DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.73713#0045
RAPHAEL MENGS.
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taking such care of the other parts; but
this one ought to underhand only as re-
garding the likeness of such and such a
man, because here one treats of a portrait,
upon which the comparison goes. In fact
we see the ancient statues with the heads
of portraits, and the bodies in the most ele-
gant proportion, which perhaps such as had
not ; and they represent the Alexander
painted by Apelles with the thunderbolt
in his hand, had perhaps the face of
Alexander, but not his figure.
13. By what I have observed os the ancient
heads, these have always the eyes not so
long as the good modern heads, but cer-
tainly their size consists in the form and
thape, and in the exact encasement of
true beauty.
14. It is not true, that the bones which encir-
cle the eye ought to be large; this doc-
trine would be even dangerous ; because
the ancients have the jugal always rather a
little elevated, in order not to enlarge the
face and render it triangular.
15. The term foreshortning belongs to paint-
ing, and has not place in sculpture, ex-
cept when one would with to say, the
foreshortning of the muscles in their con-
tractions, and the consequent effect os the
fold of a member.
16. I could asx a little indulgence for the mo-
derns, because it is not necessary to abuse
ourselves in order to elevate the ancients,
VOL. II. G
^
taking such care of the other parts; but
this one ought to underhand only as re-
garding the likeness of such and such a
man, because here one treats of a portrait,
upon which the comparison goes. In fact
we see the ancient statues with the heads
of portraits, and the bodies in the most ele-
gant proportion, which perhaps such as had
not ; and they represent the Alexander
painted by Apelles with the thunderbolt
in his hand, had perhaps the face of
Alexander, but not his figure.
13. By what I have observed os the ancient
heads, these have always the eyes not so
long as the good modern heads, but cer-
tainly their size consists in the form and
thape, and in the exact encasement of
true beauty.
14. It is not true, that the bones which encir-
cle the eye ought to be large; this doc-
trine would be even dangerous ; because
the ancients have the jugal always rather a
little elevated, in order not to enlarge the
face and render it triangular.
15. The term foreshortning belongs to paint-
ing, and has not place in sculpture, ex-
cept when one would with to say, the
foreshortning of the muscles in their con-
tractions, and the consequent effect os the
fold of a member.
16. I could asx a little indulgence for the mo-
derns, because it is not necessary to abuse
ourselves in order to elevate the ancients,
VOL. II. G