DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.75271#0091
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But the proper idea of a devil has such an excess of evil in it as can^
not be exaggerated; in all such cases it is sufficient if all be done
that can be done. The painter must shew what he aims at, be must
give him that sees the picture all the assistance he can, and then leave
him to supply the rest in his own imagination.
There are other characters which though inferior to these are so
noble, that he must be a happy man who can conceive them justly,
but more so if he can express them: such are those of Moses, Ho-
mer, Xenophon, Alcibiades, Scipio, Cicero, Rafaelle, &c. Ifwd
see these pretended to be given in picture, we expeCtto see them
^«—:-- -I Cornel,, and in aft
Raifed, as of Jome great matter to begin.
As when of old feme orator renowned
In Athens, or free Rome, where eloquence
Flourished, face mute, to feme great caufe addrtfed
Stood in himfelf collected, while each part,
Motion, each aEl won audience e'er the tongue.
Milton.
We expert all that greatness, and grace I have been recommending;
all is necessary here in order to satisfy us that the history is truly
related: as the pleasure we take in having our minds filled with fine
and extraordinary ideas is a sufficient reason for railing all the more
inferior characters. Life would be an insipid thing indeed if we
never saw or had ideas of any thing but what we commonly see, a
company doing what is of no consequence but to themselves in their
own little affairs; and to see such in picture can give no great plea-
sure to any that have a true, and refined taste.,
A history painter must describe all the various characters, real, or
imaginary; and that in all their situations, pleased, grieved, angry,
hoping, fearing, &c. A face-painter has to do with all the real
characters, except only some few of the meanest, and the most sub-
L dime,
But the proper idea of a devil has such an excess of evil in it as can^
not be exaggerated; in all such cases it is sufficient if all be done
that can be done. The painter must shew what he aims at, be must
give him that sees the picture all the assistance he can, and then leave
him to supply the rest in his own imagination.
There are other characters which though inferior to these are so
noble, that he must be a happy man who can conceive them justly,
but more so if he can express them: such are those of Moses, Ho-
mer, Xenophon, Alcibiades, Scipio, Cicero, Rafaelle, &c. Ifwd
see these pretended to be given in picture, we expeCtto see them
^«—:-- -I Cornel,, and in aft
Raifed, as of Jome great matter to begin.
As when of old feme orator renowned
In Athens, or free Rome, where eloquence
Flourished, face mute, to feme great caufe addrtfed
Stood in himfelf collected, while each part,
Motion, each aEl won audience e'er the tongue.
Milton.
We expert all that greatness, and grace I have been recommending;
all is necessary here in order to satisfy us that the history is truly
related: as the pleasure we take in having our minds filled with fine
and extraordinary ideas is a sufficient reason for railing all the more
inferior characters. Life would be an insipid thing indeed if we
never saw or had ideas of any thing but what we commonly see, a
company doing what is of no consequence but to themselves in their
own little affairs; and to see such in picture can give no great plea-
sure to any that have a true, and refined taste.,
A history painter must describe all the various characters, real, or
imaginary; and that in all their situations, pleased, grieved, angry,
hoping, fearing, &c. A face-painter has to do with all the real
characters, except only some few of the meanest, and the most sub-
L dime,