DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20658#0076
62 THE PASSIONS.
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the holidays, between some apprentices, while he was yet a brother of their order, he picked up
so many serviceable hints from the observations he made of their countenances, as better quali-
fied him for the execution of his design, than a multiplicity of artificial rules.
In order however that nothing may be wanting on this head we shall give a general description
of the expression of the passions, with illustrations, as they are left us by that able master Le Brun.
Notwithstanding the objections that have sometimes been made to this great artist, it is yet ac-
knowledged that he has travelled this unbeaten path with more success than any of his followers,
In describing the affections of the mind it is generally known that he followed nature alone, which
is sufficient to recommend his work, and to silence every objection. If some of his countenances
appear not perfectly to represent the passions they are said to signify, it maybe remarked that he
has drawn the passion in the extreme : and though, as has been before observed, the effect of an
emotion is not always exactly alike, yet his countenances are delineated by established principles
and received axioms, which, to whoever will be at the pains to examine, will appear evident.
There are two circumstances in this great master's attempt to which objections have been made;
but which may as easily be answered. The first is that he has enumerated no more than twenty
different passions, of which designs may be expressed on canvas with the pencil :—the second
that he has delineated tranquillity asone of them. To the first we may answer that, though the num-
ber of the sensations which prevail in the mind is greatly superior to that given by our master, yet
he has very prudently not chosen to deliver unexceptionable rules for a greater number than that
above mentioned ; leaving it for superior artists, if such can be found, to increase the list. And
though tranquillity be not a violent passion, yet it cannot be denied that it has both, its seat in the
mind, and expression in the face.
The effects of attention are to make the eye-brows sink and appwach the sides of the nose ; to
turn the eye-balls towards the objects that causes it; to open the mouth and especially the upper
part; to decline the head a little and fix it without any other remarkable alteration.—(Plate 40.)
Admiration causes but little agitation in the mind, and therefore alters but very little the parts of
the face; nevertheless the eye-brow rises ; the eye opens a little more than ordinary; the eve-ball,
placed equally between the eye-lids, appears fixed on the object; the mouth half opens and makes
no sensible alteration in the cheeks.—(Plate 34.)
The motions that accompany admiration zcith astonishment are hard!}' different from those of
simple admiration, only they are more lively and stronger marked ; the eye-brows more elevated,
the eyes more open ; the eye-ball further from the lower eye-lid and more steadily fixed ; the
mouth is more open and all the parts in a much stronger emotion.—(Plate 40.)
Admiration begets esteem, and this produces veneration which, when it has for its object some-
thing divine or beyond our comprehension, makes the face decline and the eye-brows bend down;
the eyes are almost shut and fixed ; the mouth is shut. These motions are gentle and produce
but little alterations in the other parts.— (Plate 41J
Athough rapture has the same object as veneration, only considered in a different manner, its
motions are not the same; the head inclines to the left side; the eye-balls and eye-brows rise
directly up; the mouth half opens, and the two corners are also a little turned up; the other
parts remain in their natural state.—(Plate 35.)
The passion of desire brings the eye-brows close together and forwards towards the eyes which
are more open than ordinary; the eye-ball is inflamed and places itself in the middle of the eye; the
nostrils
f
the holidays, between some apprentices, while he was yet a brother of their order, he picked up
so many serviceable hints from the observations he made of their countenances, as better quali-
fied him for the execution of his design, than a multiplicity of artificial rules.
In order however that nothing may be wanting on this head we shall give a general description
of the expression of the passions, with illustrations, as they are left us by that able master Le Brun.
Notwithstanding the objections that have sometimes been made to this great artist, it is yet ac-
knowledged that he has travelled this unbeaten path with more success than any of his followers,
In describing the affections of the mind it is generally known that he followed nature alone, which
is sufficient to recommend his work, and to silence every objection. If some of his countenances
appear not perfectly to represent the passions they are said to signify, it maybe remarked that he
has drawn the passion in the extreme : and though, as has been before observed, the effect of an
emotion is not always exactly alike, yet his countenances are delineated by established principles
and received axioms, which, to whoever will be at the pains to examine, will appear evident.
There are two circumstances in this great master's attempt to which objections have been made;
but which may as easily be answered. The first is that he has enumerated no more than twenty
different passions, of which designs may be expressed on canvas with the pencil :—the second
that he has delineated tranquillity asone of them. To the first we may answer that, though the num-
ber of the sensations which prevail in the mind is greatly superior to that given by our master, yet
he has very prudently not chosen to deliver unexceptionable rules for a greater number than that
above mentioned ; leaving it for superior artists, if such can be found, to increase the list. And
though tranquillity be not a violent passion, yet it cannot be denied that it has both, its seat in the
mind, and expression in the face.
The effects of attention are to make the eye-brows sink and appwach the sides of the nose ; to
turn the eye-balls towards the objects that causes it; to open the mouth and especially the upper
part; to decline the head a little and fix it without any other remarkable alteration.—(Plate 40.)
Admiration causes but little agitation in the mind, and therefore alters but very little the parts of
the face; nevertheless the eye-brow rises ; the eye opens a little more than ordinary; the eve-ball,
placed equally between the eye-lids, appears fixed on the object; the mouth half opens and makes
no sensible alteration in the cheeks.—(Plate 34.)
The motions that accompany admiration zcith astonishment are hard!}' different from those of
simple admiration, only they are more lively and stronger marked ; the eye-brows more elevated,
the eyes more open ; the eye-ball further from the lower eye-lid and more steadily fixed ; the
mouth is more open and all the parts in a much stronger emotion.—(Plate 40.)
Admiration begets esteem, and this produces veneration which, when it has for its object some-
thing divine or beyond our comprehension, makes the face decline and the eye-brows bend down;
the eyes are almost shut and fixed ; the mouth is shut. These motions are gentle and produce
but little alterations in the other parts.— (Plate 41J
Athough rapture has the same object as veneration, only considered in a different manner, its
motions are not the same; the head inclines to the left side; the eye-balls and eye-brows rise
directly up; the mouth half opens, and the two corners are also a little turned up; the other
parts remain in their natural state.—(Plate 35.)
The passion of desire brings the eye-brows close together and forwards towards the eyes which
are more open than ordinary; the eye-ball is inflamed and places itself in the middle of the eye; the
nostrils