DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.73713#0015
RAPHAEL MENGS,
11
not put them in practice except when he is obli-
ged to it from necessity. This necesity is of two
kinds; the absoiute and theoptional. The polite
arts have no relation with the first, but spring
from the second; for where there is power easily
arises the will; and man being by his talent, and
by his conformation capable of comprehending,
and of imitating every property and external qua-
lity of things, imitation theresore becomes natu-
ral to him, and from this the arts have derived
their birth. Some might deny that Architecture
is the daughter ofnecessity, buthe will then con-
found itwith theartof building, which isnot sus-
ceptible of beauty, or can be the direCtress of
the other arts as is architecture.
It is commonly believed, that in the East men
first began to make Images and Idols for reli-
gious worship; but these nations did not exalt
the arts to the points which merit the term of
beautiful, because they contented themselves
with the sole lignification of the thing: from
whence an image was valued the same as a name
or hieroglyphic, without either considering per-
fection or beauty; and thus they composed cer-
tain monstrous figures, to signify disserent imagi-
nary properties, or to make their Gods, fright-
sul and horrible as their superstiton which con-
ceived them. They were a little more exalted
during the time of the Egyptians. The Phoeni-
cians added a little more os finith to their works,
because they required this in their commerce,
and they worked more metal than stone. These,
in my opinion, distributed the arts throughout
11
not put them in practice except when he is obli-
ged to it from necessity. This necesity is of two
kinds; the absoiute and theoptional. The polite
arts have no relation with the first, but spring
from the second; for where there is power easily
arises the will; and man being by his talent, and
by his conformation capable of comprehending,
and of imitating every property and external qua-
lity of things, imitation theresore becomes natu-
ral to him, and from this the arts have derived
their birth. Some might deny that Architecture
is the daughter ofnecessity, buthe will then con-
found itwith theartof building, which isnot sus-
ceptible of beauty, or can be the direCtress of
the other arts as is architecture.
It is commonly believed, that in the East men
first began to make Images and Idols for reli-
gious worship; but these nations did not exalt
the arts to the points which merit the term of
beautiful, because they contented themselves
with the sole lignification of the thing: from
whence an image was valued the same as a name
or hieroglyphic, without either considering per-
fection or beauty; and thus they composed cer-
tain monstrous figures, to signify disserent imagi-
nary properties, or to make their Gods, fright-
sul and horrible as their superstiton which con-
ceived them. They were a little more exalted
during the time of the Egyptians. The Phoeni-
cians added a little more os finith to their works,
because they required this in their commerce,
and they worked more metal than stone. These,
in my opinion, distributed the arts throughout