DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20658#0196
182
DISPOSITION.
So let thy pencil fling its beams around,
Nor e'er with darker shades their force confound
For shades too dark discover'd shapes will give,
And siuk the parts their softness would relieve :
Then only well relieved when, like a veil,
Round the full lights the wand'ring shadows steal;
Then only justly spread, when to the sight
A breadth of shade pursues a breadth of light.
This charm to give, great Titian wisely made
The cluster'd grapes his rule of light and shade."
Although the chiar-oscuro unquestionably produces very grand effects in painting, yet the
artist must beware of introducing it with affectation, or in an improper situation. Thus he who,
in a scene laid in a grotto or cave, when the light entered only through a small aperture, should
make his shade soft and tender, would err just as much as another who should represent them
strong and bold in the open day-light.
Young artists are apt to fall into these errors, from too close an imitation of particular masters
whom they have chosen as their models; without duly considering and making allowances for the
diversity of circumstances belonging to their several productions. Great care must also be taken
to avoid broken or scattered lights, and such as do not obviously point out the source from which
they flow : that the unity, the majestic silence of the work, as it has been called, in ci y not be
destroyed. For the eye is not less hurt by many lights distributed here and there over a picture,
than the ear is offended by the confused noise of different persons speaking all together in an
assembly.
But whatever skill and learning may be displayed in the disposition of a picture, neither this
quality, nor any other mechanical excellence, can atone-for an error in the selection of the sub-
ject. It is a matter of great judgement to know what subjects are, and what are not proper for
painting. They ought to be such as Fresnoy describes in these lines :—
ct Some lofty theme let judgement first supply,
" Supremely fraught with grace and majesty."
But still it is not every subject, even when full of grace and majesty, that suits the painter.
His theme is generally supplied by the historian or the poet: but as he speaks only to the eye, a
story in which fine feeling and refined sentiment are predominant, rather than palpable situation,
gross interest, and distinct passion, will never answer the painter's purpose.
The storj" should likewise be generally known : for as the artist can only represent one point
of time, he has no way to inform the spectator of what preceded that point, however necessary
it may be, to enable him to judge of the propriety and truth of the expression and character of
the persons in the piece.
It may be in general remarked that action is the principal requisite in a subject for history
painting ; and that there are many subjects which, though very interesting to the reader, would
make no figure in representation. Such are those subjects which consist in a long series of
action,
DISPOSITION.
So let thy pencil fling its beams around,
Nor e'er with darker shades their force confound
For shades too dark discover'd shapes will give,
And siuk the parts their softness would relieve :
Then only well relieved when, like a veil,
Round the full lights the wand'ring shadows steal;
Then only justly spread, when to the sight
A breadth of shade pursues a breadth of light.
This charm to give, great Titian wisely made
The cluster'd grapes his rule of light and shade."
Although the chiar-oscuro unquestionably produces very grand effects in painting, yet the
artist must beware of introducing it with affectation, or in an improper situation. Thus he who,
in a scene laid in a grotto or cave, when the light entered only through a small aperture, should
make his shade soft and tender, would err just as much as another who should represent them
strong and bold in the open day-light.
Young artists are apt to fall into these errors, from too close an imitation of particular masters
whom they have chosen as their models; without duly considering and making allowances for the
diversity of circumstances belonging to their several productions. Great care must also be taken
to avoid broken or scattered lights, and such as do not obviously point out the source from which
they flow : that the unity, the majestic silence of the work, as it has been called, in ci y not be
destroyed. For the eye is not less hurt by many lights distributed here and there over a picture,
than the ear is offended by the confused noise of different persons speaking all together in an
assembly.
But whatever skill and learning may be displayed in the disposition of a picture, neither this
quality, nor any other mechanical excellence, can atone-for an error in the selection of the sub-
ject. It is a matter of great judgement to know what subjects are, and what are not proper for
painting. They ought to be such as Fresnoy describes in these lines :—
ct Some lofty theme let judgement first supply,
" Supremely fraught with grace and majesty."
But still it is not every subject, even when full of grace and majesty, that suits the painter.
His theme is generally supplied by the historian or the poet: but as he speaks only to the eye, a
story in which fine feeling and refined sentiment are predominant, rather than palpable situation,
gross interest, and distinct passion, will never answer the painter's purpose.
The storj" should likewise be generally known : for as the artist can only represent one point
of time, he has no way to inform the spectator of what preceded that point, however necessary
it may be, to enable him to judge of the propriety and truth of the expression and character of
the persons in the piece.
It may be in general remarked that action is the principal requisite in a subject for history
painting ; and that there are many subjects which, though very interesting to the reader, would
make no figure in representation. Such are those subjects which consist in a long series of
action,