The artists repository and drawing magazine: exhibiting the principles of the polite arts in their various branches (4.1790)

B A S 25-

Mr. Richardson has taken this idea, and applied
it to form a judgment of a piclure or compolition,
by dividing the parts of painting in a fimilar manner,
and determining in what proportion any performance
pofTeffes them. Thefe preferred for future infpedion,;
may ferve, not only as a regifter of fuch a mafter's fkill,
but alfo of the fpeclator's judgment; which, if it alters'
materially on review at ii diftant period, may confirm
or adjuft his critical principles.

Such a regifter of our public exhibitions by a perfon
of judgment, would determine the progrefs of candi-
dates for public applaufe in a regular manner, and might
occafionally afford to artifts a hint of falling-off, or of
improvement on fuch or fuch principles, &c.

Balance of a figure, is an idea that needs no expla-
nation, it is part of attitude.

BARBAROUS is underftood as contrary to whatever
is refined, of good tafte, and excellent. The barbarifm
of the middle ages is notorious : the gothic manner is
barbarous, as it is void of that regulated fymmetry and
order, which appears in the antique. Whatever is in
choice, mean and low, capricious, unnatural, contorted
or deformed, is barbarous. Whatever is mifapplied, or
improperly introduced, is fo far barbarous.

The beft remedy for barbarifm is a diligent ftudy of
the antique, whofe permanent canons meet the ap-
plaufe of fucceflive ages, while temporary tafte is for-
gotten for its barbarity, however it may fway the opi-
nion of its contemporaries.

BASE is taken in much the fame idea as barbarous 5
for what is ignoble and unelevated, both in ftyle and
fubjecl:.

35 D BAS