DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20658#0357
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BOOK V.
PERSPECTIVE.
AN historical view of the rise and progress of the art of perspective could not be properly
Oracle of sufficient interest to the general student, without going into more research and detail
than would be consistent with the proper observance of the brevity of this work.
The earliest date of drawing perspective!}' by rule, or an account of the earliest publications
on the subject is not, in fact, of great importance to a young student: it will be sufficient
to shew him so much of the antiquity of the art as to satisfy him of the high respect adjudged
to it from remote periods of antiquity, and to make him so far acquainted with subsequent
writers as may shew him that, from the earliest dawn of science to. the present day, the most
learned and profound mathematicians have considered perspective worthy of theit laborious
study. > .;
It seems an unquestioned historical fact that the art was practised and taught by Apelles,
300 years before the date of the Christian era, and than its progress continued without inter-
ruption during 3,1)00 years,- to the times of Titian, Raphael, and their brilliant contemporaries.
Early in the 17th century we find some Italian works of considerable merit on the subject;,
and shortly after the treatise usually termed the Jesuit's perspective. In the early part ot the
18th century a very learned and able treatise was published by Gravesaude, and appears to have
laid., the foundation for the subsequent publication of what are termed the new or modern,
principles of perspective by Brook lay lor, whose first essay appeared about 10 years after
Gravesande's.
After this in point of time, but far exceeding in splendor and usefulness any preceding publi-
cation, we find Hamilton's treatise ; and after this, in order, the works of Kir by, Highmore,
Cowley, Priestly, Noble, Ferguson, Mai ton, Nicholson, with other smaller and less important
essays, down to the present time, were produced.
The student will perceive from this list, which contains many of the most eminent mathema-
ticians of the age in which they lived, that the subject is one of great importance; not on the
one hand of so easy attainment as to be lightly considered, nor on the other hand as an abstruse
and difficult art which may be neglected by him without serious injury to his course of study.
The art .of drawing in perspective consists in the correct delineation, on a given surface, of
the figure and relative dimensions of objects as they appear, and not as we know them actually
to be. The different appearance of the same object, viewed from different situations, is a cir-
cumstance which must be familiar to all who have made the least inquiry or progress in any
kmd of drawing. Reference to the objects around us shews for instance, that two objects of equal
, ,-. ..... height
BOOK V.
PERSPECTIVE.
AN historical view of the rise and progress of the art of perspective could not be properly
Oracle of sufficient interest to the general student, without going into more research and detail
than would be consistent with the proper observance of the brevity of this work.
The earliest date of drawing perspective!}' by rule, or an account of the earliest publications
on the subject is not, in fact, of great importance to a young student: it will be sufficient
to shew him so much of the antiquity of the art as to satisfy him of the high respect adjudged
to it from remote periods of antiquity, and to make him so far acquainted with subsequent
writers as may shew him that, from the earliest dawn of science to. the present day, the most
learned and profound mathematicians have considered perspective worthy of theit laborious
study. > .;
It seems an unquestioned historical fact that the art was practised and taught by Apelles,
300 years before the date of the Christian era, and than its progress continued without inter-
ruption during 3,1)00 years,- to the times of Titian, Raphael, and their brilliant contemporaries.
Early in the 17th century we find some Italian works of considerable merit on the subject;,
and shortly after the treatise usually termed the Jesuit's perspective. In the early part ot the
18th century a very learned and able treatise was published by Gravesaude, and appears to have
laid., the foundation for the subsequent publication of what are termed the new or modern,
principles of perspective by Brook lay lor, whose first essay appeared about 10 years after
Gravesande's.
After this in point of time, but far exceeding in splendor and usefulness any preceding publi-
cation, we find Hamilton's treatise ; and after this, in order, the works of Kir by, Highmore,
Cowley, Priestly, Noble, Ferguson, Mai ton, Nicholson, with other smaller and less important
essays, down to the present time, were produced.
The student will perceive from this list, which contains many of the most eminent mathema-
ticians of the age in which they lived, that the subject is one of great importance; not on the
one hand of so easy attainment as to be lightly considered, nor on the other hand as an abstruse
and difficult art which may be neglected by him without serious injury to his course of study.
The art .of drawing in perspective consists in the correct delineation, on a given surface, of
the figure and relative dimensions of objects as they appear, and not as we know them actually
to be. The different appearance of the same object, viewed from different situations, is a cir-
cumstance which must be familiar to all who have made the least inquiry or progress in any
kmd of drawing. Reference to the objects around us shews for instance, that two objects of equal
, ,-. ..... height