DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.75271#0029
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of all the time, and all the vigour of body, and mind, allowed to
humane nature; he mould take care to husband, and improve these
as much as possible, by prudence and virtue. The way to be an
excellent painter, is to be an excellent man; and these united make
a character that would mine even in a better world than this.
But as a piHure may be esteemed a good and a valuable one^
in which all the good qualities of a picture are not to be found
(for that never happens) and those that are, but in a degree Abort
of the utmost ; nay, is a picture have but one of them in. a con sider-
able degree it is to be valued; painters have a right to the same
indulgence, and have had it in past ages, as well as in the present;
for whether for their own sakes, or from principles of reason,
virtue, good-nature, or whatever other motive the world is not
wanting to cherish, and reward merit, though in a narrow compass,
and inferior degrees. We have no reason to complain.
Only give me leave to add, that a painter that holds but a second
or third rank in his profession, is entitled to an equal degree of
esteem with one in the first in another, if to arrive at that inferior
Ration, as many good qualities are requisite as to attain to the
highest in that other.
The whole Art of PAINTING consists of these Parts:
INVENTION, EXPRESSION, COMPOSITION, DRAW-
ING, COLOURING, HANDLING, and GRACE,
and GREATNESS.
WHAT is meant by these terms, and that they are qualities re-
quisite to the perfe&ion of the art, and really distinH from each
other, so that ho one of them can be fairly implied by the other,
will appear when I treat of them in their order; and this will justify
my giving so many parts to Painting, which some others who have
wrote
of all the time, and all the vigour of body, and mind, allowed to
humane nature; he mould take care to husband, and improve these
as much as possible, by prudence and virtue. The way to be an
excellent painter, is to be an excellent man; and these united make
a character that would mine even in a better world than this.
But as a piHure may be esteemed a good and a valuable one^
in which all the good qualities of a picture are not to be found
(for that never happens) and those that are, but in a degree Abort
of the utmost ; nay, is a picture have but one of them in. a con sider-
able degree it is to be valued; painters have a right to the same
indulgence, and have had it in past ages, as well as in the present;
for whether for their own sakes, or from principles of reason,
virtue, good-nature, or whatever other motive the world is not
wanting to cherish, and reward merit, though in a narrow compass,
and inferior degrees. We have no reason to complain.
Only give me leave to add, that a painter that holds but a second
or third rank in his profession, is entitled to an equal degree of
esteem with one in the first in another, if to arrive at that inferior
Ration, as many good qualities are requisite as to attain to the
highest in that other.
The whole Art of PAINTING consists of these Parts:
INVENTION, EXPRESSION, COMPOSITION, DRAW-
ING, COLOURING, HANDLING, and GRACE,
and GREATNESS.
WHAT is meant by these terms, and that they are qualities re-
quisite to the perfe&ion of the art, and really distinH from each
other, so that ho one of them can be fairly implied by the other,
will appear when I treat of them in their order; and this will justify
my giving so many parts to Painting, which some others who have
wrote