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

COL 55

" The truth of colouring confifts not in giving to
objects precifely the true and exact colour they poffefs
in nature, but to contrive fo, that they (hall feem to
have it; becaufe, artificial colours not poffeffing the
ftrength and truth of thofe in nature, the painter's muft
be rendered equal, by comparifon between thern-
felves; whether by weakening fome,or by ftrengthening
others.

" The artift wTho wifhes to imitate the colours of
nature, fhould vary his colouring according to the fub-
ject, to the time of day, the moment of the action,
and fcene of the picture; for the whole tone of the
piece ought to agree with the action. If the fubject be
joyful, let the colouring be gay ; melancholy and fom-
bre, if the fubject be terrible, or afflictive.

(i Although it may be admitted generally that a
painter is mafter of his effects; and that like a mufician
who plays a fob, he may give what pitch he pleafes to
his inftrument, yet it is equally true that painters
(efpecially landfcape painters) ought to adhere to cer-
tain rules independant of their caprice. The times of
the day, morning, evening; clear weather, or rainy;
fog or. fun-fhine; do not prefent the fame tone of
colours in the fame objects, but vary their brilliancy
and fplendor. The more ferene is the weather, the
clearer and brighter are colours; rainy and hazy wea-
ther deprives them of their force. When evening ap-
proaches, all nature feems to feel very fenfibly the
abfence of the fun, and as if it regretted the parting,
its colours become feeble and languid ; they vanifh with
him, revive at his return, and augment as he approaches
his zenith.

" It