seven discourses on art-第12章

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t　has　that　sort　of　dignity　which　belongs　to　savage　and　uncultivated　nature。　　But　what　is　most　to　be　admired　in　him　is　the　perfect　correspondence　which　he　observed　between　the　subjects　which　he　chose；　and　his　manner　of　treating　them。　　Everything　is　of　a　piece：　his　rocks；　trees；　sky；　even　to　his　handling　have　the　same　rude　and　wild　character　which　animates　his　figures。

To　him　we　may　contrast　the　character　of　Carlo　Maratti；　who；　in　my　own　opinion；　had　no　great　vigour　of　mind　or　strength　of　original　genius。　　He　rarely　seizes　the　imagination　by　exhibiting　the　higher　excellences；　nor　does　he　captivate　us　by　that　originality　which　attends　the　painter　who　thinks　for　himself。　　He　knew　and　practised　all　the　rules　of　art；　and　from　a　composition　of　Raffaelle；　Caracci；　and　Guido；　made　up　a　style；　of　which　its　only　fault　was；　that　it　had　no　manifest　defects　and　no　striking　beauties；　and　that　the　principles　of　his　composition　are　never　blended　together；　so　as　to　form　one　uniform　body；　original　in　its　kind；　or　excellent　in　any　view。

I　will　mention　two　other　painters　who；　though　entirely　dissimilar；　yet　by　being　each　consistent　with　himself；　and　possessing　a　manner　entirely　his　own；　have　both　gained　reputation；　though　for　very　opposite　accomplishments。

The　painters　I　mean　are　Rubens　and　Poussin。　　Rubens　I　mention　in　this　place；　as　I　think　him　a　remarkable　instance　of　the　same　mind　being　seen　in　all　the　various　parts　of　the　art。　　The　whole　is　so　much　of　a　piece　that　one　can　scarce　be　brought　to　believe　but　that　if　any　one　of　them　had　been　more　correct　and　perfect；　his　works　would　not　be　so　complete　as　they　now　appear。　　If　we　should　allow　a　greater　purity　and　correctness　of　drawing；　his　want　of　simplicity　in　composition；　colouring；　and　drapery　would　appear　more　gross。

In　his　composition　his　art　is　too　apparent。　　His　figures　have　expression；　and　act　with　energy；　but　without　simplicity　or　dignity。　His　colouring；　in　which　he　is　eminently　skilled；　is；　notwithstanding；　too　much　of　what　we　call　tinted。　　Throughout　the　whole　of　his　works　there　is　a　proportionable　want　of　that　nicety　of　distinction　and　elegance　of　mind　which　is　required　in　the　higher　walks　of　painting；　and　to　this　want　it　may　be　in　some　degree　ascribed　that　those　qualities　which　make　the　excellency　of　this　subordinate　style　appear　in　him　with　their　greatest　lustre。　Indeed；　the　facility　with　which　he　invented；　the　richness　of　his　composition；　the　luxuriant　harmony　and　brilliancy　of　his　colouring；　so　dazzle　the　eye；　that　whilst　his　works　continue　before　us　we　cannot　help　thinking　that　all　his　deficiencies　are　fully　supplied。

Opposed　to　this　florid；　careless；　loose；　and　inaccurate　style；　that　of　the　simple；　careful；　pure；　and　correct　style　of　Poussin　seems　to　be　a　complete　contrast。

Yet　however　opposite　their　characters；　in　one　thing　they　agreed；　both　of　them　having　a　perfect　correspondence　between　all　the　parts　of　their　respective　manners。

One　is　not　sure　but　every　alteration　of　what　is　considered　as　defective　in　either；　would　destroy　the　effect　of　the　whole。

Poussin　lived　and　conversed　with　the　ancient　statues　so　long；　that　he　may　be　said　to　be　better　acquainted　with　then　than　with　the　people　who　were　about　him。　　I　have　often　thought　that　he　carried　his　veneration　for　them　so　far　as　to　wish　to　give　his　works　the　air　of　ancient　paintings。　　It　is　certain　he　copied　some　of　the　antique　paintings；　particularly　the　〃Marriage　in　the　Albrobrandini　Palace　at　Rome；〃　which　I　believe　to　be　the　best　relique　of　those　remote　ages　that　has　yet　been　found。

No　works　of　any　modern　has　so　much　of　the　air　of　antique　painting　as　those　of　Poussin。　　His　best　performances　have　a　remarkable　dryness　of　manner；　which；　though　by　no　means　to　be　recommended　for　imitation；　yet　seems　perfectly　correspondent　to　that　ancient　simplicity　which　distinguishes　his　style。　　Like　Polidoro　he　studied　them　so　much；　that　he　acquired　a　habit　of　thinking　in　their　way；　and　seemed　to　know　perfectly　the　actions　and　gestures　they　would　use　on　every　occasion。

Poussin　in　the　latter　part　of　his　life　changed　from　his　dry　manner　to　one　much　softer　and　richer；　where　there　is　a　greater　union　between　the　figures　and　the　ground；　such　as　the　〃Seven　Sacraments〃　in　the　Duke　of　Orleans'　collection；　but　neither　these；　nor　any　in　this　manner；　are　at　all　comparable　to　many　in　his　dry　manner　which　we　have　in　England。

The　favourite　subjects　of　Poussin　were　ancient　fables；　and　no　painter　was　ever　better　qualified　to　paint　such　subjects；　not　only　from　his　being　eminently　skilled　in　the　knowledge　of　ceremonies；　customs；　and　habits　of　the　ancients；　but　from　his　being　so　well　acquainted　with　the　different　characters　which　those　who　invented　them　gave　their　allegorical　figures。　　Though　Rubens　has　shown　great　fancy　in　his　Satyrs；　Silenuses；　and　Fauns；　yet　they　are　not　that　distinct　separate　class　of　beings　which　is　carefully　exhibited　by　the　ancients　and　by　Poussin。　　Certainly　when　such　subjects　of　antiquity　are　represented；　nothing　in　the　picture　ought　to　remind　us　of　modern　times。　　The　mind　is　thrown　back　into　antiquity；　and　nothing　ought　to　be　introduced　that　may　tend　to　awaken　it　from　the　illusion。

Poussin　seemed　to　think　that　the　style　and　the　language　in　which　such　stories　are　told　is　not　the　worse　for　preserving　some　relish　of　the　old　way　of　painting　which　seemed　to　give　a　general　uniformity　to　the　whole；　so　that　the　mind　was　thrown　back　into　antiquity　not　only　by　the　subject；　but　the　execution。

If　Poussin；　in　imitation　of　the　ancients；　represents　Apollo　driving　his　chariot　out　of　the　sea　by　way　of　representing　the　sun　rising；　if　he　personifies　lakes　and　rivers；　it　is　no　ways　offensive　in　him；　but　seems　perfectly　of　a　piece　with　the　general　air　of　the　picture。　On　the　contrary；　if　the　figures　which　people　his　pictures　had　a　modern　air　or　countenance；　if　they　appeared　like　our　countrymen；　if　the　draperies　were　like　cloth　or　silk　of　our　manufacture；　if　the　landscape　had　the　appearance　of　a　modern　view；　how　ridiculous　would　Apollo　appear　instead　of　the　sun；　an　old　man　or　a　nymph　with　an　urn　instead　of　a　river　or　lake。

I　cannot　avoid　mentioning　here　a　circumstance　in　portrait　painting　which　may　help　to　confirm　what　has　been　said。

When　a　portrait　is　painted　in　the　historical　style；　as　it　is　neither　an　exact　minute　representation　of　an　individual　nor　completely　ideal；　every　circumstance　ought　to　correspond　to　this　mixture。　　The　simplicity　of　the　antique　air　and　attitude；　however　much　to　be　admired；　is　ridiculous　when　joined　to　a　figure　in　a　modern　dress。　　It　is　not　to　my　purpose　to　enter　into　the　question　at　present；　whether　this　mixed　style　ought　to　be　adopted　or　not；　yet　if　it　is　chosen　it　is　necessary　it　should　be　complete　and　all　of　a　piece：　　the　difference　of　stuffs；　for　instance；　which　make　the　clothing；　should　be　distinguished　in　the　same　degree　as　the　head　deviates　from　a　general　idea。

Without　this　union；　which　I　have　so　often　recommended；　a　work　can　have　no　marked　and　determined　character；　which　is　the　peculiar　and　constant　evidence　of　genius。　　But　when　this　is　accomplished　to　a　high　degree；　it　becomes　in　some　sort　a　rival　to　that　style　which　we　have　fixed　as　the　highest。

Thus　I　have　given　a　sketch　of　the　characters　of　Rubens　and　Salvator　Rosa；　as　they　appear　to　me　to　have　the　greatest　uniformity　of　mind　throughout　their　whole　work。　　But　we　may　add　to　these；　all　these　artists　who　are　at　the　head　of　the　class；　and　have　had　a　school　of　imitators　from　Michael　Angelo　down　to　Watteau。　　Upon　the　whole　it　appears　that　setting　aside　the　ornamental　style；　there　are　two　different　paths；　either　of　which　a　student　may　take　without　degrading　the　dignity　of　his　art。　　The　first　is　to　combine　the　higher　excellences　and　embellish　them　to　the　greatest　advantage。　The　other　is　to　carry　one　of　these　excellences　to　the　highest　degree。　　But　those　who　possess　neither　must　be　classed　with　them；　who；　as　Shakespeare　says；　are　men　of　no　mark　or　likelihood。

I　inculcate　as　frequently　as　I　can　your　forming　yourselves　upon　great　principles　and　great　models。　　Your　time　will　be　much　misspent　in　every　other　pursuit。　　Small　excellences　should　be　viewed；　not　studied；　they　ought　to　be　viewed；　because　nothing　ought　to　escape　a　painter's　observation；　but　for　no　other　reason。

There　is　another　caution　which　I　wish　to　give　you。　　Be　as　select　in　those　whom　you　endeavour　to　please；　as　in　those　whom　you　endeavour　to　imitate。　　Without　the　love　of　fame　you　can　never　do　anything　excellent；　but　by　an　excessive　and　undistinguishing　thirst　after　it；　you　will　come　to　have　vulgar　views；　you　will　degrade　your　style；　and　your　taste　will　be　entirely　corrupted。　　It　is　certain　that　the　lowest　style　will　be　the　most　popular；　as　it　falls　within　the　compass　of　ignorance　itself；　and　the　vulgar　will　always　be　pleased　with　what　is　natural　in　the　confined　and　misunderstood　sense　of　the　word。

One　would　wish　that　such　depravation　of　taste　should　be　counteracted；　with　such　manly　pride　as　Euripides　expressed　to　the　Athenians；　who　criticised　his　works；　〃I　do　not　compose；〃　says　he；　〃my　works　in　order　to　be　corrected　by　you；　but　to　instruct　you。〃　It　is　true；　to　have　a　right　to　speak　thus；　a　man　must　be　a　Euripides。　　However；　thus　much　may　be　allowed；　that　when　an　artist　is　sure　that　he　is　upon　firm　ground；　supported　by　the　authority　and　practice　of　his　predecessors　of　the　greatest　reputation；　he　may　then　assume　the　boldness　and　intrepidity　of　genius；　at　any　rate；　he　must　not　be　tempted　out　of　the　right　path　by　any　tide　of　popularity　that　always　accompanies　the　lower　styles　of　painting。

I　mention　this；　because　our　exhibitions；　that　produce　such　admirable　effects　by　nourishing　emulation；　and　calling　out　genius；　have　also　a　mischievous　tendency　by　seducing　the　painter　to　an　ambition　of　pleasing　indiscriminately　the　mixed　multitude　of　people　who　resort　to　them。



A　DISCOURSE



Delivered　to　the　Students　of　the　Royal　Academy　on　the　Distribution　of　the　Prizes；　December　10；　1774；　by　the　President。

Gentlemen；When　I　have　taken　the　liberty　of　addressing　you　on　the　course　and　order　of　your　studies；　I　never　proposed　to　enter　into　a　minute　detail　of　the　art。　　This　I　have　always　left　to　the　several　professors；　who　pursue　the　end　of　our　institution　with　the　highest　honour　to　themselves；　and　with　the　greatest　advantage　to　the　students。

My　purpose　in　the　discourses　I　have　held　in　the　Academy　is　to　lay　down　certain　general　ideas；　which　seem　to　me　proper　for　the　formation　of　a　sound　taste；　principles　necessary　to　guard　the　pupils　against　those　errors　into　which　the　sanguine　temper　common　at　their　time　of　life；　has　a　tendency　to　lead　them；　and　which　have　rendered　abortive　the　hopes　of　so　many　successions　of　promising　young　men　in　all　parts　of　Europe。

I　wish；　also；　to　intercept　and　suppress　those　prejudices　which　particularly　prevail　when　the　mechanism　of　painting　is　come　to　its　perfection；　and　which　when　they　do　prevail　are　certain　to　prevail　to　the　utter　destruction　of　the　higher　and　more　valuable　parts　of　this　literate　and　liberal　profession。

These　two　have　been　my　principal　purposes；　they　are　still　as　much　my　concern　as　ever；　and　if　I　repeat　my　own　ideas　on　the　subject；　you　who　know　how　fast　mistake　and　prejudice；　when　neglected；　gain　ground　upon　truth　and　reason；　will　easily　exc