DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61542#0289
1452-1519]
HIS GENIUS
243
absorbed his attention. He filled volumes of
manuscript with his observations on artistic and
scientific subjects, modelled statues and designed
buildings, planned canals, and discovered the use
of steam as a motive force. Humboldt pronounced
him to be the greatest physicist of his age, and
scholars of our own day have recognised in him
a man who was not only an excellent artist and
a veritable Archimedes, but a great philosopher—a
“ thinker who anticipated the discoveries of modern
science, and a master of literary style who knew
how to express lofty thoughts in noble and eloquent
language.”
Painting, as we know, was only one of the varied
forms in which his activity- was displayed, and
occupied a comparatively small part of his time
and thoughts. But he exerted the most extra-
ordinary influence upon contemporary artists, and
was the true founder of the Italian school of oil-
painting. And profoundly interested as he was
• in other studies, he always considered painting to
be the work of his life, and wrote his celebrated
Treatise with the express object of maintaining the
supremacy of Painting over all other arts. Unfor-
tunately, little of his art is left us. All contemporary
writers agree in saying how few pictures he ever
completed. Not only was he distracted by a
multitude of other occupations, but he was never
satisfied with his efforts, and spent infinite time
and pains in trying to realise his idea. “ When he
sat down to paint,” writes Lomazzo, “ he seemed
overcome with fear. And he could finish nothing
that he began, because his soul was so filled with
HIS GENIUS
243
absorbed his attention. He filled volumes of
manuscript with his observations on artistic and
scientific subjects, modelled statues and designed
buildings, planned canals, and discovered the use
of steam as a motive force. Humboldt pronounced
him to be the greatest physicist of his age, and
scholars of our own day have recognised in him
a man who was not only an excellent artist and
a veritable Archimedes, but a great philosopher—a
“ thinker who anticipated the discoveries of modern
science, and a master of literary style who knew
how to express lofty thoughts in noble and eloquent
language.”
Painting, as we know, was only one of the varied
forms in which his activity- was displayed, and
occupied a comparatively small part of his time
and thoughts. But he exerted the most extra-
ordinary influence upon contemporary artists, and
was the true founder of the Italian school of oil-
painting. And profoundly interested as he was
• in other studies, he always considered painting to
be the work of his life, and wrote his celebrated
Treatise with the express object of maintaining the
supremacy of Painting over all other arts. Unfor-
tunately, little of his art is left us. All contemporary
writers agree in saying how few pictures he ever
completed. Not only was he distracted by a
multitude of other occupations, but he was never
satisfied with his efforts, and spent infinite time
and pains in trying to realise his idea. “ When he
sat down to paint,” writes Lomazzo, “ he seemed
overcome with fear. And he could finish nothing
that he began, because his soul was so filled with