DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19574#0342
EXP 5,5
tural and lively reprefentation of the fubject: of the feveral objects
intended to be fhewn.
The Expreffion confiffs principally in reprefenting the human
body, and all its parts, in the action fuitable to it; in exhibiting
in the face the feveral paffions proper to the figures, and obferv-
ing the motions they exprefs on the external parts. See AT-
TITUDE.
The term Expreffion is frequently confounded with that of
paffion ; but there is a difference betwixt them, which is this:
Expreffion is a general term, implying a reprefentation of an
object agreeably to its nature and character, and the ufe or of-
fice it is to have in the work ; and paffion, in painting, is a mo-
tion of the body, accompanied with certain difpolitions or airs
of the face, which mark an agitation in the foul; fo that every
paffion is an Expreffion ; but every Expreffion is not a paffion.
Whatever the general character of the ftory is, the picture
muft difcover it throughout, whether it be joyous, melancholy,
grave, terrible, &c. The nativity, refurrection, and afcenfion,
ought to have the general colouring j the ornaments, back
ground, and every thing in them riant and joyous ; and in a
crucifixion, interment, or a pieta, theBleffed Virgin with a dead
Chrifr, the contrary.
But a diftinction muft be made between grave and melan-
choly, as in a holy family, of Raphael's defign at leaff, where
the colouring is brown and folemn, but yet altogether the pic-
ture has not a difmal air, but quite the contrary ; befides ano-
ther holy family of Rubens, painted as his manner was, as if
the figures were in a funny room ; if Raphael's colouring had
been the fame with Rubens's on this occafion, doubtlefs it would
have been the worfe for it. There are certain fentiments of awe
and devotion, which ought to be railed by the fight of pictures
of that fubject, which that'folemn colouring contributes very
much to.
There is a fine infiance of a colouring, proper for melancholy
fubjects, in a pieta of Van Dyke: That alone would make one
not only grave, but fad at firft fight; and another infiance of a
coloured drawing of the fall of Phaeton, after Giulio Romano,
which fhews how much this contributes to the Expreffion. It
is different from all other colourings, and admirably adapted to
the fubject; there is a reddifh purple tinct fpread throughout, as
jf the world was all inveloped in fmouldering fire.
There are certain little circumftances that contribute to the
Expreffion. Such an effect have the burning lamps, that are in
the cartoon of healing at the Beautiful gate of the temple 3 one
fees the place is holy, as well as magnificent.
The large fowl that are feen on the fore-ground in the cartoon
of
tural and lively reprefentation of the fubject: of the feveral objects
intended to be fhewn.
The Expreffion confiffs principally in reprefenting the human
body, and all its parts, in the action fuitable to it; in exhibiting
in the face the feveral paffions proper to the figures, and obferv-
ing the motions they exprefs on the external parts. See AT-
TITUDE.
The term Expreffion is frequently confounded with that of
paffion ; but there is a difference betwixt them, which is this:
Expreffion is a general term, implying a reprefentation of an
object agreeably to its nature and character, and the ufe or of-
fice it is to have in the work ; and paffion, in painting, is a mo-
tion of the body, accompanied with certain difpolitions or airs
of the face, which mark an agitation in the foul; fo that every
paffion is an Expreffion ; but every Expreffion is not a paffion.
Whatever the general character of the ftory is, the picture
muft difcover it throughout, whether it be joyous, melancholy,
grave, terrible, &c. The nativity, refurrection, and afcenfion,
ought to have the general colouring j the ornaments, back
ground, and every thing in them riant and joyous ; and in a
crucifixion, interment, or a pieta, theBleffed Virgin with a dead
Chrifr, the contrary.
But a diftinction muft be made between grave and melan-
choly, as in a holy family, of Raphael's defign at leaff, where
the colouring is brown and folemn, but yet altogether the pic-
ture has not a difmal air, but quite the contrary ; befides ano-
ther holy family of Rubens, painted as his manner was, as if
the figures were in a funny room ; if Raphael's colouring had
been the fame with Rubens's on this occafion, doubtlefs it would
have been the worfe for it. There are certain fentiments of awe
and devotion, which ought to be railed by the fight of pictures
of that fubject, which that'folemn colouring contributes very
much to.
There is a fine infiance of a colouring, proper for melancholy
fubjects, in a pieta of Van Dyke: That alone would make one
not only grave, but fad at firft fight; and another infiance of a
coloured drawing of the fall of Phaeton, after Giulio Romano,
which fhews how much this contributes to the Expreffion. It
is different from all other colourings, and admirably adapted to
the fubject; there is a reddifh purple tinct fpread throughout, as
jf the world was all inveloped in fmouldering fire.
There are certain little circumftances that contribute to the
Expreffion. Such an effect have the burning lamps, that are in
the cartoon of healing at the Beautiful gate of the temple 3 one
fees the place is holy, as well as magnificent.
The large fowl that are feen on the fore-ground in the cartoon
of