DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.73712#0173
RAPHAEL MENGS. 81
three have only possessed separate parts of their
respe&ive perfections, I do not mean by that
to depreciate the one, but only to praise and
exalt in the highest degree the merits of the
others. In the same manner when I criticise
the colouring and harmony of Raphael, I do
not mean that it is properly bad, but that it is
not in comparison with that os Correggio and
Titian; since the same Raphael would be also
in these parts sufficiently beautiful when com-
pared to Michael Angelo, Giulio Romano, or
even with Caracci. As is also Correggio in design
and drapery, because when compared with Tin-
toretto in the one, or with Rubens or Giordano in
the other, he will always remain excellent.
And lastly the clare obseure of Titian is poor
only when compared to that of Correggio, but
becomes great when compared to that os others ;
and precisely for that are these three the great-
est matters; since they were great in all parts,
and in some excellent, and incomparable. They
had different tastes, because they chose different
objects. Raphael had the Taste of Expression,
Correggio that of Pleasing, and Titian that of
Truth: each made his choice. As these three
Painters generally sought Truth; they have
very often met, because the whole, as well in
expression as in pleasing, is found in Nature, and
they form respe&ively a different tafte, only,
because they do not mix, as nature does, every
thing together; but each chose his particular
part from the whole. Then, when by means of
imitating nature, they sometimes found one part
three have only possessed separate parts of their
respe&ive perfections, I do not mean by that
to depreciate the one, but only to praise and
exalt in the highest degree the merits of the
others. In the same manner when I criticise
the colouring and harmony of Raphael, I do
not mean that it is properly bad, but that it is
not in comparison with that os Correggio and
Titian; since the same Raphael would be also
in these parts sufficiently beautiful when com-
pared to Michael Angelo, Giulio Romano, or
even with Caracci. As is also Correggio in design
and drapery, because when compared with Tin-
toretto in the one, or with Rubens or Giordano in
the other, he will always remain excellent.
And lastly the clare obseure of Titian is poor
only when compared to that of Correggio, but
becomes great when compared to that os others ;
and precisely for that are these three the great-
est matters; since they were great in all parts,
and in some excellent, and incomparable. They
had different tastes, because they chose different
objects. Raphael had the Taste of Expression,
Correggio that of Pleasing, and Titian that of
Truth: each made his choice. As these three
Painters generally sought Truth; they have
very often met, because the whole, as well in
expression as in pleasing, is found in Nature, and
they form respe&ively a different tafte, only,
because they do not mix, as nature does, every
thing together; but each chose his particular
part from the whole. Then, when by means of
imitating nature, they sometimes found one part