DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61012#0179
THE EIGHTH DISCOURSE. 145
Le Brun and Carlo Maratti were two painters of great
merit, and particularly what may be called Academical
Merit, but were both deficient in this management of
colours; the want of observing this rule is one of the
causes of that heaviness of effect which is so observable in
their works. The principal light in the Picture of Le
Brun, which I just now mentioned, falls on Statira, who is
dressed very injudiciously in a pale blue drapery : it is
true, he has heightened this blue with gold, but that is not
enough; the whole picture has a heavy air, and by no
means answers the expectations raised by the print.
Poussin often made a spot of blue drapery, when the
general hue of the picture was inclinable to brown or
yellow ; which shows sufficiently that harmony of colour-
ing was not a part of the art that had much engaged the
attention of that great painter.
The conduct of Titian in the picture of Bacchus and
Ariadne has been much celebrated, and justly, for the
harmony of colouring. To Ariadne is given (say the
critics) a red scarf, to relieve the figure from the sea,
which is behind her. It is not for that reason alone, but
for another of much greater consequence; for the sake of
the general harmony and effect of the picture. The figure of
Ariadne is separated from the great group, and is dressed
in blue, which, added to the colour of the sea, makes that
quantity of cold colour which Titian thought necessary for
the support and brilliancy of the great group; which group
is composed, with very little exception, entirely of mellow
colours. But as the picture in this case would be divided
into two distinct parts, one half cold, and the other warm,
it was necessary to carry some of the mellow colours of the
great group into the cold part of the picture, and a part of
the cold into the great group; accordingly, Titian gave
388
Le Brun and Carlo Maratti were two painters of great
merit, and particularly what may be called Academical
Merit, but were both deficient in this management of
colours; the want of observing this rule is one of the
causes of that heaviness of effect which is so observable in
their works. The principal light in the Picture of Le
Brun, which I just now mentioned, falls on Statira, who is
dressed very injudiciously in a pale blue drapery : it is
true, he has heightened this blue with gold, but that is not
enough; the whole picture has a heavy air, and by no
means answers the expectations raised by the print.
Poussin often made a spot of blue drapery, when the
general hue of the picture was inclinable to brown or
yellow ; which shows sufficiently that harmony of colour-
ing was not a part of the art that had much engaged the
attention of that great painter.
The conduct of Titian in the picture of Bacchus and
Ariadne has been much celebrated, and justly, for the
harmony of colouring. To Ariadne is given (say the
critics) a red scarf, to relieve the figure from the sea,
which is behind her. It is not for that reason alone, but
for another of much greater consequence; for the sake of
the general harmony and effect of the picture. The figure of
Ariadne is separated from the great group, and is dressed
in blue, which, added to the colour of the sea, makes that
quantity of cold colour which Titian thought necessary for
the support and brilliancy of the great group; which group
is composed, with very little exception, entirely of mellow
colours. But as the picture in this case would be divided
into two distinct parts, one half cold, and the other warm,
it was necessary to carry some of the mellow colours of the
great group into the cold part of the picture, and a part of
the cold into the great group; accordingly, Titian gave
388