DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.48092#0269
XII.]
EXTRACT FROM THE THIRD BOOK.
243
“To him that setteth himself to draw figures according to this book,
not being well taught beforehand, the matter will at first come hard.
Let him then put a man before him who agreeth, as nearly as may be,
with the proportions he desireth; and let him draw him in outline
according to his knowledge and power. And a man is held to have
done well if he attain accurately to copy a figure according to the life,
so that his drawing resembleth the figure and is like unto nature. And
in particular if the thing copied is beautiful, then is the copy held to be
artistic, and, as it deserveth, it is highly praised.
But further, it lieth in each man’s choice whether, or how far,
he shall make use of all the above written ‘Words of Difference.’ For
a man may choose whether he will learn to labour with art, wherein
is the truth, or without art in a freedom by which everything he doth is
corrupted, and his toil becometh a scorn to look upon to such as
understand. For work well done is honouring to God, useful, good,
and pleasing unto men. But to labour contemptibly in art is wrong
and meet to be condemned, and it is hateful in small works as in great.
Wherefore it is needful for everyone that he use discreetness in such of
his works as shall come to the light. Whence it ariseth that he who
would make anything aright must in no wise abate aught from Nature
neither must he lay what is intolerable upon her. Howbeit some will
make alterations so slight that they can scarce be perceived. Such are
of no account if they cannot be perceived; to alter over much also
answereth not. A right mean is best. But in this book I have
departed from this right mean in order that it might be so much
the better traced in small things. Let not him, who wishes to proceed
to some great thing, imitate this my swiftness, but let him set more
slowly about his work, that it be not brutish but artistic to look upon.
For figures which differ from the mean are not good to look upon,
when they are wrongly and unmasterly employed.
It is not to be wondered at that a skilful master beholdeth manifold
differences of figure, all of which he might make if he had time enough,
but which, for lack of time, he is forced to pass by. For such chances
come very often to artists, and their imaginations also are full of figures
which it were possible for them to make. Wherefore, if to live many
hundred years were granted unto a man, who had skill in the use of such
art and were thereto accustomed, he would (through the power which
God hath granted unto men) have wherewith daily to mould and make
many new figures of men and other creatures, which none had before
seen nor imagined. God therefore in such and other ways granteth
great power unto artistic men.
Although there be much talking of differences, still it is well known
that all things that a man doth differ of their own nature one from
another. Consequently there liveth no artist so sure of hand as to
be able to make two things exactly alike the one to the other, so that they
may not be distinguished. For of all our works none is quite and
altogether like another, and this we can in no wise avoid. For we see
that if we take two prints from an engraved copper-plate, or cast
two images in a mould, very many points of difference may immediately
be found, whereby they may be distinguished one from another. If
16—2
EXTRACT FROM THE THIRD BOOK.
243
“To him that setteth himself to draw figures according to this book,
not being well taught beforehand, the matter will at first come hard.
Let him then put a man before him who agreeth, as nearly as may be,
with the proportions he desireth; and let him draw him in outline
according to his knowledge and power. And a man is held to have
done well if he attain accurately to copy a figure according to the life,
so that his drawing resembleth the figure and is like unto nature. And
in particular if the thing copied is beautiful, then is the copy held to be
artistic, and, as it deserveth, it is highly praised.
But further, it lieth in each man’s choice whether, or how far,
he shall make use of all the above written ‘Words of Difference.’ For
a man may choose whether he will learn to labour with art, wherein
is the truth, or without art in a freedom by which everything he doth is
corrupted, and his toil becometh a scorn to look upon to such as
understand. For work well done is honouring to God, useful, good,
and pleasing unto men. But to labour contemptibly in art is wrong
and meet to be condemned, and it is hateful in small works as in great.
Wherefore it is needful for everyone that he use discreetness in such of
his works as shall come to the light. Whence it ariseth that he who
would make anything aright must in no wise abate aught from Nature
neither must he lay what is intolerable upon her. Howbeit some will
make alterations so slight that they can scarce be perceived. Such are
of no account if they cannot be perceived; to alter over much also
answereth not. A right mean is best. But in this book I have
departed from this right mean in order that it might be so much
the better traced in small things. Let not him, who wishes to proceed
to some great thing, imitate this my swiftness, but let him set more
slowly about his work, that it be not brutish but artistic to look upon.
For figures which differ from the mean are not good to look upon,
when they are wrongly and unmasterly employed.
It is not to be wondered at that a skilful master beholdeth manifold
differences of figure, all of which he might make if he had time enough,
but which, for lack of time, he is forced to pass by. For such chances
come very often to artists, and their imaginations also are full of figures
which it were possible for them to make. Wherefore, if to live many
hundred years were granted unto a man, who had skill in the use of such
art and were thereto accustomed, he would (through the power which
God hath granted unto men) have wherewith daily to mould and make
many new figures of men and other creatures, which none had before
seen nor imagined. God therefore in such and other ways granteth
great power unto artistic men.
Although there be much talking of differences, still it is well known
that all things that a man doth differ of their own nature one from
another. Consequently there liveth no artist so sure of hand as to
be able to make two things exactly alike the one to the other, so that they
may not be distinguished. For of all our works none is quite and
altogether like another, and this we can in no wise avoid. For we see
that if we take two prints from an engraved copper-plate, or cast
two images in a mould, very many points of difference may immediately
be found, whereby they may be distinguished one from another. If
16—2