DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.48092#0199
X.]
durer’s introduction.
set something burning and ye all add to it with skilful furthering, a
blaze may in time arise therefrom which shall shine throughout the whole
world.
Item. The sight of a fine human figure is above all things pleasing
to us, wherefore I will first construct the right proportions of a man.
Thereafter, as God giveth me time, I will write of and put together
other matters. I am well assured that the envious will not keep their
venom to themselves ; but nothing shall in any wise hinder me, for some
of the greatest men have had to undergo the like. Though we see
human figures of many kinds arising from the four temperaments, yet if
we desire to make a figure, and if it lieth within our power, we ought to
make it as beautiful as we can so far as the subject itself admits. No
little art, however, is needed to make many various kinds of figures of
men, for Deformity will continually of its own accord intwine itself
into our work. No single man can be taken as a model of a perfect
figure, for no man liveth on earth who uniteth in himself all manner of
beauties; (how beautiful soever he be) he might still be much more
beautiful. There liveth also no man upon earth who could give a
final judgment upon what the perfect figure of a man is; God only
knoweth that. How is beauty to be judged ?—upon that we have to
deliberate. A man by skill may bring it into every single thing, for in
some things we recognise that as beautiful which elsewhere would lack
beauty. ‘Good’ and ‘better’ in respect of beauty are not easy to
discern, for it would be quite possible to make two different figures, one
stout the other thin, which should differ one from the other in every
proportion, and yet we scarce might be able to judge which of the two
excelled in beauty. What Beauty is I know not, though it dependeth
upon many things. When we wish to bring it into our work we find it
very hard. We must gather it together from far and wide, and especially
in the case of the human figure—we must study all its limbs seen from
before and behind. One may often search through two or three
hundred men without finding amongst them more than one or two
points of beauty which can be made use of. Thou therefore, if thou
desirest to compose a fine figure, art forced to choose the head from one
man and the chest, arm, leg, hand, and foot from others. Seek diligently,
therefore, through all members of every kind, for out of many beautiful
things something good may be gathered, even as honey is gathered from
many flowers. The true mean lieth between too much and too little.
Strive to attain unto it in all thy works. I shall here apply to what is
to be called beautiful the same touchstone as that by which we decide
what is right. For as what all the world prizeth as right we hold to
be right, so what all the world esteemeth beautiful that will we also
hold for beautiful and ourselves strive to produce the like.
Item. I do not highly extol the proportions which I here set down,
albeit I do not believe them to be the worst. Moreover I do not lay
them down as beyond improvement, but that thou mayest search out
and discover some better method by their help, for everyone should
strive to better himself in his work. Howbeit let him accept this as
good until he be sure of some better teaching; for one cometh nearer
12—2
durer’s introduction.
set something burning and ye all add to it with skilful furthering, a
blaze may in time arise therefrom which shall shine throughout the whole
world.
Item. The sight of a fine human figure is above all things pleasing
to us, wherefore I will first construct the right proportions of a man.
Thereafter, as God giveth me time, I will write of and put together
other matters. I am well assured that the envious will not keep their
venom to themselves ; but nothing shall in any wise hinder me, for some
of the greatest men have had to undergo the like. Though we see
human figures of many kinds arising from the four temperaments, yet if
we desire to make a figure, and if it lieth within our power, we ought to
make it as beautiful as we can so far as the subject itself admits. No
little art, however, is needed to make many various kinds of figures of
men, for Deformity will continually of its own accord intwine itself
into our work. No single man can be taken as a model of a perfect
figure, for no man liveth on earth who uniteth in himself all manner of
beauties; (how beautiful soever he be) he might still be much more
beautiful. There liveth also no man upon earth who could give a
final judgment upon what the perfect figure of a man is; God only
knoweth that. How is beauty to be judged ?—upon that we have to
deliberate. A man by skill may bring it into every single thing, for in
some things we recognise that as beautiful which elsewhere would lack
beauty. ‘Good’ and ‘better’ in respect of beauty are not easy to
discern, for it would be quite possible to make two different figures, one
stout the other thin, which should differ one from the other in every
proportion, and yet we scarce might be able to judge which of the two
excelled in beauty. What Beauty is I know not, though it dependeth
upon many things. When we wish to bring it into our work we find it
very hard. We must gather it together from far and wide, and especially
in the case of the human figure—we must study all its limbs seen from
before and behind. One may often search through two or three
hundred men without finding amongst them more than one or two
points of beauty which can be made use of. Thou therefore, if thou
desirest to compose a fine figure, art forced to choose the head from one
man and the chest, arm, leg, hand, and foot from others. Seek diligently,
therefore, through all members of every kind, for out of many beautiful
things something good may be gathered, even as honey is gathered from
many flowers. The true mean lieth between too much and too little.
Strive to attain unto it in all thy works. I shall here apply to what is
to be called beautiful the same touchstone as that by which we decide
what is right. For as what all the world prizeth as right we hold to
be right, so what all the world esteemeth beautiful that will we also
hold for beautiful and ourselves strive to produce the like.
Item. I do not highly extol the proportions which I here set down,
albeit I do not believe them to be the worst. Moreover I do not lay
them down as beyond improvement, but that thou mayest search out
and discover some better method by their help, for everyone should
strive to better himself in his work. Howbeit let him accept this as
good until he be sure of some better teaching; for one cometh nearer
12—2