RAFFAELLO (Raffaello Sanzio) , Le Christ donnant les clefs du Paradis à saint Pierre, 1516 - 1516, gouache et huile sur carton, 340 x 530, London, Victoria & Albert Museum, ROYAL LOANS.3.

RICHARDSON, Jonathan, An Essay on the Theory of Painting. By Mr. Richardson. The Second Edition, Enlarg'd, and Corrected, London, A. C. - A. Bettesworth, 1725.

Of Composition, p. 132-135

Quotation

In a Composition, as well as in every Single Figure, or other part of which the Picture consists, one thing must Contrast, or be varied from another.

Of Composition, p. 132-135

Quotation

The Colours must be also Contrasted, and Oppos’d, so as to be grateful to the Eye : There must not (for example) be two Draperies in one Picture of the same Colour, and Strength, unless they are contiguous, and then they are but as one. If there be two Reds, Blews, or whatever other Colour, One must be of a Darker, or Paler Tinct, or be some way Varied by Lights, Shadows, of Reflections. Rafaëlle, and others have made great Advantage of Changeable Silks to unite the Contrasting Colours, as well as to make a part of the Contrast themselves. As in the Carton of Giving the Keys, the Apostle that stands in Profile, and immediately behind S. John, has a Yellow Garment with Red Sleeves, which connects that Figure with S. Peter, and S. John, whose Draperies are of the same Species of Colours. Then the same Anonymous Apostle has a loose changeable Drapery, the Lights of which are a Mixture of Red, and Yellow, the other Parts are Bluish. This Unites it self with the Other Colours already mentioned, and with the Blew Drapery of another Apostle which follows afterwards ; between which, and the changeable Silk is a Yellow Drapery something different from the other Yellows, but with Shadows bearing upon the Purple, as those of the Yellow Drapery of S. Peter incline to the Red : All which, together with several other Particulars, produce a wonderful Harmony.

RICHARDSON, Jonathan, An Essay on the Theory of Painting. By Mr. Richardson. The Second Edition, Enlarg'd, and Corrected, London, A. C. - A. Bettesworth, 1725.

Of Composition, p. 132-135

Quotation

In a Composition, as well as in every Single Figure, or other part of which the Picture consists, one thing must Contrast, or be varied from another. Thus in a Figure, the Arms and Legs must not be placed to answer one another in Parallel Lines. In like manner if one Figure in a Composition Stands, another must Bend, or Lye on the Ground ; and of those that Stand, or are in any other Position, if there be several of them, they must be varied by Turns of the Head, or some other Artful Disposition of their Parts ; as may be seen (for instance) in the Carton of giving the Keys. The Masses must also have the like Contrast, two must not be alike in Form, or Size, nor the whole Mass compos’d of those lesser ones of too Regular a Shape. The Colours must be also Contrasted, and Oppos’d, so as to be grateful to the Eye : There must not (for example) be two Draperies in one Picture of the same Colour, and Strength, unless they are contiguous, and then they are but as one. If there be two Reds, Blews, or whatever other Colour, One must be of a Darker, or Paler Tinct, or be some way Varied by Lights, Shadows, of Reflections. Rafaëlle, and others have made great Advantage of Changeable Silks to unite the Contrasting Colours, as well as to make a part of the Contrast themselves. As in the Carton of Giving the Keys, the Apostle that stands in Profile, and immediately behind S. John, has a Yellow Garment with Red Sleeves, which connects that Figure with S. Peter, and S. John, whose Draperies are of the same Species of Colours. Then the same Anonymous Apostle has a loose changeable Drapery, the Lights of which are a Mixture of Red, and Yellow, the other Parts are Bluish. This Unites it self with the Other Colours already mentioned, and with the Blew Drapery of another Apostle which follows afterwards ; between which, and the changeable Silk is a Yellow Drapery something different from the other Yellows, but with Shadows bearing upon the Purple, as those of the Yellow Drapery of S. Peter incline to the Red : All which, together with several other Particulars, produce a wonderful Harmony.

RICHARDSON, Jonathan, An Essay on the Theory of Painting. By Mr. Richardson. The Second Edition, Enlarg'd, and Corrected, London, A. C. - A. Bettesworth, 1725.

Of Expression, p. 91-92

Quotation

The Robes, and other Habits of the Figures ; their Attendants, and Ensigns of Authority, or Dignity, as Crowns, Maces, &c. help to express their Distinct Characters ; and commonly even their Place in the Composition. The Principal Persons, and Actors must not be put in a Corner, or towards the Extremities of the Picture, unless the Necessity of the Subject requires it. A Christ, or an Apostle must not be dress’d like an Artificer, or a Fisherman ; a Man of Quality must be distinguish’d from one of the Lower Orders of Men, as a Well-bred Man always is in Life from a Peasant. And so of the rest.
Every body knows the common, or ordinary Distinctions by Dress ; but there is one Instance of a particular kind which I will mention, as being likely to give useful Hints to this purpose, and moreover very curious. In the Carton of Giving the Keys to S. Peter, Our Saviour is wrapt only in on large piece of white Drapery, his Left Arm, and Breast, are part of his Legs naked ; which undoubtedly was done to denote him Now to appear in his Resurrection-Body, and not as before his Crucifixion, when This Dress would have been altogether improper. And this is the more remarkable, as having been done upon second Thoughts, and after the Picture was perhaps finish’d, which I know by having a Drawing of this Carton, very old, and probably made in Rafaëlle’s time, tho’ not of his hand, where the Christ is fully Clad ; he has the very same large Drapery, but one under it that covers his Breast, Arm, and Legs down to the Feet. Every thing else is pretty near the same with the Carton.

Of Composition, p. 137-138

Quotation

This important piece of Drapery preserves the Mass of Light upon that Figure [ndr : il s’agit de la draperie de saint Paul dans le carton de Saint Paul prêchant à Athènes par Raphaël], but varies it, and gives it an agreeable Form, whereas without it the whole Figure would have been Heavy, and Disagreeable ; but there was no danger of that in Rafaëlle. There is another piece of Drapery in the Carton of Giving the Keys, which is very Judiciously flung in ; The three outmost Figures at the End of the Picture, (the contrary to that where our Lord is) made a Mass of Light of a Shape not very pleasing, till that knowing Painter struck in a part of the Garment of the last Apostle in the Group as folded under his Arm, this breaks the streight Line, and gives a more grateful Form to the whole Mass ;

RICHARDSON, Jonathan, An Essay on the Theory of Painting. By Mr. Richardson. The Second Edition, Enlarg'd, and Corrected, London, A. C. - A. Bettesworth, 1725.

Of Expression, p. 91-92

Quotation

The Robes, and other Habits of the Figures ; their Attendants, and Ensigns of Authority, or Dignity, as Crowns, Maces, &c. help to express their Distinct Characters ; and commonly even their Place in the Composition. The Principal Persons, and Actors must not be put in a Corner, or towards the Extremities of the Picture, unless the Necessity of the Subject requires it. A Christ, or an Apostle must not be dress’d like an Artificer, or a Fisherman ; a Man of Quality must be distinguish’d from one of the Lower Orders of Men, as a Well-bred Man always is in Life from a Peasant. And so of the rest.
Every body knows the common, or ordinary Distinctions by Dress ; but there is one Instance of a particular kind which I will mention, as being likely to give useful Hints to this purpose, and moreover very curious. In the Carton of Giving the Keys to S. Peter, Our Saviour is wrapt only in on large piece of white Drapery, his Left Arm, and Breast, are part of his Legs naked ; which undoubtedly was done to denote him Now to appear in his Resurrection-Body, and not as before his Crucifixion, when This Dress would have been altogether improper. And this is the more remarkable, as having been done upon second Thoughts, and after the Picture was perhaps finish’d, which I know by having a Drawing of this Carton, very old, and probably made in Rafaëlle’s time, tho’ not of his hand, where the Christ is fully Clad ; he has the very same large Drapery, but one under it that covers his Breast, Arm, and Legs down to the Feet. Every thing else is pretty near the same with the Carton.

RICHARDSON, Jonathan, An Essay on the Theory of Painting. By Mr. Richardson. The Second Edition, Enlarg'd, and Corrected, London, A. C. - A. Bettesworth, 1725.

Of Expression, p. 91-92

Quotation

The Robes, and other Habits of the Figures ; their Attendants, and Ensigns of Authority, or Dignity, as Crowns, Maces, &c. help to express their Distinct Characters ; and commonly even their Place in the Composition. The Principal Persons, and Actors must not be put in a Corner, or towards the Extremities of the Picture, unless the Necessity of the Subject requires it. A Christ, or an Apostle must not be dress’d like an Artificer, or a Fisherman ; a Man of Quality must be distinguish’d from one of the Lower Orders of Men, as a Well-bred Man always is in Life from a Peasant. And so of the rest.
Every body knows the common, or ordinary Distinctions by Dress ; but there is one Instance of a particular kind which I will mention, as being likely to give useful Hints to this purpose, and moreover very curious. In the Carton of Giving the Keys to S. Peter, Our Saviour is wrapt only in on large piece of white Drapery, his Left Arm, and Breast, are part of his Legs naked ; which undoubtedly was done to denote him Now to appear in his Resurrection-Body, and not as before his Crucifixion, when This Dress would have been altogether improper. And this is the more remarkable, as having been done upon second Thoughts, and after the Picture was perhaps finish’d, which I know by having a Drawing of this Carton, very old, and probably made in Rafaëlle’s time, tho’ not of his hand, where the Christ is fully Clad ; he has the very same large Drapery, but one under it that covers his Breast, Arm, and Legs down to the Feet. Every thing else is pretty near the same with the Carton.

RICHARDSON, Jonathan, An Essay on the Theory of Painting. By Mr. Richardson. The Second Edition, Enlarg'd, and Corrected, London, A. C. - A. Bettesworth, 1725.

Of Composition, p. 132-135

Quotation

In a Composition, as well as in every Single Figure, or other part of which the Picture consists, one thing must Contrast, or be varied from another. [...] The Colours must be also Contrasted, and Oppos’d, so as to be grateful to the Eye : There must not (for example) be two Draperies in one Picture of the same Colour, and Strength, unless they are contiguous, and then they are but as one. If there be two Reds, Blews, or whatever other Colour, One must be of a Darker, or Paler Tinct, or be some way Varied by Lights, Shadows, of Reflections. Rafaëlle, and others have made great Advantage of Changeable Silks to unite the Contrasting Colours, as well as to make a part of the Contrast themselves. As in the Carton of Giving the Keys, the Apostle that stands in Profile, and immediately behind S. John, has a Yellow Garment with Red Sleeves, which connects that Figure with S. Peter, and S. John, whose Draperies are of the same Species of Colours. Then the same Anonymous Apostle has a loose changeable Drapery, the Lights of which are a Mixture of Red, and Yellow, the other Parts are Bluish. This Unites it self with the Other Colours already mentioned, and with the Blew Drapery of another Apostle which follows afterwards ; between which, and the changeable Silk is a Yellow Drapery something different from the other Yellows, but with Shadows bearing upon the Purple, as those of the Yellow Drapery of S. Peter incline to the Red : All which, together with several other Particulars, produce a wonderful Harmony.

RICHARDSON, Jonathan, An Essay on the Theory of Painting. By Mr. Richardson. The Second Edition, Enlarg'd, and Corrected, London, A. C. - A. Bettesworth, 1725.

Of Composition, p. 132-135

Quotation

In a Composition, as well as in every Single Figure, or other part of which the Picture consists, one thing must Contrast, or be varied from another. Thus in a Figure, the Arms and Legs must not be placed to answer one another in Parallel Lines. In like manner if one Figure in a Composition Stands, another must Bend, or Lye on the Ground ; and of those that Stand, or are in any other Position, if there be several of them, they must be varied by Turns of the Head, or some other Artful Disposition of their Parts ; as may be seen (for instance) in the Carton of giving the Keys. The Masses must also have the like Contrast, two must not be alike in Form, or Size, nor the whole Mass compos’d of those lesser ones of too Regular a Shape. The Colours must be also Contrasted, and Oppos’d, so as to be grateful to the Eye : There must not (for example) be two Draperies in one Picture of the same Colour, and Strength, unless they are contiguous, and then they are but as one. If there be two Reds, Blews, or whatever other Colour, One must be of a Darker, or Paler Tinct, or be some way Varied by Lights, Shadows, of Reflections. Rafaëlle, and others have made great Advantage of Changeable Silks to unite the Contrasting Colours, as well as to make a part of the Contrast themselves. As in the Carton of Giving the Keys, the Apostle that stands in Profile, and immediately behind S. John, has a Yellow Garment with Red Sleeves, which connects that Figure with S. Peter, and S. John, whose Draperies are of the same Species of Colours. Then the same Anonymous Apostle has a loose changeable Drapery, the Lights of which are a Mixture of Red, and Yellow, the other Parts are Bluish. This Unites it self with the Other Colours already mentioned, and with the Blew Drapery of another Apostle which follows afterwards ; between which, and the changeable Silk is a Yellow Drapery something different from the other Yellows, but with Shadows bearing upon the Purple, as those of the Yellow Drapery of S. Peter incline to the Red : All which, together with several other Particulars, produce a wonderful Harmony.

RICHARDSON, Jonathan, An Essay on the Theory of Painting. By Mr. Richardson. The Second Edition, Enlarg'd, and Corrected, London, A. C. - A. Bettesworth, 1725.

Of Expression, p. 91-92

Quotation

The Robes, and other Habits of the Figures ; their Attendants, and Ensigns of Authority, or Dignity, as Crowns, Maces, &c. help to express their Distinct Characters ; and commonly even their Place in the Composition. The Principal Persons, and Actors must not be put in a Corner, or towards the Extremities of the Picture, unless the Necessity of the Subject requires it. A Christ, or an Apostle must not be dress’d like an Artificer, or a Fisherman ; a Man of Quality must be distinguish’d from one of the Lower Orders of Men, as a Well-bred Man always is in Life from a Peasant. And so of the rest.
Every body knows the common, or ordinary Distinctions by Dress ; but there is one Instance of a particular kind which I will mention, as being likely to give useful Hints to this purpose, and moreover very curious. In the Carton of Giving the Keys to S. Peter, Our Saviour is wrapt only in on large piece of white Drapery, his Left Arm, and Breast, are part of his Legs naked ; which undoubtedly was done to denote him Now to appear in his Resurrection-Body, and not as before his Crucifixion, when This Dress would have been altogether improper. And this is the more remarkable, as having been done upon second Thoughts, and after the Picture was perhaps finish’d, which I know by having a Drawing of this Carton, very old, and probably made in Rafaëlle’s time, tho’ not of his hand, where the Christ is fully Clad ; he has the very same large Drapery, but one under it that covers his Breast, Arm, and Legs down to the Feet. Every thing else is pretty near the same with the Carton.

RICHARDSON, Jonathan, An Essay on the Theory of Painting. By Mr. Richardson. The Second Edition, Enlarg'd, and Corrected, London, A. C. - A. Bettesworth, 1725.

Of Invention, p. 43-44

Quotation

The same Liberty of heightning a Story [ndr : que dans le carton de Raphaël représentant Jésus donnant les clés à saint Pierre] is very commonly taken in Pictures of the Crucifixion ; the Blessed Virgin is represented as Swooning away at the Sight, and S. John, and the Women with great propriety dividing their Concern between the two Objets of it, which makes a fine Scene, and a considerable Improvement ; and probably was the Truth, though the History says no such thing.
[…].
An Improvement much of the same Nature is the Angels that are frequently introduced in a Nativity, or on other Occasions, the noble, though not rich Habit of the Virgin, and the like, though perhaps not altogether in the same Degree of Probability.

RICHARDSON, Jonathan, An Essay on the Theory of Painting. By Mr. Richardson. The Second Edition, Enlarg'd, and Corrected, London, A. C. - A. Bettesworth, 1725.

Of Composition, p. 132-135

Quotation

In a Composition, as well as in every Single Figure, or other part of which the Picture consists, one thing must Contrast, or be varied from another. Thus in a Figure, the Arms and Legs must not be placed to answer one another in Parallel Lines. In like manner if one Figure in a Composition Stands, another must Bend, or Lye on the Ground ; and of those that Stand, or are in any other Position, if there be several of them, they must be varied by Turns of the Head, or some other Artful Disposition of their Parts ; as may be seen (for instance) in the Carton of giving the Keys. The Masses must also have the like Contrast, two must not be alike in Form, or Size, nor the whole Mass compos’d of those lesser ones of too Regular a Shape. The Colours must be also Contrasted, and Oppos’d, so as to be grateful to the Eye : There must not (for example) be two Draperies in one Picture of the same Colour, and Strength, unless they are contiguous, and then they are but as one. If there be two Reds, Blews, or whatever other Colour, One must be of a Darker, or Paler Tinct, or be some way Varied by Lights, Shadows, of Reflections. Rafaëlle, and others have made great Advantage of Changeable Silks to unite the Contrasting Colours, as well as to make a part of the Contrast themselves. As in the Carton of Giving the Keys, the Apostle that stands in Profile, and immediately behind S. John, has a Yellow Garment with Red Sleeves, which connects that Figure with S. Peter, and S. John, whose Draperies are of the same Species of Colours. Then the same Anonymous Apostle has a loose changeable Drapery, the Lights of which are a Mixture of Red, and Yellow, the other Parts are Bluish. This Unites it self with the Other Colours already mentioned, and with the Blew Drapery of another Apostle which follows afterwards ; between which, and the changeable Silk is a Yellow Drapery something different from the other Yellows, but with Shadows bearing upon the Purple, as those of the Yellow Drapery of S. Peter incline to the Red : All which, together with several other Particulars, produce a wonderful Harmony.

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