DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.73712#0010
2 \ P RE FA C E.
at Rome. As an Artist, no unprejudiced
perlon can ever have seen his best works
without speaking of him with the greatest
rapture and delight.
I have visited the capital of Spain where
the paintings of Mengs appear in all their
greatness; and every one who has travelled
through Spain must be sensible how high a
fame he bears in thatCountry, where not to
admire him (as an ingenious author has ob-
served) is almost a violence against Church
and State; an enthusiasm supported not
by the wild rumor or folly of a day,
but authorised by men of undoubted tafte
and knowledge in the prosession. Almost
every court in Europe has wished to pos-
sess some paintings from his hand. Poland
raised and fupported him as long as it was
able to fupport itself; Rome acknowledges
him as her greatesl ornament; Russia, Naples,
Florence, courted him; and Spain looks on
the ever-living monuments ofhis departed
genius with all the ardour of religious ado-
ration: from all these honors one musi na-
turally be led to suppose he was not of
the niost common and ordinary rank of
mankind.
The following works were originally
written in various languages, and as the
author could not ,be equally brilliant and
correct in all, some parts will undoubtedly
be found more excellent than others. The
siyle and clearness of the sentiments must
at Rome. As an Artist, no unprejudiced
perlon can ever have seen his best works
without speaking of him with the greatest
rapture and delight.
I have visited the capital of Spain where
the paintings of Mengs appear in all their
greatness; and every one who has travelled
through Spain must be sensible how high a
fame he bears in thatCountry, where not to
admire him (as an ingenious author has ob-
served) is almost a violence against Church
and State; an enthusiasm supported not
by the wild rumor or folly of a day,
but authorised by men of undoubted tafte
and knowledge in the prosession. Almost
every court in Europe has wished to pos-
sess some paintings from his hand. Poland
raised and fupported him as long as it was
able to fupport itself; Rome acknowledges
him as her greatesl ornament; Russia, Naples,
Florence, courted him; and Spain looks on
the ever-living monuments ofhis departed
genius with all the ardour of religious ado-
ration: from all these honors one musi na-
turally be led to suppose he was not of
the niost common and ordinary rank of
mankind.
The following works were originally
written in various languages, and as the
author could not ,be equally brilliant and
correct in all, some parts will undoubtedly
be found more excellent than others. The
siyle and clearness of the sentiments must