DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.75271#0051
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been altogether improper. And this is the more remarkable, as
having been done upon second thought, and after the piDure was
perhaps finished, which I know, by having a drawing of this carton,
very old, and probably made in Rafaelle's time, though not of his
hand, where the Christ is fully clad; he has the very same large
drapery, but one under it that covers his breast, arm, and legs down
to the feet. Every thing else pretty near the same with the carton.
That the face, and air, as well as our aslions, indicates the mind,
is indisputable. It is seen by every body in the extremes on both
sides. For example; let two men, the one a wise man, and the
other a fool, be seen together dressed, or disguised as you please,
one will not be mistaken for the other, but distinguished with the
first glance of the eye; and if these characters are slamped upon the
face, so as to be read by every one when in the utmost extremes,
they are so proportionably when more, or less removed from them,
and legible accordingly, and in proportion to the skill of the reader.
The like may be observed of good, and ill-nature, gentleness,
rusticity, &c.
Every figure, and animal must be affeded in the picture, as one
should suppose they would, or ought to be. And all the expressions
of the several paslions, and sentiments must be made with regard to
the characters of the persons moved by them. At the railing of
Lazarus, some may be allowed to be made to hold sometbing before
their noses, and this would be very just, to denote that circumstance
in the story, the time he had been dead; but this is exceedingly im-
proper in the laying our Lord in the sepulchre, although he had
been dead much longer than he was; however, Pordenone has done
it. When Apollo fleas Marsyas, he may express all the anguish,
and impatience the painter can give him, but not so in the case of
St. Bartholomew. That the Blessed Mary ssiould swoon away
through excess of grief is very proper to suppose, but to throw her
in such a posture as Daniel da Volterra has done in the descent
from
been altogether improper. And this is the more remarkable, as
having been done upon second thought, and after the piDure was
perhaps finished, which I know, by having a drawing of this carton,
very old, and probably made in Rafaelle's time, though not of his
hand, where the Christ is fully clad; he has the very same large
drapery, but one under it that covers his breast, arm, and legs down
to the feet. Every thing else pretty near the same with the carton.
That the face, and air, as well as our aslions, indicates the mind,
is indisputable. It is seen by every body in the extremes on both
sides. For example; let two men, the one a wise man, and the
other a fool, be seen together dressed, or disguised as you please,
one will not be mistaken for the other, but distinguished with the
first glance of the eye; and if these characters are slamped upon the
face, so as to be read by every one when in the utmost extremes,
they are so proportionably when more, or less removed from them,
and legible accordingly, and in proportion to the skill of the reader.
The like may be observed of good, and ill-nature, gentleness,
rusticity, &c.
Every figure, and animal must be affeded in the picture, as one
should suppose they would, or ought to be. And all the expressions
of the several paslions, and sentiments must be made with regard to
the characters of the persons moved by them. At the railing of
Lazarus, some may be allowed to be made to hold sometbing before
their noses, and this would be very just, to denote that circumstance
in the story, the time he had been dead; but this is exceedingly im-
proper in the laying our Lord in the sepulchre, although he had
been dead much longer than he was; however, Pordenone has done
it. When Apollo fleas Marsyas, he may express all the anguish,
and impatience the painter can give him, but not so in the case of
St. Bartholomew. That the Blessed Mary ssiould swoon away
through excess of grief is very proper to suppose, but to throw her
in such a posture as Daniel da Volterra has done in the descent
from