DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20658#0125
PAINTING. in
fieral definition of beauty will alwa}rs be found to bold good, in every object in which it can be
found, notwithstanding several inferior requisites concur to its production. Genius, by some
confounded with invention, is that faculty of the mind by which alone beauty can be produced.
Taste, or disposition, is no more than a natural sensation of the mind, refined by art. It serves
to direct genius in discerning what is beautiful, and in producing beauty of every kind. Thus it
appears that the general theory of the polite arts is nothing more than the power of discovering
what is truly beautiful. This knowledge or theory the moderns dignify with the name of asthetica.
The man in possession of this theory is susceptible of all the enchanting power of the polite arts,
whose force consisting in expression, applies to the mind through the organs of hearing, as-well
as those of sight. He is equally charmed with the melody of numbers, the harmony of sound,
the production of the pen, the pencil, the ehissel, or the graver.
The first general rale necessary to every follower of the polite aits is to consult his own genius;
to divest himself of all self-love, and partiality for his own merit, and carefully to examine whe-
ther he possess those properties indispensable to his success ; the principal of which is a lively
and happy imagination or, in other words, that inventive faculty of the mind which gives him a
facility in always discovering something new. This assertion may sometimes damp the hopes
of the young student, seeing so much has been done in every part of art, by preceding geniuses.
Solomon also, in his days, wisely remarked that there zcas nothing new under the sun. This,
though true with regard to individual objects, is not the case with their various combinations. It
is true there have been multitudes of authors, in each of the polite arts, who may seem to have
exhausted all the stores of imagination, and have left no materials for novelty or invention; yet
there is still perhaps as much opportunity for the exercise of imagination as in the first dawnings
of science. And though the fine arts, in their imitations of nature, can borrow images, figures,
and comparisons, from those things onlv that exist and are known, nature is ever chansinQ-,
and presents to an attentive observer an infinite variety of scenes. New situations of character
may present themselves to the artist's mind ; new events take place, both in civil and domestic
history ; former occurrences may also be rehandled with more success; figures may be grouped
in an original and more pleasing manner ; the different passions may be more strongly expressed,
and the graces more pleasingly described, by one artist than by another. This power of inven-
tion consists in the ingenious use of combination ; by which any of the various objects of nature
are brought together, disposed and contrasted in such a manner as to form a whole, which is al-
together new, happy and agreeable; which surprises as well as pleases; in which we find a har-
mony, a perfection,, a thought, an expression quite unexpected, that we could not foresee nor hope
to find, in the manner in which the artist has so happily placed it.
In the examination of his powers the student should, however, be careful against passing too
hasty averdicton his own demerits; for genius is no more than an apt judgement combined swlh<
a facility of arranging, disposing, and uniting suitable objects, in a manner novel, pleasing, and.
conforming to the principles of taste. This faculty is often the possession of the student, though
he himself be ignorant of his powers. And still more frequently does it lie dormant in his
breast, till the latent quality is brought forth, by reviewing and-endeavouring to imitate the ex-
cellence of others.
Secondly; Every artist should incessantiv endeavonr to improve his taste; or to acquire that
sensible, refined, and clear discernment, which will enable him to distinguish the real beauties
in each object, the ornaments that are agreeable to it, the proportions and relations that subsist
anions;
I
fieral definition of beauty will alwa}rs be found to bold good, in every object in which it can be
found, notwithstanding several inferior requisites concur to its production. Genius, by some
confounded with invention, is that faculty of the mind by which alone beauty can be produced.
Taste, or disposition, is no more than a natural sensation of the mind, refined by art. It serves
to direct genius in discerning what is beautiful, and in producing beauty of every kind. Thus it
appears that the general theory of the polite arts is nothing more than the power of discovering
what is truly beautiful. This knowledge or theory the moderns dignify with the name of asthetica.
The man in possession of this theory is susceptible of all the enchanting power of the polite arts,
whose force consisting in expression, applies to the mind through the organs of hearing, as-well
as those of sight. He is equally charmed with the melody of numbers, the harmony of sound,
the production of the pen, the pencil, the ehissel, or the graver.
The first general rale necessary to every follower of the polite aits is to consult his own genius;
to divest himself of all self-love, and partiality for his own merit, and carefully to examine whe-
ther he possess those properties indispensable to his success ; the principal of which is a lively
and happy imagination or, in other words, that inventive faculty of the mind which gives him a
facility in always discovering something new. This assertion may sometimes damp the hopes
of the young student, seeing so much has been done in every part of art, by preceding geniuses.
Solomon also, in his days, wisely remarked that there zcas nothing new under the sun. This,
though true with regard to individual objects, is not the case with their various combinations. It
is true there have been multitudes of authors, in each of the polite arts, who may seem to have
exhausted all the stores of imagination, and have left no materials for novelty or invention; yet
there is still perhaps as much opportunity for the exercise of imagination as in the first dawnings
of science. And though the fine arts, in their imitations of nature, can borrow images, figures,
and comparisons, from those things onlv that exist and are known, nature is ever chansinQ-,
and presents to an attentive observer an infinite variety of scenes. New situations of character
may present themselves to the artist's mind ; new events take place, both in civil and domestic
history ; former occurrences may also be rehandled with more success; figures may be grouped
in an original and more pleasing manner ; the different passions may be more strongly expressed,
and the graces more pleasingly described, by one artist than by another. This power of inven-
tion consists in the ingenious use of combination ; by which any of the various objects of nature
are brought together, disposed and contrasted in such a manner as to form a whole, which is al-
together new, happy and agreeable; which surprises as well as pleases; in which we find a har-
mony, a perfection,, a thought, an expression quite unexpected, that we could not foresee nor hope
to find, in the manner in which the artist has so happily placed it.
In the examination of his powers the student should, however, be careful against passing too
hasty averdicton his own demerits; for genius is no more than an apt judgement combined swlh<
a facility of arranging, disposing, and uniting suitable objects, in a manner novel, pleasing, and.
conforming to the principles of taste. This faculty is often the possession of the student, though
he himself be ignorant of his powers. And still more frequently does it lie dormant in his
breast, till the latent quality is brought forth, by reviewing and-endeavouring to imitate the ex-
cellence of others.
Secondly; Every artist should incessantiv endeavonr to improve his taste; or to acquire that
sensible, refined, and clear discernment, which will enable him to distinguish the real beauties
in each object, the ornaments that are agreeable to it, the proportions and relations that subsist
anions;
I