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

O R N 117

pies, though not very abftrufe to diligent attention, are
yet too extenfive to be treated here.

ORIGINAL is fpoken of any work of painting, fculp-
ture, defign, &c. done after nature, or the fruit of in-
vention. It is not eafy to determine whether a work be
an original, or a copy, if done by a good hand : but as
it is ufually in treating the minor parts, and in the con-
ftraint vifible in the treatment and touch of fmaller ob-
jects, that the copyift fails, therefore, in examining a
picture, &c. we mould attend to the invention, and to the
execution. If the firft is good, well ftudied, and noble,
while the latter is poor, and gracelefs, it indicates, that
the fame matter did not perform both parts ; while on
the contrary, if the handling, and touch, correfpondto the
dignity of fentiment, and mew facility and promptitude,
fuch as might be expected from the mafler whofe manner
of thinking and conception appears in the compofition,
&c. it may be pronounced either an original, or equal to
one in merit and value.

Julio Romano is faid to have taken for an original
on which himfelf had worked, a copy by Andrea del
Sarto : On being informed of his error, by a private
mark behind the canvas, he exclaimed, it was fupei ior to
an original, as containing the merit of three mailers,,
viz. Raphaelle (the author of the piece), himfelf,
and Del Sarto. Although it is not eafy to determine
whether a piece be original, yet if it be meritorious,
what more is wanting to give fatisfaclion on infpecting
it?

ORNAMENTS, although they contribute very-
much to the decoration and embellishment of a picture,

yet