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but himself. Deprived of this, young artist, thy glory will but resemble a meteor's blaze; it will only be founded on the ignorance of your contemporaries.

By far the greater part of the best portrait painters, when most successful, like the majority of physiognomists, content themselves with expressing the character of the passions in the moveable, the muscular features of the face. They do not understand, they laugh at, rules which prescribe the grand outline of the countenance as indispensable to portrait painting, independent of the effects produced by the action

of the muscles.

Till institutions shall be formed for the improvement of portrait painting, perhaps till a physiognomonical society or academy shall produce physiognomonical portrait painters, we shall at best but creep in the regions of physiognomy, where we might otherwise soar. One of the greatest obstacles to physiognomy is the actual, incredible imperfection of this art. There is generally a defect of eye, or hand of the painter, or the object is defective which is to be delineated, or, perhaps, all three. The artist cannot discover what is, or cannot draw it when he discovers it. The object continually alters its position, which ought to be so exact, so continually the same; or should it not, and should the painter be endowed with an all-observing eye, an all-imitative hand, still there is the last insuperable difficulty, that of the posi

tion of the body, which can but be momentary, which is constrained, false, and unnatural, when more than momentary.

Trifling, indeed, is what I have said to what might be said. According to the knowledge I have of it, this is yet uncultivated ground. How little has Sultzer himself said on the subject! But what could he say in a dictionary? A work wholly dedicated to this is necessary to examine and decide on the works of the best portrait painters, and to insert all the cautions and rules necessary for the young artist, in consequence of the infinite variety, yet incredible uniformity, of the human countenance.

The artist who wishes to paint portraits perfectly, must so paint, that each spectator may with truth exclaim, "This is indeed to paint! this is true, living likeness; perfect nature; it is not painting! Outline, form, proportion, position, attitude, complexion, light and shade, freedom, ease, nature! Nature in every characteristic disposition! Nature in the complexion, in each trait, in her most beauteous, happiest moments, her most select, most propitious state of mind; near at a distance, on every side Truth and Nature! Evident to all men, all ages, the ignorant and the connoisseur; most conspicuous to him who has most knowledge; no suspicion of art; a countenance in a mirror, to which we would speak, that speaks to us; that contemplates more than it is contemplated;

we rush to it, we embrace it, we are enchanted!"

Young artist, emulate such excellence, and the least of your attainments in this age will be riches and honour, and fame in futurity. With tears you will receive the thanks of father, friend, and husband, and your work will honour that Being, whose creations it is the noblest gift of man to imitate!

CHAP. LI.

Description of Plate VII.

Number 1. The late KING of PRUSSIA. How much yet how little is there of the royal countenance in this copy! The covered forehead, may be suspected from this nose, this sovereign feature. The forked descending wrinkles of the nose are expressive of killing contempt. The great eyes, with a nose so bony, denotes a firmness and fire not easily to be withstood. Wit and satirical fancy are apparent in the mouth though defectively drawn. There is something minute seen in the chin, which cannot well be in nature.

Number 2. The EMPRESS of RUSSIA.

Except the smallness of the nostril, and the distance of the eyebrow from the outline of the

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