Anthologie of Greeke Epigrammes lib. IV cap. 9. They doe likewise wrong this same Discretion very much who by the wantonnesse of their workes throw the spectators headlong downe into all manner of unlawfull and filthy concupiscences and an Artificer is here also to take good heed that he do not lose the authoritie of a good and discreet man whilest he studieth to gaine the vaine and shamefull title of wit and waggerie see Propertius lib. II Eleg. 5. as also Sidon Apollinaris lib. II Epist 2. Though a man doe never so much put himselfe in minde of continence sayth A chilles Tatius * Lib. I de Clitophontis Leucippes amorib yet is he most commonly provoked by example to imitate the contrary especially if he meeteth with the example of one whom he esteemeth to be better then he thinketh himselfe to be the authoritie of a better turneth the shame of the offence into a most confident boldnesse Petronius Arbiter affoordeth us an evident proofe of what wee have sayd alreadie when he bringeth in a lustfull youth set all a fire upon the sight of some pictures containing the rape of Ganymedes the repulse of an importunate Naïs solliciting Hylas Apollo his griefe for Hyacinthus Doth Love then enter into the heart of the Gods also sayth he and upon this ground he runneth on in his way Love and Solitarinesse two bad and most forward counsellors had brought Chaerea farre enough though the picture of Danaë had not inflamed him more see Terence * Eun. Act. III Sce. 5. and Donatus maketh this observation upon it Terence sheweth here philosophically sayth he what hurt the life of man receiveth by the fabulous tales forged by Poëts when they do suggest examples of naughtinesse unto them that are readie to offend * See Clemens Alexandrinus in Protreptico Wee may very well adde to these lascivious pictures all such kinde of drinking-cups as are esteemed precious for the engravings of some infamous adulteries even as if drunkennesse were little able to kindle lust sayth Plinie * Lib. XIV cap. 22. unlesse wine should be drunke in bawdie conceits and drunkennesse should be invited by the price of such unlawfull contentments But of this abuse of Art wee have spoken alreadie
lib. II cap. 8. in the beginning of that Chapter § 15. Magnificence doth shew it selfe in a well-conceived invention and there is added a wonderfull great authoritie unto the worke when Truth Occasion and Discretion are duly observed in it for as the whole Art of painting is not much worth unlesse it be accompanied with much gravitie and doe containe all such kinde of things as are full of grace and dignitie so must shee make but a small shew of elegancie pleasantnesse and too much laboured gaynesse seeing these things doe leave in the spectators a strong suspition of affectation which doth rather lessen then augment the authoritie of an Artificer whosoever on the contrary is unskilfull and unexperienced in this most accurate Art the same doth nothing else but build castles in the aire for feare of stooping to the ground Such likewise as doe mistrust their owne wittes strive alwayes to blow and to lift themselves up even as weake and feeble persons use to be extreame in their threatnings and low men love to stand on tiptoes though now a man upon this same overstraining and forcing of his wit may seeme somtimes to obtaine the credit of a strong Invention even as an unbroken or untilled ground doth now and then bring forth goodly hearbs yet doth he not avoide the greatest danger there is in the Invention seeing he is desperate in his attempts from whence it ariseth sayth Quintilian * Lib. II cap. 12. that he who doth nothing but seeke what is excessive may by chance light upon one or other loftie conceit but that falleth out very seldome and it cannot make amends for many other faults the things therefore proceeding from such a vaine minde seeme rather to arise out of a tumultuous distemper of troubled and turbulent phantasies sayth Longinus * De sub lim oratione § 2. then to be handled after a magnificent way and if you examine every one of these things in a true light what even now was terrible shall by little and little grow contemptible so is it then much better forthwith to looke for a remedie and not to suffer that our minde aspiring to greater matters should entertaine frivolous and ridiculously swelling conceits in stead of a serious haughtie Invention and every Artificer must know that as our cattell being too full of grasse is cured by letting bloud sayth Quintilian * Li. II. c. 10 and so returneth to such fodder as may be most proper for the preservation of their strength that he likewise must lose some grease and part with his grosse humors if ever he meaneth to be healthfull and strong otherwise that same vaine swelling will betray it selfe upon the first attempt of any true worke to the end then that wee should not mistake it is worth our labour to observe out of Longinus an infallible marke of true magnificence That is great indeed sayth he * De sublimi orat § 5. which doth still returne into our thoughts which we can hardly or rather not at all put out of our minde but the memorie of it sticketh close in us and will not be rubbed out esteeme that also to be a most excellent and true magnificence which is liked alwayes and by all men for when all such men as differ in their studies course of life purposes and ages doe all agree in their opinion about one and the same thing the judgement and approbation of so many diversly minded folks must needs gain a constant and certaine estimation of the thing so much admired The yonger Pliny was likewise persuaded to hope well of the durablenesse of his workes when he found that all men generally in all places did speake well of his writings It pleaseth me well sayth hee * Li. ix ep 11. that my bookes keepe the same favour far from home which they have gotten in the city and I begin to think them compleat enough seeing several judgments in such diversity of countries judge alike of them The reason now why Artificers are more or lesse addicted to follow this same magnificent way of art proceedeth either out of their owne naturall inclination or else out of a purposed resolution agreeing with their nature Magnificent thoughts come by nature and cannot be taught sayth Longinus * de Sublimi orat § 2. yea the onely art to attaine unto the same is that Nature should fit us to high conceited and lofty things And again § 7 Great minded men are most of all given to entertain stately conceits It is then required here That an artificer bee of a magnanimous nature if not that he do at least with a purposed resolution follow after grave and marvellous things saith Dionys Halicarnass * In Isocr It seemeth that Nature did dispose Nicophanes to a high strain of invention Nicophanes was gallant and neat sayth Pliny * Li. xxxv cap. 10. so that he did paint antient workes for the eternity of things he had a most forward mind and there are very few like him he was most commended for the gorgeousnesse and gravitie of his art Pyreicus might likewise have gone a great deale higher if his intent had not beene bent another way Pyreicus was in his art inferiour to none sayth Pliny * Li. xxxv cap. 10. but I doe not know whether hee spoyled himselfe by a purposed resolution and though hee did delight in meane things yet did he deserve in them the greatest praise he painted Barbers and Coblers shops asses all maner of victuals and such like things wherefore hee was called Rhyparographus These workes of his being wonderfull pleasant sould better than the bravest pieces of other masters Such artificers therefore as long to gaine an everlasting fame must needs be of an exceeding great spirit or at least upon all occasions entertaine great thoughts and stately imaginations But seeing our minde cannot well give it self to this practise unlesse it be thorowly freed from all maner of sorbid and abject cares it is altogether requisite that we should banish the ordinary and most cumbersome troubles about the necessities of our wretched life A cheerful mind poureth forth a witty invention sayth Cassiodorus in praefat libri undecimi Variarum It is impossible that those sayth Longinus * De sublimi orat § 7. who busie the thoughts and studies of their whole life about vile and servile matters should bring forth any thing that might deserve the admiration of all ages See Juvenal Sat. 6. and T. Calphurnius Siculus Eclog. iv Protogenes was faine to wrestle a great while with want and povertie ere that he could put himselfe forth and undertake greater matters He was very poore at the beginning saith Pliny * Lib. xxxv cap. 10. and followed his art with great earnestnesse which was the reason that he was lesse fertile Some doe thinke that he painted ships till he was fifty yeares of age Whosoever therefore would willingly meet with excellent and notable inventions
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
severitie of our forward judgement be brideled by a circumspect and wary moderation lest our unadvised rashnesse in judging make us like them that are esteemed prodigall and lavish of their judgements they reject some things in the exquisite workes of the rarest workemen as being puffed up which in the opinion of more understanding spectators are full of statelinesse and magnificence they reprehend some things as beeing wanton which in more sober minds are held commendable for their confident boldnesse they condemne some things as being superfluous and immoderate which in sound judgements doe but abound in a temperate plenteousnesse Wee ought to take heed of this seeing there is a great difference as the younger Pliny speaketh * Lib. IX Epist 26. Whether we do note blame-worthy or excellent things All men perceive what sheweth it selfe above other but it is to be discerned by a most earnest intention of the minde whether that be excessive or lofty whether it be high or enormous and altogether out of square § 4. But because our judgment is likely to be seduced by the most uncertaine sence of seeing unlesse we do looke about for all the succour that may be had we must before all things take care that nothing bee wanting which might helpe our deceitfull sence Our sight that it may plainly discern what it seeth sayth Nemesius * De Naturâ hominis cap. 8. standeth in need of foure things it requireth a sound instrument of seeing some stirring or changing of place answerable to the proportion of the things which are to be seen a just distance a pure and clear light See Themistius also and Alex. Aphrodisiensis upon Arist li. II de Animâ As for the first Every one is not able to judge well of every thing sayth the same Nemesius * Cap. 18. but such a one as is skilfull and well disposed to it by nature It is to very small purpose that a man should invite bleare-eyed folkes to a fine picture none but quicke sighted people are fit for it Aphlegmaticke eye is well pleased with shady and dul colours sayth Plutarch * In Phocione but it abhorreth all manner of bright and glaring colours Tully joyneth the second with the first and third We may then trust our sences best sayth he * Lib. IV Academ quaest when we find them to be sound and healthy and when all those things are remooved that may hinder them We do therfore change the light often we change the scituation also of the things we mean to see we do deduct and contract the distances leaving nothing unattempted that may assure unto us the judgment of our eyes The fourth consisteth in this that we doe set well painted pieces as the same Tully speaks elswhere * de Claris oratoribus in a good light And this is the reason why Vitruvius maintains that galleries for pictures and such parts of the house as require a constant immutability of light must take their light from the North because that part of the aire is never inlightned nor darkned too much sayth he * Lib. I ca. 2. but it remaineth alwayes certaine and unchangeable at all houres of the day And in another place Galleries for pictures embroidering houses and painters shops must look towards the North sayth he * Lib. VI cap. 7. that the colours in their worke in regard of the constant light might seem to keep the same quality Philostratus * In prooemio Iconum for all that speaketh of a Callery in the suburbs of Naples looking toward the West which was richly furnished with many good pieces But to let this point alone we had better pursue what we have begun seeing we cannot but adde Horace his observation unto our former discourse Some pictures take us most sayth he * De Arte. when we stand nearer others when we stand further off some love duskie places others wil be seen in a full light nothing at all fearing the sharp censures of a peremptory judge some please us if we do but once view them others if we take them ten times in hand See the old commentator upon these words § 5. Having outwardly provided what may be good for our eyes it is next that wee should seriously weigh and consider every part of the work returning to it againe and again even ten and ten times if need be For our sense doth seldom at the first judg right of these curiosities it is an unwary Arbitrator and mistaketh many things all the soundnesse and truth of our judgement must proceed onely from reason Although the several circumstances of all arts and almost of our whole life are occasioned by the ministery of our senses saith Boëthius * Li. I. Music cap. 9. yet is there no certainty of judgement nor apprehension of truth in our sences if they are not accompanied with reason For our sense is alike corrupted with what is too great and too small seeing it canot perceive the least things by reason of their smalnesse and it is often confounded with the greatest And again in another place Harmonica is a faculty saith hee * Li. v. ca. 1. by the which we do weigh with our sence and with reason the differences betweene high and low tunes Sence doth confusedly marke what commeth nearest unto the thing perceived but Reason discerneth the sincerity therof and busieth it selfe about the severall differences Sence therefore as it findeth confused things and things approaching unto the truth so doth it receive his integritie from reason but reason as it findeth the integritie so doth it receive from sense a confused similitude and a similitude approaching unto the truth for sense conceiveth no integritie but cometh as neere as can be reason on the contrary doth discerne and determine see Macrobius also lib. VII Saturnal cap. 14. This ought therefore to be our chiefest care that wee should not onely goe with our eyes over the severall figures represented in the worke but that we should likewise suffer our mind to enter into a lively consideration of what wee see expressed not otherwise then if wee were present and saw not the counterfeited image but the reall performance of the thing which having well observed the very picture it selfe will instantly lead us to the principall figures Philostratus in the picture of Amphiaraus seemeth to insinuate thus much for having related many and strange adventures that befell unto severall warriers as they were a fighting under the walls and at the gates of the Citie Thebes But these sayth he * Icon. lib. I. belong to another discourse seeing the picture biddeth us looke upon Amphiaraus alone as he flieth under the earth with his very garlands and with his very laurell c. And againe in the picture of Panthia as for the Citie walls sayth he * Icon. li. II. and the fired houses and the faire Lydian women the Persians may carry and take what can be taken