DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.73712#0292
200 THE WORKS OF
men of erudition to examine if there have
been two or more cities os the same name, and
in which of these has been born such an artist
as, has invented or persected any point of
the art. My object is to speak solely of the
study of the ancients, and of the way they have
taken to invent painting and sculpture; like-
wise of their Taste, and of the maixms by which
I figure to myself they have been operated.
I incline to believe that design was the
sirst found by men, and that painting and sculp-
ture came after; that in the beginning they
knew nothing of sculpture, and that painting
was begun fill later: that the first designs were
the imitation of the human form : that in sculp-
ture they began by sorming earthly figures ; and
that this was the first step which the arts approach-
ed towards the imitation os nature; because
of a thing which one Ices at all tides it is more
eafy to express the form than even in design,
which requires more ressection, and sor that
reason has less os mechanisin than sculpture.
However it may be, I do not hazard to decide
upon that point; only Jam persuaded that the
ancients began the art of designing with forms
verv simple, long and straight, aster the manner
os the figures, which we see in the Tuscan Vases.
I imagine that Philosophy, and the other or-
naments os the mind, ssourished among the an-
cients besore they cultivated sculpture and
painting, and that for this reason they pursued
a way totally different srom the moderns; that
is to fay, they followed the direction of reason,
men of erudition to examine if there have
been two or more cities os the same name, and
in which of these has been born such an artist
as, has invented or persected any point of
the art. My object is to speak solely of the
study of the ancients, and of the way they have
taken to invent painting and sculpture; like-
wise of their Taste, and of the maixms by which
I figure to myself they have been operated.
I incline to believe that design was the
sirst found by men, and that painting and sculp-
ture came after; that in the beginning they
knew nothing of sculpture, and that painting
was begun fill later: that the first designs were
the imitation of the human form : that in sculp-
ture they began by sorming earthly figures ; and
that this was the first step which the arts approach-
ed towards the imitation os nature; because
of a thing which one Ices at all tides it is more
eafy to express the form than even in design,
which requires more ressection, and sor that
reason has less os mechanisin than sculpture.
However it may be, I do not hazard to decide
upon that point; only Jam persuaded that the
ancients began the art of designing with forms
verv simple, long and straight, aster the manner
os the figures, which we see in the Tuscan Vases.
I imagine that Philosophy, and the other or-
naments os the mind, ssourished among the an-
cients besore they cultivated sculpture and
painting, and that for this reason they pursued
a way totally different srom the moderns; that
is to fay, they followed the direction of reason,