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198 Prose 1691-1698 The Judgment of CharlesAlphonse du Fresnoy On the Works of the Principal and Best Painters of the Two Last Ages P AINTING was in its Perfection amongst the Greeks. The principal Schools were at Sycion, afterwards at Rhodes, at Athens, and at Corinth, and at last in Rome. Wars and Luxury having overthrown the Roman Empire, it wastotally extinguish 'd, together with all the noble Arts, the Studies of Humanity , and the other Sciences. It began to appear again in the Year 1450 amongst some Painters of Florence, of which Domenico Ghirlandaio was one, who was Master to Michael Angelo, and had some kind of Reputation, 10 though his manner was Gothique and very dry. Michael Angelo his Scholar, ftourish'd in the times of Julius the Second, Leo the Tenth, Paul the Third, and of eight successive Popes. He was a Painter, a Sculptor, and an Architect, both Civil and Military. The Choice which he made of his Postures was not always beautifull or pleasing: His Gust of Designing was not the finest, nor his Out-lines the most elegant: The Folds of his Draperies, and the Ornaments of his Habits, were neither noble nor gracefull. He was not a little fantastical and extravagant in his Compositions; he was bold even to Rashness, in tak20 ing Liberties against the Rules of Perspective. His Colouring is not over true or very pleasant. He knew not the Artifice of the Lights and Shadows: But he design'd more learnedly, and better understood all the Knittings of the Bones, with the Office and Situation of the Muscles, than any of the modern Painters. There appears a certain Air of Greatness and Severity in his Figures, in both which he has oftentimes succeeded: But above the rest of his Excellencies, was his wonderfull skill in Architecture, V "45°] 145° Q8 Domenico Ghirlandaio] DOMENICO GHIRLANDAIOQ. 1i Michael Angelo] MICHAEL ANGELO Q. is the Second . . . the Tenth . . . the Third] the second . . . the tenth . . . the third Q. 13 Painter ...Sculptor... Architect] Painter ... Sculptor ... Architect Q. De Arte Graphica 199 wherein he has not onely surpass'd all the Moderns, but even the Ancients also: The St. Peter's of Rome, the St. John's of Florence, the Capitol, the Palazzo Farnese, and his own House, are sufficient Testimonies of it. His Scholars were Marcello Venusto, Andrea de Vaterra, II Rosso, Georgio Vasari, Fra. Bastiano , (who commonly painted for him) and many other Florentines . Pietro Perugino design'd with sufficient knowledge of Nature, but he is dry and his manner little. 10 His Scholar was Raphael Santio, who was born on Good Friday , in the Year 1483; and died on Good Friday, in the Year 1520: So that he liv'd onely 37 years compleat. He surpass'd all modern Painters, because he possess'd more of the excellent parts of Painting than any other; and 'tis believ'd, that he equall'd the Ancients, excepting onely that he design'd not naked Bodies with so much Learning, as Michael Angelo: But his Gust of Designing is purer and much better. He painted not with so good, so full, and so gracefull a manner as Correggio; nor has he any thing of the Contrast of the Lights and Shadows, 20 or so strong and free a Colouring, as Titian; but he had a better disposition in his Pieces, without comparison, than either Titian, Correggio, Michael Angelo, or all the rest of the succeeding Painters to our days. His Choice of Postures, of Heads, of Ornaments, the Suitableness of his Drapery, his manner of Designing , his Varieties, his Contrasts, his Expressions, were beautifull in Perfection; but above all, he possess'd the Graces in so advantageous a manner, that he has never since been equall'd by any other. There are Portraits (or single Figures of his) which are finish'd Pieces.He wasan admirable Architect. He washandso some, well made, and tall of Stature, civil, and well-natur'd, never refusing to teach another what he knew himself. He had many Scholars,amongst others, Julio Romano, Polydore, Gaud3 House] House Q. 8 Pietro Perugino]PIETRO PERUGINO Q. 10 His] no paragraph break in Q. 10 RaphaelSantio] RAPHAEL SANTIOQ (paragraph break at "RAPHAEL"). 10-11 Good Friday] Good Friday Q. 11 148)] 1483 Q. n Good Friday] Good Friday Q. 13 1520 .. .57] 1520 ... 37Q. si Pieces] ~A Q. 28 Portraits] Protraits Q. [13.59.136.170] Project MUSE (2024-04-18 05:56...

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