DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1623#0151
14-6 Collection of Etruscan , Greek and Roman Antiquities
avoidable. Attitude and A&ion belonging to every part of the body,
it follows that they muft all contribute to the expreffion of thought
or fentirnent y and it is the more or lefs of that ablion relative to
fentiment , which fettles the degree of Expreffion of which we shall
fpeak in the Chapter upon Painting, The Laocoon is a firiking exam-
ple of what we bave been faying , Agefander who made this divine
piece woud exprefs grief and paternal love carried to their higheft
pitch ; They are as fenfibly expreffed in the Attitude of the body, in
the ablion of the members, in the articulations of the feet and bands,
in the contraction of every mufcles, and in the hair , as in the face
iff elf where however they take a greater variety of expreffion , as in
the eyes, in the Eye brows, in the nofe and Mouth, they muft shew
a greater variety of fentiments : In effebl there you fee that Laocoon
fuffers for himfelf and bis Children whom he woud ajfift , the folds
of the Serpent which he meets with on every fide , and from which
he endeavours by bis efforts to deliver himfelf , irritate his Courage ,
and though he employs bis utmoft ftrengtb, he cannot compafs the for-
ceing himfelf from that obftacle. There is preferved at Portici a Faun
whofe drunkenefs is not lefs expreffed in the hack, the legs, the belly
and the moft minute parts, than in the face, and in examining this piece
you fee how learned the Ancients were in Expreffion . As of all the parts of
Art , thofe of Expreffion and Character are the moft difficult to fei^e and
exprefs, they are alfo thofe which are the moft difficult to he felt and the
moft rarely underftood , one may however judge of the impreJJJon tbey
made among the ancients by the price tbey fet upon them , I will
here bring fame examples^ haft I shoud be fufpetled cf baving feen
and defcribed in thefe pieces circumftances that do not exift in them.
Pliny tells us of a Statue of Ctefilas (28) reprefenting a dying Man in
which might be diftinguished juft bow much life was left in him. In
the Paris of Euphranor (20) one might diftinguish the Judge of the three
God-
■ ' 1 1 ------------■ - ' v-------------------
. (28) In quo poffit intelligi , quantum reftat tur , judex Dearum , amator Helens , & tamen
anima. Hift. Nat. 34. Achillis interfeftor.
W) Laudatur quod omnia fimul intelligan-
avoidable. Attitude and A&ion belonging to every part of the body,
it follows that they muft all contribute to the expreffion of thought
or fentirnent y and it is the more or lefs of that ablion relative to
fentiment , which fettles the degree of Expreffion of which we shall
fpeak in the Chapter upon Painting, The Laocoon is a firiking exam-
ple of what we bave been faying , Agefander who made this divine
piece woud exprefs grief and paternal love carried to their higheft
pitch ; They are as fenfibly expreffed in the Attitude of the body, in
the ablion of the members, in the articulations of the feet and bands,
in the contraction of every mufcles, and in the hair , as in the face
iff elf where however they take a greater variety of expreffion , as in
the eyes, in the Eye brows, in the nofe and Mouth, they muft shew
a greater variety of fentiments : In effebl there you fee that Laocoon
fuffers for himfelf and bis Children whom he woud ajfift , the folds
of the Serpent which he meets with on every fide , and from which
he endeavours by bis efforts to deliver himfelf , irritate his Courage ,
and though he employs bis utmoft ftrengtb, he cannot compafs the for-
ceing himfelf from that obftacle. There is preferved at Portici a Faun
whofe drunkenefs is not lefs expreffed in the hack, the legs, the belly
and the moft minute parts, than in the face, and in examining this piece
you fee how learned the Ancients were in Expreffion . As of all the parts of
Art , thofe of Expreffion and Character are the moft difficult to fei^e and
exprefs, they are alfo thofe which are the moft difficult to he felt and the
moft rarely underftood , one may however judge of the impreJJJon tbey
made among the ancients by the price tbey fet upon them , I will
here bring fame examples^ haft I shoud be fufpetled cf baving feen
and defcribed in thefe pieces circumftances that do not exift in them.
Pliny tells us of a Statue of Ctefilas (28) reprefenting a dying Man in
which might be diftinguished juft bow much life was left in him. In
the Paris of Euphranor (20) one might diftinguish the Judge of the three
God-
■ ' 1 1 ------------■ - ' v-------------------
. (28) In quo poffit intelligi , quantum reftat tur , judex Dearum , amator Helens , & tamen
anima. Hift. Nat. 34. Achillis interfeftor.
W) Laudatur quod omnia fimul intelligan-