DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.48092#0185
x.]
JACOPO DEI BARBARI.
165
to him a special line of investigation—but he shall tell the story
in his own words (Brit. Mus. MS. Vol. II. 43; see below, p. 253)
“ Perhaps many will blame me for writing, unlearned as I am ; in
my opinion they are not wrong; they speak truly. For I myself had
rather hear and read a learned man and one famous in this art than
write of it myself, being unlearned. Howbeit I can find none such who
hath written aught about how to form a canon of human proportions,
save one man, Jacopo (de’ Barbari) by name, born at Venice and a
charming painter. He showed me the figures of a man and woman,
which he had drawn according to a canon of proportions; and now I
would rather be shown what he meant (A. upon what principles the
proportions were constructed) than behold a new kingdom. If I had
it (his canon), I would put it into print in his honour, for the use of all
men. Then, however, I was still young and had not heard of such
things before. Howbeit I was very fond of art, so I set myself to
discover how such a canon might be wrought out. For this aforesaid
Jacopo, as I clearly saw, would not explain to me the principles upon
which he went. Accordingly I set to work on my own idea and read
Vitruvius, who writes somewhat about the human figure. Thus it was
from, or out of, these two men aforesaid that I took my start, and
thence, from day to day, have I followed up my search according to my
own notions.”
The nature of the suggestions, derived by Diirer from study
of the writings of Vitruvius, may be gathered from the following
passage, extracted from the British Museum Manuscripts (Vol.
11. 140; see below, p. 187). It is entitled, “About the propor-
tions of Human Limbs.” On the same sheet Diirer drew two
outline illustrations. One of them represents a male figure, with
arms and legs extended, as though crucified on a S. Andrew’s
Cross, the whole being inscribed within a circle. The other
depicts a similar figure, in the attitude of a man affixed to a
Latin Cross, inscribed within a vertical square, whose sides are
vertical and horizontal1.
“Vitruvius, the ancient architect, whom the Romans employed upon
great buildings, says, that whosoever desires to build should study the
perfection of the human figure, for in it are discovered the most secret
mysteries of Proportion. So, before I say anything about Architecture,
I will state how a well-formed man should be made, and then about a
woman, a child, and a horse. Any object may be proportioned out
(literally, measured) in a similar way. Therefore hear first of all what
Vitruvius says about the human figure, which he learnt from the
greatest masters, painters and founders, who were highly famed. They
said that the human figure is as follows.
1 Outlines of a similar kind appear on another leaf (Vol. I. 162 b).
JACOPO DEI BARBARI.
165
to him a special line of investigation—but he shall tell the story
in his own words (Brit. Mus. MS. Vol. II. 43; see below, p. 253)
“ Perhaps many will blame me for writing, unlearned as I am ; in
my opinion they are not wrong; they speak truly. For I myself had
rather hear and read a learned man and one famous in this art than
write of it myself, being unlearned. Howbeit I can find none such who
hath written aught about how to form a canon of human proportions,
save one man, Jacopo (de’ Barbari) by name, born at Venice and a
charming painter. He showed me the figures of a man and woman,
which he had drawn according to a canon of proportions; and now I
would rather be shown what he meant (A. upon what principles the
proportions were constructed) than behold a new kingdom. If I had
it (his canon), I would put it into print in his honour, for the use of all
men. Then, however, I was still young and had not heard of such
things before. Howbeit I was very fond of art, so I set myself to
discover how such a canon might be wrought out. For this aforesaid
Jacopo, as I clearly saw, would not explain to me the principles upon
which he went. Accordingly I set to work on my own idea and read
Vitruvius, who writes somewhat about the human figure. Thus it was
from, or out of, these two men aforesaid that I took my start, and
thence, from day to day, have I followed up my search according to my
own notions.”
The nature of the suggestions, derived by Diirer from study
of the writings of Vitruvius, may be gathered from the following
passage, extracted from the British Museum Manuscripts (Vol.
11. 140; see below, p. 187). It is entitled, “About the propor-
tions of Human Limbs.” On the same sheet Diirer drew two
outline illustrations. One of them represents a male figure, with
arms and legs extended, as though crucified on a S. Andrew’s
Cross, the whole being inscribed within a circle. The other
depicts a similar figure, in the attitude of a man affixed to a
Latin Cross, inscribed within a vertical square, whose sides are
vertical and horizontal1.
“Vitruvius, the ancient architect, whom the Romans employed upon
great buildings, says, that whosoever desires to build should study the
perfection of the human figure, for in it are discovered the most secret
mysteries of Proportion. So, before I say anything about Architecture,
I will state how a well-formed man should be made, and then about a
woman, a child, and a horse. Any object may be proportioned out
(literally, measured) in a similar way. Therefore hear first of all what
Vitruvius says about the human figure, which he learnt from the
greatest masters, painters and founders, who were highly famed. They
said that the human figure is as follows.
1 Outlines of a similar kind appear on another leaf (Vol. I. 162 b).