COMPLEXION (n.)

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Quotation

SECT. II. Of the Passions or Complexions.
Man’s Body is composed of the Four Elements.
Melancholly resembles Earth.
Flegm the Water.
Choler the Fire.
Bloud the Air ; and answerable are the Gestures and Humours.
Melancholly bodies are slow, heavy, and restrained ; and the consequents are anxiety, disquietness, sadness, stubborness, &c. in which horror and despair will appear.
Flegmatick bodies are simple, humble, merciful.
Sanguine bodies are temperate, modest, gracious, princely, gentle, and merry ; to whom these affections of the mind best agree, viz. love, delight, pleasure, desire, mirth, and hope.
Cholerick bodies are violent, boisterous, arrogant, bold, and fierce ; to whom these passions appertain, anger, hatred, and boldness ; and accordingly the skillful Artist expresses the motions of these several bodies, which ought Philosophically to be understood.

Conceptual field(s)

L’HISTOIRE ET LA FIGURE → expression des passions

Quotation

5. Have a pretty quantity of Carnation (as some call it) or Flesh-colour, somewhat lighter than the Complexion of the party your are to draw, tempered up in a shell by it self with a weak Gum-water. If it be a Fair complexion, White-lead and Red-lead mixed. If a Swarthie or Brown complexion, to your White and Red-lead add a quantity of Masticote, or English-Oker, or both if occasion be. But whatever the Complexion be, be sure you temper your Flesh-colour lighter than the party ; for by often working upon it you may bring it to its true colour, it being first too light ; but if it be first too sad, there then is no remedy.

Conceptual field(s)

MATERIALITE DE L’ŒUVRE → couleurs

Quotation

Chap. III, How to order your Colours upon your Pallat, and how to temper Shadows for all Complexions.
Dispose your single Colours upon your Pallat in this order, laying them at a convenient distance one from another, so that they be not apt to intermix. First lay on your Vermilion, then lake, then burnt Oker,
India Red, Pink, Umber, Blacks, and Smalt : lay the White next to your thumb, because it is oftenest used, for with it you lighten all your shadows ; next to your White lay a stiff sort of Lake : this done, your Pallat is furnished with the single Colours belonging to a Face ; then for the tempering of your Shadows to all Complexions, observe the following Directions.

1. For a Fair Complexion.
Take a little White, and twice as much Vermilion, and as much Lake temper these well together upon your Pallat with the flat blade of your knife ; lay aside by it self on your Pallat the greatest quantity of this to be used for the deepest Carnation of the Face […].
Your Carnations being thus tempered, and orderly laid upon your Pallat, prepare your faint Shadows. For which,
Take Smalt, and mix it with a little White, which may serve for the Eyes ; lay aside the greatest quantity, and to the rest add a little Pink, this well tempered and laid by it self, will serve for the faint greenish shadows in the Face.
Now prepare your deep Shadows : for which take Lake, Pink, […].

2.
For a more Brown or Swarthy Complexion.
Lay your single Colours on your Pallat as before, and in like manner temper them, only amongst your White Lake, and Vermilion, put a little quantity of burnt Oker, to make it look somewhat Tawny […].

3.
For a Tawny Complexion.
The general Colours must be the same as before, only the Shadows are different, for you are to prepare them of Umber, and burnt Oker, […].

4.
For an Absolute Black Complexion.
Your dark Shadows must be the same as before ; but for your heightnings, you must take White, burnt Oker, Lake, and Black, put but a little White in at first, […].
Here note, that the single Colours at first laid upon your Pallat being tempered together according to the former directions, serve for shadows for all Complexions.

Conceptual field(s)

MATERIALITE DE L’ŒUVRE → couleurs
GENRES PICTURAUX → portrait