DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19388#0030
22
DESCRIPTION
of the
CARTOONS OF RAPHAEL URBXN.
y^HEN a man enters into that awful Gallery at Hampton Court, (says Mr. Rich-
ardson, in his Essay on the Theory of Painting,) he finds himself amongst a
sort of people superior to what he has ever seen, and very probably to what those
really were. Indeed this is (speaking of grace and greatness,) the principal excel-
lence of those wonderful pictures, as it must be allowed to be that part of painting
which is preferable to all others. These inimitable pieces are called Cartoons, from
their being executed upon paper; and are nothing more than coloured drawings,
upon a washed ground previously prepared for that purpose, the shadows of which
are made by hatching with the point of a large pencil, and the whole are very highly
finished. They were originally intended as patterns for tapestery, and were entirely
the work of that great master Raphael Urbin. It is almost impossible to consider
these pictures, without supposing that, as the Miraculous Draught of Fishes is the
only miracle of our Saviour's to be found among them, it is more than probable, that
what this country now happily possesses, is but a part of a most stupenduous work
of this great man, and that many more glorious Cartoons of the life and miracles of
our Saviour have perished in oblivion j for it can hardly be conceived, that this sin-
gle subject could particularly engage the attention of Raphael, among many others
which would undoubtedly have made better pictures, and been more suitable to his
genius; and the Cartoon of Christ's Charge to Peter, and the regular succession of
the acts of the Apostle, seem greatly to confirm this opinion. However, as it is an
argument that probably will not be contested, and cannot be proved, it can only be
lamented, that perhaps some accident, or the premature death of that great master,*
has deprived the world of an invaluable treasure
Anno 1522, JEt. 37.
DESCRIPTION
of the
CARTOONS OF RAPHAEL URBXN.
y^HEN a man enters into that awful Gallery at Hampton Court, (says Mr. Rich-
ardson, in his Essay on the Theory of Painting,) he finds himself amongst a
sort of people superior to what he has ever seen, and very probably to what those
really were. Indeed this is (speaking of grace and greatness,) the principal excel-
lence of those wonderful pictures, as it must be allowed to be that part of painting
which is preferable to all others. These inimitable pieces are called Cartoons, from
their being executed upon paper; and are nothing more than coloured drawings,
upon a washed ground previously prepared for that purpose, the shadows of which
are made by hatching with the point of a large pencil, and the whole are very highly
finished. They were originally intended as patterns for tapestery, and were entirely
the work of that great master Raphael Urbin. It is almost impossible to consider
these pictures, without supposing that, as the Miraculous Draught of Fishes is the
only miracle of our Saviour's to be found among them, it is more than probable, that
what this country now happily possesses, is but a part of a most stupenduous work
of this great man, and that many more glorious Cartoons of the life and miracles of
our Saviour have perished in oblivion j for it can hardly be conceived, that this sin-
gle subject could particularly engage the attention of Raphael, among many others
which would undoubtedly have made better pictures, and been more suitable to his
genius; and the Cartoon of Christ's Charge to Peter, and the regular succession of
the acts of the Apostle, seem greatly to confirm this opinion. However, as it is an
argument that probably will not be contested, and cannot be proved, it can only be
lamented, that perhaps some accident, or the premature death of that great master,*
has deprived the world of an invaluable treasure
Anno 1522, JEt. 37.