DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.73712#0141
RAPHAEL MENGS. 49
their agility, and that the ancients had made it
their greatest study and care ; and in that as well
as every other thing, he did not content him-
felf, as many other great Painters have done,
by the external imitation os the ancients, but
he studied and examined the cause of their
Beauty. I do not doubt nevertheless that if
Raphael had had the occasion to form only
ideal sigures, he would still have accustomed
himself more to the best works of antiquity.
But since the customs of his time were very dif-
ferent from those of the ancient Grecians, and
great ideas were already converted into low and
base ones; he with a genius naturally elevated,
found nothing in the usages of his time that
would content him except Expression. This
he found in part in the ancients, but more in
the cognition of Nature ; from them he con-
tented himself to take the principal forms, and
very often chose srom Nature that which they
nearest approached ; then led on by his great
genius, he advanced to examine the expression
of eacli separate form, from which he found
that certain lineaments of aspect carry in them-
sclves also certain expressions, and are natural
to certain temperaments; as also, that to a
certain face appertain such and such members,
hands, feet, &c. and these he united with the
greatest exadtness, making the aspect thus uni-
sorm with the movements and sigure. Then
when he proceeded to the exercise of designing,
he thought always anew upon the principal mo-
tive ; first os the measure and primary form t
their agility, and that the ancients had made it
their greatest study and care ; and in that as well
as every other thing, he did not content him-
felf, as many other great Painters have done,
by the external imitation os the ancients, but
he studied and examined the cause of their
Beauty. I do not doubt nevertheless that if
Raphael had had the occasion to form only
ideal sigures, he would still have accustomed
himself more to the best works of antiquity.
But since the customs of his time were very dif-
ferent from those of the ancient Grecians, and
great ideas were already converted into low and
base ones; he with a genius naturally elevated,
found nothing in the usages of his time that
would content him except Expression. This
he found in part in the ancients, but more in
the cognition of Nature ; from them he con-
tented himself to take the principal forms, and
very often chose srom Nature that which they
nearest approached ; then led on by his great
genius, he advanced to examine the expression
of eacli separate form, from which he found
that certain lineaments of aspect carry in them-
sclves also certain expressions, and are natural
to certain temperaments; as also, that to a
certain face appertain such and such members,
hands, feet, &c. and these he united with the
greatest exadtness, making the aspect thus uni-
sorm with the movements and sigure. Then
when he proceeded to the exercise of designing,
he thought always anew upon the principal mo-
tive ; first os the measure and primary form t