length, now in the possession of Richard Troward, Esq. of Pall Mall.
This was engraven by Hollar in 1650, in aqua fortis[i199].
_The Fall of Phaeton_, in the gallery of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, of
which Scannelli speaks, but it is mentioned by no one else[i200].
_St. Catherine with a palm-branch_, in the gallery of the Duke of
Modena[i201].
_The head of a young man armed_, in the same collection, very graceful,
but inferior to the St. Catherine[i202].
_A portrait of the Queen of Naples_, which was in the Aldobrandini
gallery, but afterwards to be found in a chamber of portraits in the
Panfili palace. It is not equal in colouring to the Dispute of Jesus
with the Doctors[i203].
_A portrait in profile of the Dutchess of Milan_, mentioned by
Richardson as being in a chamber leading to the Ambrosian library[i204].
_A beautiful figure of the Virgin, half length_, in the palace of
Vaprio. It is of a gigantic size, for the head of the Virgin is
six common palms in size, and that of the Divine Infant four in
circumference. Della Valle speaks of having seen this in the year 1791,
and says he is not ignorant that tradition ascribes this Madonna to
Bramante, notwithstanding which he gives it to Leonardo[i205].
_A laughing Pomona with three veils_, commended by Lomazzo. It was done
for Francis I. King of France[i206].
_The portrait of Cecilia Gallarani_, mentioned by Bellincione in one of
his sonnets, as painted by Leonardo[i207].
_Another of Lucrezia Cavelli_, a celebrated performer on the lute,
ascribed to him on the same authority. Copies of both this and the
former may be seen at Milan[i208].
_Our Saviour before Pilate_, in the church of S. Florentino, at
Amboise. It is thought that the carton only of this was Leonardo's, and
that the picture was painted by Andrea Salai, or Melzi[i209].
_A portrait of Leonardo_ by himself, half length, in the Ambrosian
library at Milan[i210]. Della Valle has inserted a copy of this before
the Supplement to Leonardo's Life, in his edition of Vasari, for
which purpose Sig. Pagave transmitted him a drawing from the original
picture. But Leonardo's own drawing for the picture itself, is in the
possession of his Britannic Majesty, and from that Mr. Chamberlaine
has prefixed to his publication before mentioned, a plate engraven by
Bartolozzi.
A
TREATISE,
_&c._
DRAWING.
PROPORTION.
/Chap. I./--_What the young Student in Painting ought in the first
Place to learn._
/The/ young student should, in the first place, acquire a knowledge
of perspective, to enable him to give to every object its proper
dimensions: after which, it is requisite that he be under the care of
an able master, to accustom him, by degrees, to a good style of drawing
the parts. Next, he must study Nature, in order to confirm and fix in
his mind the reason of those precepts which he has learnt. He must also
bestow some time in viewing the works of various old masters, to form
his eye and judgment, in order that he may be able to put in practice
all that he has been taught[1].
/Chap. II./--_Rule for a young Student in Painting._
/The/ organ of sight is one of the quickest, and takes in at a single
glance an infinite variety of forms; notwithstanding which, it cannot
perfectly comprehend more than one object at a time. For example, the
reader, at one look over this page, immediately perceives it full of
different characters; but he cannot at the same moment distinguish each
letter, much less can he comprehend their meaning. He must consider it
word by word, and line by line, if he be desirous of forming a just
notion of these characters. In like manner, if we wish to ascend to
the top of an edifice, we must be content to advance step by step,
otherwise we shall never be able to attain it.
A young man, who has a natural inclination to the study of this art,
I would advise to act thus: In order to acquire a true notion of the
form of things, he must begin by studying the parts which compose
them, and not pass to a second till he has well stored his memory, and
sufficiently practised the first; otherwise he loses his time, and will
most certainly protract his studies. And let him remember to acquire
accuracy before he attempts quickness.
/Chap. III./--_How to discover a young Man's Disposition for Painting._
/Many/ are very desirous of learning to draw, and are very fond of it,
who are, notwithstanding, void of a proper disposition for it. This may
be known by their want of perseverance; like boys, who draw every thing
in a hurry, never finishing, or shadowing.
/Chap. IV./--_Of Painting, and its Divisions._
/Painting/ is divided into two principal parts. The first is the figure,
that is, the lines which distinguish the forms of bodies, and their
component parts. The second is the colour contained within those limits.
/Chap. V./--_Division of the Figure._
/The/ form of bodies is divided into two parts; that is, the proportion
of the members to each other, which must correspond with the whole; and
the motion, expressive of what passes in the mind of the living figure.
/Chap. VI./--_Proportion of Members._
/The/ proportion of members is again divided into two parts, viz.
equality, and motion. By equality is meant (besides the measure
corresponding with the whole), that you do not confound the members
of a young subject with those of old age, nor plump ones with those
that are lean; and that, moreover, you do not blend the robust and firm
muscles of man with feminine softness: that the attitudes and motions
of old age be not expressed with the quickness and alacrity of youth;
nor those of a female figure like those of a vigorous young man. The
motions and members of a strong man should be such as to express his
perfect state of health.
/Chap. VII./--_Of Dimensions in general._
/In/ general, the dimensions of the human body are to be considered
in the length, and not in the breadth; because in the wonderful works
of Nature, which we endeavour to imitate, we cannot in any species
find any one part in one model precisely similar to the same part in
another. Let us be attentive, therefore, to the variation of forms,
and avoid all monstrosities of proportion; such as long legs united
to short bodies, and narrow chests with long arms. Observe also
attentively the measure of joints, in which Nature is apt to vary
considerably; and imitate her example by doing the same.
/Chap. VIII./--_Motion, Changes, and Proportion of Members._
/The/ measures of the human body vary in each member, according as it
is more or less bent, or seen in different views, increasing on one
side as much as they diminish on the other.
/Chap. IX./--_The Difference of Proportion between Children and grown
Men._
/In/ men and children I find a great difference between the joints of
the one and the other in the length of the bones. A man has the length
of two heads from the extremity of one shoulder to the other, the same
from the shoulder to the elbow, and from the elbow to the fingers; but
the child has only one, because Nature gives the proper size first to
the seat of the intellect, and afterwards to the other parts.
/Chap. X./--_The Alterations in the Proportion of the human Body from
Infancy to full Age._
/A man/, in his infancy, has the breadth of his shoulders equal to the
length of the face, and to the length of the arm from the shoulder
to the elbow, when the arm is bent[2]. It is the same again from the
lower belly to the knee, and from the knee to the foot. But, when a
man is arrived at the period of his full growth, every one of these
dimensions becomes double in length, except the face, which, with
the top of the head, undergoes but very little alteration in length.
A well-proportioned and full-grown man, therefore, is ten times the
length of his face; the breadth of his shoulders will be two faces, and
in like manner all the above lengths will be double. The rest will be
explained in the general measurement of the human body[3].
/Chap. XI./--_Of the Proportion of Members._
/All/ the parts of any animal whatever must be correspondent with
the whole. So that, if the body be short and thick, all the members
belonging to it must be the same. One that is long and thin must have
its parts of the same kind; and so of the middle size. Something of the
same may be observed in plants, when uninjured by men or tempests; for
when thus injured they bud and grow again, making young shoots from old
plants, and by those means destroying their natural symmetry.
/Chap. XII./--_That every Part be proportioned to its Whole._
/If/ a man be short and thick, be careful that all his members be
of the same nature, viz. short arms and thick, large hands, short
fingers, with broad joints; and so of the rest.
/Chap. XIII./--_Of the Proportion of the Members._
/Measure/ upon yourself the proportion of the parts, and, if you find
any of them defective, note it down, and be very careful to avoid it in
drawing your own compositions. For this is reckoned a common fault in
painters, to delight in the imitation of themselves.
/Chap. XIV./--_The Danger of forming an erroneous Judgment in regard to
the Proportion and Beauty of the Parts._
/If/ the painter has clumsy hands, he will be apt to introduce them
into his works, and so of any other part of his person, which may not
happen to be so beautiful as it ought to be. He must, therefore, guard
particularly against that self-love, or too good opinion of his own
person, and study by every means to acquire the knowledge of what is
most beautiful, and of his own defects, that he may adopt the one and
avoid the other.
/Chap. XV./--_Another Precept._
/The/ young painter must, in the first instance, accustom his hand to
copying the drawings of good masters; and when his hand is thus formed,
and ready, he should, with the advice of his director, use himself also
to draw from relievos; according to the rules we shall point out in the
treatise on drawing from relievos[4].
/Chap. XVI./--_The Manner of drawing from Relievos, and rendering Paper
fit for it._
/When/ you draw from relievos, tinge your paper of some darkish
demi-tint. And after you have made your outline, put in the darkest
shadows, and, last of all, the principal lights, but sparingly,
especially the smaller ones; because those are easily lost to the eye
at a very moderate distance[5].
/Chap. XVII./--_Of drawing from Casts or Nature._
/In/ drawing from relievo, the draftsman must place himself in such a
manner, as that the eye of the figure to be drawn be level with his
own[6].
/Chap. XVIII./--_To draw Figures from Nature._
/Accustom/ yourself to hold a plummet in your hand, that you may judge
of the bearing of the parts.
/Chap. XIX./--_Of drawing from Nature._
/When/ you draw from Nature, you must be at the distance of three times
the height of the object; and when you begin to draw, form in your own
mind a certain principal line (suppose a perpendicular); observe well
the bearing of the parts towards that line; whether they intersect, are
parallel to it, or oblique.
/Chap. XX./--_Of drawing Academy Figures._
/When/ you draw from a naked model, always sketch in the whole of the
figure, suiting all the members well to each other; and though you
finish only that part which appears the best, have a regard to the
rest, that, whenever you make use of such studies, all the parts may
hang together.
In composing your attitudes, take care not to turn the head on the same
side as the breast, nor let the arm go in a line with the leg[7]. If
the head turn towards the right shoulder, the parts must be lower on
the left side than on the other; but if the chest come forward, and the
head turn towards the left, the parts on the right side are to be the
highest.
/Chap. XXI./--_Of studying in the Dark, on first waking in the Morning,
and before going to sleep._
/I have/ experienced no small benefit, when in the dark and in bed, by
retracing in my mind the outlines of those forms which I had previously
studied, particularly such as had appeared the most difficult to
comprehend and retain; by this method they will be confirmed and
treasured up in the memory.
/Chap. XXII./--_Observations on drawing Portraits._
/The/ cartilage, which raises the nose in the middle of the face,
varies in eight different ways. It is equally straight, equally
concave, or equally convex, which is the first sort. Or, secondly,
unequally straight, concave, or convex. Or, thirdly, straight in the
upper part, and concave in the under. Or, fourthly, straight again
in the upper part, and convex in those below. Or, fifthly, it may be
concave and straight beneath. Or, sixthly, concave above, and convex
below. Or, seventhly, it may be convex in the upper part, and straight
in the lower. And in the eighth and last place, convex above, and
concave beneath.
The uniting of the nose with the brows is in two ways, either it is
straight or concave. The forehead has three different forms. It is
straight, concave, or round. The first is divided into two parts, viz.
it is either convex in the upper part, or in the lower, sometimes both;
or else flat above and below.
/Chap. XXIII./--_The Method of retaining in the Memory the Likeness of
a Man, so as to draw his Profile, after having seen him only once._
/You/ must observe and remember well the variations of the four
principal features in the profile; the nose, mouth, chin, and forehead.
And first of the nose, of which there are three different sorts[8],
straight, concave, and convex. Of the straight there are but four
variations, short or long, high at the end, or low. Of the concave
there are three sorts; some have the concavity above, some in the
middle, and some at the end. The convex noses also vary three ways;
some project in the upper part, some in the middle, and others at the
bottom. Nature, which seems to delight in infinite variety, gives again
three changes to those noses which have a projection in the middle; for
some have it straight, some concave, and some convex.
/Chap. XXIV./--_How to remember the Form of a Face._
/If/ you wish to retain with facility the general look of a face, you
must first learn how to draw well several faces, mouths, eyes, noses,
chins, throats, necks, and shoulders; in short, all those principal
parts which distinguish one man from another. For instance, noses are
often different sorts[9]. Straight, bunched, concave, some raised
above, some below the middle, aquiline, flat, round, and sharp. These
affect the profile. In the front view there are eleven different sorts.
Even, thick in the middle, thin in the middle, thick at the tip, thin
at the beginning, thin at the tip, and thick at the beginning. Broad,
narrow, high, and low nostrils; some with a large opening, and some
more shut towards the tip.
The same variety will be found in the other parts of the face, which
must be drawn from Nature, and retained in the memory. Or else, when
you mean to draw a likeness from memory, take with you a pocket-book,
in which you have marked all these variations of features, and after
having given a look at the face you mean to draw, retire a little
aside, and note down in your book which of the features are similar to
it; that you may put it all together at home.
/Chap. XXV./--_That a Painter should take Pleasure in the Opinion of
every body._
/A painter/ ought not certainly to refuse listening to the opinion of
any one; for we know that, although a man be not a painter, he may have
just notions of the forms of men; whether a man has a hump on his back,
a thick leg, or a large hand; whether he be lame, or have any other
defect. Now, if we know that men are able to judge of the works of
Nature, should we not think them more able to detect our errors?
ANATOMY.
/Chap. XXVI./--_What is principally to be observed in Figures._
/The/ principal and most important consideration required in drawing
figures, is to set the head well upon the shoulders, the chest upon the
hips, the hips and shoulders upon the feet.
/Chap. XXVII./--_Mode of Studying._
/Study/ the science first, and then follow the practice which results
from that science. Pursue method in your study, and do not quit one
part till it be perfectly engraven in the memory; and observe what
difference there is between the members of animals and their joints[10].
/Chap. XXVIII./--_Of being universal._
/It/ is an easy matter for a man who is well versed in the principles
of his art, to become universal in the practice of it, since all
animals have a similarity of members, that is, muscles, tendons, bones,
&c. These only vary in length or thickness, as will be demonstrated
in the Anatomy[11]. As for aquatic animals, of which there is great
variety, I shall not persuade the painter to take them as a rule,
having no connexion with our purpose.
/Chap. XXIX./--_A Precept for the Painter._
/It/ reflects no great honour on a painter to be able to execute only
one thing well, such as a head, an academy figure, or draperies,
animals, landscape, or the like, confining himself to some particular
object of study; because there is scarcely a person so void of genius
as to fail of success, if he apply earnestly to one branch of study,
and practise it continually.
/Chap. XXX./--_Of the Measures of the human Body, and the bending of
Members._
/It/ is very necessary that painters should have a knowledge of
the bones which support the flesh by which they are covered, but
particularly of the joints, which increase and diminish the length of
them in their appearance. As in the arm, which does not measure the
same when bent, as when extended; its difference between the greatest
extension and bending, is about one eighth of its length. The increase
and diminution of the arm is effected by the bone projecting out of
its socket at the elbow; which, as is seen in figure A B, Plate I. is
lengthened from the shoulder to the elbow; the angle it forms being
less than a right angle. It will appear longer as that angle becomes
more acute, and will shorten in proportion as it becomes more open or
obtuse.
[Illustration:
_Page 15_.
_Chap. 37_.
_Plate 1_.
_London, Published by J. Taylor High Holborn._]
/Chap. XXXI./--_Of the small Bones in several Joints of the human Body._
/There/ are in the joints of the human body certain small bones, fixed
in the middle of the tendons which connect several of the joints. Such
are the patellas of the knees, and the joints of the shoulders, and
those of the feet. They are eight in number, one at each shoulder, one
at each knee, and two at each foot under the first joint of the great
toe towards the heel. These grow extremely hard as a man advances in
years.
/Chap. XXXII./--_Memorandum to be observed by the Painter._
/Note/ down which muscles and tendons are brought into action by the
motion of any member, and when they are hidden. Remember that these
remarks are of the greatest importance to painters and sculptors, who
profess to study anatomy, and the science of the muscles. Do the same
with children, following the different gradations of age from their
birth even to decrepitude, describing the changes which the members,
and particularly the joints, undergo; which of them grow fat, and which
lean.
/Chap. XXXIII./--_The Shoulders._
/The/ joints of the shoulders, and other parts which bend, shall be
noticed in their places in the Treatise on Anatomy, where the cause
of the motions of all the parts which compose the human body shall be
explained[12].
/Chap. XXXIV./--_The Difference of Joints between Children and grown
Men._
/Young/ children have all their joints small, but they are thick and
plump in the spaces between them; because there is nothing upon the
bones at the joints, but some tendons to bind the bones together. The
soft flesh, which is full of fluids, is enclosed under the skin in the
space between the joints; and as the bones are bigger at the joints
than in the space between them, the skin throws off in the progress to
manhood that superfluity, and draws nearer to the bones, thinning the
whole part together. But upon the joints it does not lessen, as there
is nothing but cartilages and tendons. For these reasons children are
small in the joints, and plump in the space between, as may be observed
in their fingers, arms, and narrow shoulders. Men, on the contrary, are
large and full in the joints, in the arms and legs; and where children
have hollows, men are knotty and prominent.
/Chap. XXXV./--_Of the Joints of the Fingers._
/The/ joints of the fingers appear larger on all sides when they
bend; the more they bend the larger they appear. The contrary is the
case when straight. It is the same in the toes, and it will be more
perceptible in proportion to their fleshiness.
/Chap. XXXVI./--_Of the Joint of the Wrist._
/The/ wrist or joint between the hand and arm lessens on closing the
hand, and grows larger when it opens. The contrary happens in the arm,
in the space between the elbow and the hand, on all sides; because in
opening the hand the muscles are extended and thinned in the arm, from
the elbow to the wrist; but when the hand is shut, the same muscles
swell and shorten. The tendons alone start, being stretched by the
clenching of the hand.
/Chap. XXXVII./--_Of the Joint of the Foot._
/The/ increase and diminution in the joint of the foot is produced
on that side where the tendons are seen, as D E F, _Plate I._ which
increases when the angle is acute, and diminishes when it becomes
obtuse. It must be understood of the joint in the front part of the
foot A B C.
/Chap. XXXVIII./--_Of the Knee._
/Of/ all the members which have pliable joints, the knee is the only
one that lessens in the bending, and becomes larger by extension.
/Chap. XXXIX./--_Of the Joints._
/All/ the joints of the human body become larger by bending, except
that of the leg.
/Chap. XL./--_Of the Naked._
/When/ a figure is to appear nimble and delicate, its muscles must
never be too much marked, nor are any of them to be much swelled.
Because such figures are expressive of activity and swiftness, and are
never loaded with much flesh upon the bones. They are made light by the
want of flesh, and where there is but little flesh there cannot be any
thickness of muscles.
/Chap. XLI./--_Of the Thickness of the Muscles._
/Muscular/ men have large bones, and are in general thick and short,
with very little fat; because the fleshy muscles in their growth
contract closer together, and the fat, which in other instances lodges
between them, has no room. The muscles in such thin subjects, not being
able to extend, grow in thickness, particularly towards their middle,
in the parts most removed from the extremities.
/Chap. XLII./--_Fat Subjects have small Muscles._
/Though/ fat people have this in common with muscular men, that they
are frequently short and thick, they have thin muscles; but their skin
contains a great deal of spongy and soft flesh full of air; for that
reason they are lighter upon the water, and swim better than muscular
people.
/Chap. XLIII./--_Which of the Muscles disappear in the different
Motions of the Body._
/In/ raising or lowering the arm, the pectoral muscles disappear, or
acquire a greater relievo. A similar effect is produced by the hips,
when they bend either inwards or outwards. It is to be observed, that
there is more variety of appearances in the shoulders, hips, and neck,
than in any other joint, because they are susceptible of the greatest
variety of motions. But of this subject I shall make a separate
treatise[13].
/Chap. XLIV./--_Of the Muscles._
/The/ muscles are not to be scrupulously marked all the way, because it
would be disagreeable to the sight, and of very difficult execution.
But on that side only where the members are in action, they should
be pronounced more strongly; for muscles that are at work naturally
collect all their parts together, to gain increase of strength, so
that some small parts of those muscles will appear, that were not seen
before.
/Chap. XLV./--_Of the Muscles._