DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19574#0345
3i? EXP
turally arife in good minds, upon the fight of the effe£ls of di-
vine juftice, and the victory of truth.
Nor is the Expreffion in another drawing of the defcent of the
Holy Ghoft lefs excellent than the other parts of it. The Blefr
fed Virgin is feated in the principal part of the picture, and fo
diltinguifhed, as that none of the company feems to pretend to be
in competition with her; and the devotion and modefty with
which fhe receives the ineffable gift, is worthy of her character.
St. Peter is on her right hand, and St. John on her left; the
former has his arms crofled on his breaff, his head reclined, as
if aihamed of having denied fuch a mafter, and receives the in-
fpiration with great compofure; but St. John with a holy bold-
nefs raifes his head and hands, and is in a mod becoming at-
titude ; the women behind St. Mary are plainly of an inferior
character. Throughout there is great variety of Expreffions of
joy and devotion, extremely well adapted to the occafion.
I will add one example more of a fine Expreffion ; becaufe,
though it is very juft and natural, it has been done by Tintoret,
in a drawing of his. The ftory is, our Saviour's declaration to
the apoftles at fupper with him, that one of them fhould betray
him : Some are moved one way, and fome another, as is ufual;
but one of them hides his face, dropped down betwixt both his
hands, as burft into tears from an excels of forrow, that his Lord
fhould be betrayed, and by one of them.
In portraits it muft be feen whether the perfon is grave, gay,
a man of bufinefs, or wit, plain, genteel, &c. each character
muft have an attitude and dreis; the ornaments and back
ground proper to it ; every part of the portrait, and all about
it, muft be expreflive of the man, and have a refemblance as
well as the features of the face.
If the perfon has any particularities, as to the fet or motion
of the head, eyes, or mouth, fuppofing it be not unbecoming,
thefe muft be taken notice of, and firongly expreffed. They
are a fort of moving features, and are as much a part of the man
as the fixed ones; fome raife a low fubjeilt, and contribute more
to a furprifing likenefs than any thing elfe. Van Dyke, in a
picture, has given a brifk touch upon the under lip, which makes
the form and fet of the mouth very particular; and doubtlefs
was an air which Don Diego de Gufman, whofe portrait it is,
was accuftomed to give himfelf, which an inferior painter would
not have obferved, or not have dared to have pronounced, at
leaft fo ftrongly ; but this, as it gives a marvellous fpirit and
fmartnefs, undoubtedly gave a proportionable refemblance.
If there be any thing particular in the hiftory of the perfon,
which is proper to be expreffed, as it is ftill a farther defcription
of him, it is a great improvement to the portrait, to them that
know
turally arife in good minds, upon the fight of the effe£ls of di-
vine juftice, and the victory of truth.
Nor is the Expreffion in another drawing of the defcent of the
Holy Ghoft lefs excellent than the other parts of it. The Blefr
fed Virgin is feated in the principal part of the picture, and fo
diltinguifhed, as that none of the company feems to pretend to be
in competition with her; and the devotion and modefty with
which fhe receives the ineffable gift, is worthy of her character.
St. Peter is on her right hand, and St. John on her left; the
former has his arms crofled on his breaff, his head reclined, as
if aihamed of having denied fuch a mafter, and receives the in-
fpiration with great compofure; but St. John with a holy bold-
nefs raifes his head and hands, and is in a mod becoming at-
titude ; the women behind St. Mary are plainly of an inferior
character. Throughout there is great variety of Expreffions of
joy and devotion, extremely well adapted to the occafion.
I will add one example more of a fine Expreffion ; becaufe,
though it is very juft and natural, it has been done by Tintoret,
in a drawing of his. The ftory is, our Saviour's declaration to
the apoftles at fupper with him, that one of them fhould betray
him : Some are moved one way, and fome another, as is ufual;
but one of them hides his face, dropped down betwixt both his
hands, as burft into tears from an excels of forrow, that his Lord
fhould be betrayed, and by one of them.
In portraits it muft be feen whether the perfon is grave, gay,
a man of bufinefs, or wit, plain, genteel, &c. each character
muft have an attitude and dreis; the ornaments and back
ground proper to it ; every part of the portrait, and all about
it, muft be expreflive of the man, and have a refemblance as
well as the features of the face.
If the perfon has any particularities, as to the fet or motion
of the head, eyes, or mouth, fuppofing it be not unbecoming,
thefe muft be taken notice of, and firongly expreffed. They
are a fort of moving features, and are as much a part of the man
as the fixed ones; fome raife a low fubjeilt, and contribute more
to a furprifing likenefs than any thing elfe. Van Dyke, in a
picture, has given a brifk touch upon the under lip, which makes
the form and fet of the mouth very particular; and doubtlefs
was an air which Don Diego de Gufman, whofe portrait it is,
was accuftomed to give himfelf, which an inferior painter would
not have obferved, or not have dared to have pronounced, at
leaft fo ftrongly ; but this, as it gives a marvellous fpirit and
fmartnefs, undoubtedly gave a proportionable refemblance.
If there be any thing particular in the hiftory of the perfon,
which is proper to be expreffed, as it is ftill a farther defcription
of him, it is a great improvement to the portrait, to them that
know