DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.75271#0077
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COLOURING.
COLOURS are to the eye what sounds are to the ear, tastes to
the palate, or any other objects of our senses are to those senses;
and accordingly an eye that is delicate takes in proportionable
pleasure from beautiful ones, and is as much offended with their
contraries. Good colouring therefore in a pi&ure is of conse-
quence, not only as it is a truer representation of nature, where
every thing is beautiful in its kind, but as administering a consider-
able degree of pleasure to the sense.
The colouring of a pitlure must be varied according to the
subjest, the time, and place.
If the subjed be grave, melancholy, or terrible, the general
tint of the colouring must incline to brown, black, or red, and
gloomy; but be gay, and pleasant in subjeds of joy, and triumph.
This I will not enlarge upon here, having spoken to it already in the
chapter of Expression. Morning, noon, evening, night; sun-shine,
wet, or cloudy weather, influence the colours of things; and if
the scene of the picture be a room, open air, or partly open, and
partly inclosed, the colouring must be accordingly.
The didance also alters the colouring, because of the medium of air
through which every thing is seen, which being blue, the more remote
any objed is, the more it must partake of that colour, consequently
must have less force, or strength; the ground therefore, or whatso-
ever is behind a figure (for example) must not be so strong as that
figure is, nor any of its parts which round off, as those that come
nearer the eye, and that not only for the reason already given, but
because moreover there will always be reflexions Wronger, or
weaker, that will diminish the force of the shadows; which ressect
tions
COLOURING.
COLOURS are to the eye what sounds are to the ear, tastes to
the palate, or any other objects of our senses are to those senses;
and accordingly an eye that is delicate takes in proportionable
pleasure from beautiful ones, and is as much offended with their
contraries. Good colouring therefore in a pi&ure is of conse-
quence, not only as it is a truer representation of nature, where
every thing is beautiful in its kind, but as administering a consider-
able degree of pleasure to the sense.
The colouring of a pitlure must be varied according to the
subjest, the time, and place.
If the subjed be grave, melancholy, or terrible, the general
tint of the colouring must incline to brown, black, or red, and
gloomy; but be gay, and pleasant in subjeds of joy, and triumph.
This I will not enlarge upon here, having spoken to it already in the
chapter of Expression. Morning, noon, evening, night; sun-shine,
wet, or cloudy weather, influence the colours of things; and if
the scene of the picture be a room, open air, or partly open, and
partly inclosed, the colouring must be accordingly.
The didance also alters the colouring, because of the medium of air
through which every thing is seen, which being blue, the more remote
any objed is, the more it must partake of that colour, consequently
must have less force, or strength; the ground therefore, or whatso-
ever is behind a figure (for example) must not be so strong as that
figure is, nor any of its parts which round off, as those that come
nearer the eye, and that not only for the reason already given, but
because moreover there will always be reflexions Wronger, or
weaker, that will diminish the force of the shadows; which ressect
tions