seven discourses on art-第5部分

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rrived　to　the　age　of　maturity。

But　while　I　mention　the　port…crayon　as　the　student's　constant　companion；　he　must　still　remember　that　the　pencil　is　the　instrument　by　which　he　must　hope　to　obtain　eminence。　　What；　therefore；　I　wish　to　impress　upon　you　is；　that　whenever　an　opportunity　offers；　you　paint　your　studies　instead　of　drawing　them。　　This　will　give　you　such　a　facility　in　using　colours；　that　in　time　they　will　arrange　themselves　under　the　pencil；　even　without　the　attention　of　the　hand　that　conducts　it。　　If　one　act　excluded　the　other；　this　advice　could　not　with　any　propriety　be　given。　　But　if　painting　comprises　both　drawing　and　colouring　and　if　by　a　short　struggle　of　resolute　industry　the　same　expedition　is　attainable　in　painting　as　in　drawing　on　paper；　I　cannot　see　what　objection　can　justly　be　made　to　the　practice；　or　why　that　should　be　done　by　parts；　which　may　be　done　altogether。

If　we　turn　our　eyes　to　the　several　schools　of　painting；　and　consider　their　respective　excellences；　we　shall　find　that　those　who　excel　most　in　colouring　pursued　this　method。　　The　Venetian　and　Flemish　schools；　which　owe　much　of　their　fame　to　colouring；　have　enriched　the　cabinets　of　the　collectors　of　drawings　with　very　few　examples。　　Those　of　Titian；　Paul　Veronese；　Tintoret；　and　the　Bassans；　are　in　general　slight　and　undetermined。　　Their　sketches　on　paper　are　as　rude　as　their　pictures　are　excellent　in　regard　to　harmony　of　colouring。　　Correggio　and　Barocci　have　left　few；　if　any；　finished　drawings　behind　them。　　And　in　the　Flemish　school；　Rubens　and　Vandyke　made　their　designs　for　the　most　part　either　in　colours　or　in　chiaroscuro。　　It　is　as　common　to　find　studies　of　the　Venetian　and　Flemish　painters　on　canvas；　as　of　the　schools　of　Rome　and　Florence　on　paper。　　Not　but　that　many　finished　drawings　are　sold　under　the　names　of　those　masters。　　Those；　however；　are　undoubtedly　the　productions　either　of　engravers　or　of　their　scholars　who　copied　their　works。

These　instructions　I　have　ventured　to　offer　from　my　own　experience；　but　as　they　deviate　widely　from　received　opinions；　I　offer　them　with　diffidence；　and　when　better　are　suggested；　shall　retract　them　without　regret。

There　is　one　precept；　however；　in　which　I　shall　only　be　opposed　by　the　vain；　the　ignorant；　and　the　idle。　　I　am　not　afraid　that　I　shall　repeat　it　too　often。　　You　must　have　no　dependence　on　your　own　genius。　　If　you　have　great　talents；　industry　will　improve　them：　　if　you　have　but　moderate　abilities；　industry　will　supply　their　deficiency。　　Nothing　is　denied　to　well…directed　labour：　　nothing　is　to　be　obtained　without　it。　　Not　to　enter　into　metaphysical　discussions　on　the　nature　or　essence　of　genius；　I　will　venture　to　assert；　that　assiduity　unabated　by　difficulty；　and　a　disposition　eagerly　directed　to　the　object　of　its　pursuit；　will　produce　effects　similar　to　those　which　some　call　the　result　of　natural　powers。

Though　a　man　cannot　at　all　times；　and　in　all　places；　paint　or　draw；　yet　the　mind　can　prepare　itself　by　laying　in　proper　materials；　at　all　times；　and　in　all　places。　　Both　Livy　and　Plutarch；　in　describing　Philopoemen；　one　of　the　ablest　generals　of　antiquity；　have　given　us　a　striking　picture　of　a　mind　always　intent　on　its　profession；　and　by　assiduity　obtaining　those　excellences　which　some　all　their　lives　vainly　expect　from　Nature。　　I　shall　quote　the　passage　in　Livy　at　length；　as　it　runs　parallel　with　the　practice　I　would　recommend　to　the　painter；　sculptor；　or　architect。

〃Philopoemen　was　a　man　eminent　for　his　sagacity　and　experience　in　choosing　ground；　and　in　leading　armies；　to　which　he　formed　his　mind　by　perpetual　meditation；　in　times　of　peace　as　well　as　war。　　When；　in　any　occasional　journey；　he　came　to　a　straight　difficult　passage；　if　he　was　alone；　he　considered　with　himself；　and　if　he　was　in　company　he　asked　his　friends　what　it　would　be　best　to　do　if　in　this　place　they　had　found　an　enemy；　either　in　the　front；　or　in　the　rear；　on　the　one　side；　or　on　the　other。　　'It　might　happen；'　says　he；　'that　the　enemy　to　be　opposed　might　come　on　drawn　up　in　regular　lines；　or　in　a　tumultuous　body；　formed　only　by　the　nature　of　the　place。'　　He　then　considered　a　little　what　ground　he　should　take；　what　number　of　soldiers　he　should　use；　and　what　arms　he　should　give　them；　where　he　should　lodge　his　carriages；　his　baggage；　and　the　defenceless　followers　of　his　camp；　how　many　guards；　and　of　what　kind；　he　should　send　to　defend　them；　and　whether　it　would　be　better　to　press　forward　along　the　pass；　or　recover　by　retreat　his　former　station：　　he　would　consider　likewise　where　his　camp　could　most　commodiously　be　formed；　how　much　ground　he　should　enclose　within　his　trenches；　where　he　should　have　the　convenience　of　water；　and　where　he　might　find　plenty　of　wood　and　forage；　and　when　he　should　break　up　his　camp　on　the　following　day；　through　what　road　he　could　most　safely　pass；　and　in　what　form　he　should　dispose　his　troops。　With　such　thoughts　and　disquisitions　he　had　from　his　early　years　so　exercised　his　mind；　that　on　these　occasions　nothing　could　happen　which　he　had　not　been　already　accustomed　to　consider。〃

I　cannot　help　imagining　that　I　see　a　promising　young　painter；　equally　vigilant；　whether　at　home；　or　abroad　in　the　streets；　or　in　the　fields。　　Every　object　that　presents　itself　is　to　him　a　lesson。　He　regards　all　nature　with　a　view　to　his　profession；　and　combines　her　beauties；　or　corrects　her　defects。　　He　examines　the　countenance　of　men　under　the　influence　of　passion；　and　often　catches　the　most　pleasing　hints　from　subjects　of　turbulence　or　deformity。　　Even　bad　pictures　themselves　supply　him　with　useful　documents；　and；　as　Leonardo　da　Vinci　has　observed；　he　improves　upon　the　fanciful　images　that　are　sometimes　seen　in　the　fire；　or　are　accidentally　sketched　upon　a　discoloured　wall。

The　artist　who　has　his　mind　thus　filled　with　ideas；　and　his　hand　made　expert　by　practice；　works　with　ease　and　readiness；　whilst　he　who　would　have　you　believe　that　he　is　waiting　for　the　inspirations　of　genius；　is　in　reality　at　a　loss　how　to　beam；　and　is　at　last　delivered　of　his　monsters　with　difficulty　and　pain。

The　well…grounded　painter；　on　the　contrary；　has　only　maturely　to　consider　his　subject；　and　all　the　mechanical　parts　of　his　art　follow　without　his　exertion；　Conscious　of　the　difficulty　of　obtaining　what　he　possesses　he　makes　no　pretensions　to　secrets；　except　those　of　closer　application。　　Without　conceiving　the　smallest　jealousy　against　others；　he　is　contented　that　all　shall　be　as　great　as　himself　who　are　willing　to　undergo　the　same　fatigue：　and　as　his　pre…eminence　depends　not　upon　a　trick；　he　is　free　from　the　painful　suspicions　of　a　juggler；　who　lives　in　perpetual　fear　lest　his　trick　should　be　discovered。



A　DISCOURSE



Delivered　to　the　Students　of　the　Royal　Academy　on　the　Distribution　of　the　Prizes；　December；　14；　1770；　by　the　President

Gentlemen；It　is　not　easy　to　speak　with　propriety　to　so　many　students　of　different　ages　and　different　degrees　of　advancement。　The　mind　requires　nourishment　adapted　to　its　growth；　and　what　may　have　promoted　our　earlier　efforts；　might；　retard　us　in　our　nearer　approaches　to　perfection。

The　first　endeavours　of　a　young　painter；　as　I　have　remarked　in　a　former　discourse；　must　be　employed　in　the　attainment　of　mechanical　dexterity；　and　confined　to　the　mere　imitation　of　the　object　before　him。　　Those　who　have　advanced　beyond　the　rudiments；　may；　perhaps；　find　advantage　in　reflecting　on　the　advice　which　I　have　likewise　given　them；　when　I　recommended　the　diligent　study　of　the　works　of　our　great　predecessors；　but　I　at　the　same　time　endeavoured　to　guard　them　against　an　implicit　submission　to　the　authority　of　any　one　master；　however　excellent；　or　by　a　strict　imitation　of　his　manner；　to　preclude　ourselves　from　the　abundance　and　variety　of　nature。　　I　will　now　add　that　nature　herself　is　not　to　be　too　closely　copied。　There　are　excellences　in　the　art　of　painting；　beyond　what　is　commonly　called　the　imitation　of　nature：　　and　these　excellences　I　wish　to　point　out。　　The　students　who；　having　passed　through　the　initiatory　exercises；　are　more　advanced　in　the　art；　and　who；　sure　of　their　hand；　have　leisure　to　exert　their　understanding；　must　now　be　told　that　a　mere　copier　of　nature　can　never　produce　anything　great；　can　never　raise　and　enlarge　the　conceptions；　or　warm　the　heart　of　the　spectator。

The　wish　of　the　genuine　painter　must　be　more　extensive：　　instead　of　endeavouring　to　amuse　mankind　with　the　minute　neatness　of　his　imitations；　he　must　endeavour　to　improve　them　by　the　grandeur　of　his　ideas；　instead　of　seeking　praise；　by　deceiving　the　superficial　sense　of　the　spectator；　he　must　strive　for　fame；　by　captivating　the　imagination。

The　principle　now　laid　down；　that　the　perfection　of　this　art　does　not　consist　in　mere　imitation；　is　far　from　being　new　or　singular。　It　is；　indeed；　supported　by　the　general　opinion　of　the　enlightened　part　of　mankind。　　The　poets；　orators；　and　rhetoricians　of　antiquity；　are　continually　enforcing　this　position；　that　all　the　arts　receive　their　perfection　from　an　ideal　beauty；　superior　to　what　is　to　be　found　in　individual　nature。　　They　are　ever　referring　to　the　practice　of　the　painters　and　sculptors　of　their　times；　particularly　Phidias　（the　favourite　artist　of　antiquity）；　to　illustrate　their　assertions。　　As　if　they　could　not　sufficiently　express　their　admiration　of　his　genius　by　what　they　knew；　they　have　recourse　to　poetical　enthusiasm。　　They　call　it　inspiration；　a　gift　from　heaven。　　The　artist　is　supposed　to　have　ascended　the　celestial　regions；　to　furnish　his　mind　with　this　perfect　idea　of　beauty。　〃He；〃　says　Proclus；　〃who　takes　for　his　model　such　forms　as　nature　produces；　and　confines　himself　to　an　exact　imitation　of　them；　will　never　attain　to　what　is　perfectly　beautiful。　　For　the　works　of　nature　are　full　of　disproportion；　and　fall　very　short　of　the　true　standard　of　beauty。　　So　that　Phidias；　when　he　formed　his　Jupiter；　did　not　copy　any　object　ever　presents　to　his　sight；　but　contemplated　only　that　image　which　he　had　conceived　in　his　mind　from　Homer's　description。〃　　And　thus　Cicero；　speaking　of　the　same　Phidias：　　〃Neither　did　this　artist；〃　says　he；　〃when　he　carved　the　image　of　Jupiter　or　Minerva；　set　before　him　any　one　human　figure　as　a　pattern；　which　he　was　to　copy；　but　having　a　more　perfect　idea　of　beauty　f