DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5596#0235
204
MODEBN ART.
ornaments, said,—" So not being able to make her
handsome, you have made her rich." 1
" Poets, like Painters, thus unskill'd to trace
The naked nature, and the living grace,
With gold and jewels cover every part,
And hide with ornaments their wrant of art."
Pope.
Somewhat similar is the story given us by Baldi-
nucci:—Michael Angelo seeing one of his pupils,
John of Bologna, carefully finishing an ill-studied
work, said, " Young man, learn to dispose a figure
before you think of finishing it." The history of
ancient art is full of such examples. Lucian points
out the folly it would be in a person who instead of
regarding the general effect of the Jupiter Olympius,
its beauty and majesty, dilates extravagantly on the
workmanship and finishing of his throne, and the
neatness of his pedestal. Nicias the painter used
to observe very commonly that it was no mean
matter in the art of painting to be able to treat
the subject with sufficient breadth and largeness,
and to avoid falling into little conceits. Quintilian
also remarks very justly, — " Vitium est ubique,
quod nimium est."3 Philostratus holds up to our
1 Plutarch's remark is to the same effect:—Simplicity is greatly
preferable to superfluous finery.—Sympos. vi. 7.
2 Accessories, (parerga,) however, when properly employed,
are praised by Galen, {Be Usu Part. Hum. Corp. lib. xi.) and by
Philostratus, {Icon. i. In Piscatoribus.)
MODEBN ART.
ornaments, said,—" So not being able to make her
handsome, you have made her rich." 1
" Poets, like Painters, thus unskill'd to trace
The naked nature, and the living grace,
With gold and jewels cover every part,
And hide with ornaments their wrant of art."
Pope.
Somewhat similar is the story given us by Baldi-
nucci:—Michael Angelo seeing one of his pupils,
John of Bologna, carefully finishing an ill-studied
work, said, " Young man, learn to dispose a figure
before you think of finishing it." The history of
ancient art is full of such examples. Lucian points
out the folly it would be in a person who instead of
regarding the general effect of the Jupiter Olympius,
its beauty and majesty, dilates extravagantly on the
workmanship and finishing of his throne, and the
neatness of his pedestal. Nicias the painter used
to observe very commonly that it was no mean
matter in the art of painting to be able to treat
the subject with sufficient breadth and largeness,
and to avoid falling into little conceits. Quintilian
also remarks very justly, — " Vitium est ubique,
quod nimium est."3 Philostratus holds up to our
1 Plutarch's remark is to the same effect:—Simplicity is greatly
preferable to superfluous finery.—Sympos. vi. 7.
2 Accessories, (parerga,) however, when properly employed,
are praised by Galen, {Be Usu Part. Hum. Corp. lib. xi.) and by
Philostratus, {Icon. i. In Piscatoribus.)