Work of Art
RAFFAELLO (Raffaello Sanzio) , Saint Paul prêchant à Athènes, 1516, dessin et peinture à l'eau, 340 x 440, London, Victoria & Albert Museum, ROYAL LOANS.7.
© Public Domain
This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason: public domain
WikiMedia Commons [consulté le 09/01/2018 - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:V%26A_-_Raphael,_St_Paul_Preaching_in_Athens_(1515).jpg]
Quotation
As the Tout-ensemble of a Picture must be Beautiful in its Masses, so must it be as to its Colours. And as what is Principal must be (Generally speaking) the most Conspicuous, the Predominant Colours of That should be diffus’d throughout the Whole. This Rafaëlle has observ’d remarkably in the Carton of S. Paul Preaching ; His Drapery is Red, and Green, and These Colours are scatterr’d every where ; but Judiciously ; for Subordinate Colours as well as Subordinate Lights serve to Soften, and Support the Principal ones, which Otherwise would appear as Spots, and consequently be Offensive.
Quotation
As the Tout-ensemble of a Picture must be Beautiful in its Masses, so must it be as to its Colours. And as what is Principal must be (Generally speaking) the most Conspicuous, the Predominant Colours of That should be diffus’d throughout the Whole. This Rafaëlle has observ’d remarkably in the Carton of S. Paul Preaching ; His Drapery is Red, and Green, and These Colours are scatterr’d every where ; but Judiciously ; for Subordinate Colours as well as Subordinate Lights serve to Soften, and Support the Principal ones, which Otherwise would appear as Spots, and consequently be Offensive.
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 ;
Quotation
The Draperies must have broad Masses of Light, and Shadow, and noble large Folds to give a Greatness ; and These artfully subdivised, add Grace. As in that Admirable Figure of S. Paul Preaching, of which I have already spoken, the Drapery would have had a Greatness if that whole Broad Light had been kept, and that part which is flung over his Shoulder, and hangs down his Back had been omitted ; but That adds also a Grace.
Quotation
but certainly all the Management in the World cannot put together a great number of Figures, and Ornaments, with that Advantage as a few.
Where the Story requires that there be a Crowd of People, there may be some Figures without any Particular Character, which are not Supernumerary, because the Story requires a Crowd. In the Cartons [ndr : les cartons de Raphaël] there are very few Idle Figures : Nor are all those such that may seem to be so ; there are two in the Carton of S. Paul Preaching that are walking at a distance amongst the Buildings, but these serve well to intimate that there were some who like Gallio cared for none of these things.
Quotation
The Draperies must have broad Masses of Light, and Shadow, and noble large Folds to give a Greatness ; and These artfully subdivised, add Grace. As in that Admirable Figure of S. Paul Preaching, of which I have already spoken, the Drapery would have had a Greatness if that whole Broad Light had been kept, and that part which is flung over his Shoulder, and hangs down his Back had been omitted ; but That adds also a Grace.
Quotation
The Draperies must have broad Masses of Light, and Shadow, and noble large Folds to give a Greatness ; and These artfully subdivised, add Grace. As in that Admirable Figure of S. Paul Preaching, of which I have already spoken, the Drapery would have had a Greatness if that whole Broad Light had been kept, and that part which is flung over his Shoulder, and hangs down his Back had been omitted ; but That adds also a Grace.
Quotation
The Draperies must have broad Masses of Light, and Shadow, and noble large Folds to give a Greatness ; and These artfully subdivised, add Grace. As in that Admirable Figure of S. Paul Preaching, of which I have already spoken, the Drapery would have had a Greatness if that whole Broad Light had been kept, and that part which is flung over his Shoulder, and hangs down his Back had been omitted ; but That adds also a Grace.
Quotation
As the Tout-ensemble of a Picture must be Beautiful in its Masses, so must it be as to its Colours. And as what is Principal must be (Generally speaking) the most Conspicuous, the Predominant Colours of That should be diffus’d throughout the Whole. This Rafaëlle has observ’d remarkably in the Carton of S. Paul Preaching ; His Drapery is Red, and Green, and These Colours are scatterr’d every where ; but Judiciously ; for Subordinate Colours as well as Subordinate Lights serve to Soften, and Support the Principal ones, which Otherwise would appear as Spots, and consequently be Offensive.
Quotation
but certainly all the Management in the World cannot put together a great number of Figures, and Ornaments, with that Advantage as a few.
Where the Story requires that there be a Crowd of People, there may be some Figures without any Particular Character, which are not Supernumerary, because the Story requires a Crowd. In the Cartons [ndr : les cartons de Raphaël] there are very few Idle Figures : Nor are all those such that may seem to be so ; there are two in the Carton of S. Paul Preaching that are walking at a distance amongst the Buildings, but these serve well to intimate that there were some who like Gallio cared for none of these things.
Quotation
In that admirable Carton of S. Paul preaching, the Expressions are very just, and delicate throughout : Even the Back-Ground is not without its Meaning ; ‘tis Expressive of the Superstition S. Paul was preaching against.
Quotation
As the Tout-ensemble of a Picture must be Beautiful in its Masses, so must it be as to its Colours. And as what is Principal must be (Generally speaking) the most Conspicuous, the Predominant Colours of That should be diffus’d throughout the Whole. This Rafaëlle has observ’d remarkably in the Carton of S. Paul Preaching ; His Drapery is Red, and Green, and These Colours are scatterr’d every where ; but Judiciously ; for Subordinate Colours as well as Subordinate Lights serve to Soften, and Support the Principal ones, which Otherwise would appear as Spots, and consequently be Offensive.
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 ;
Quotation
The Draperies must have broad Masses of Light, and Shadow, and noble large Folds to give a Greatness ; and These artfully subdivised, add Grace. As in that Admirable Figure of S. Paul Preaching, of which I have already spoken, the Drapery would have had a Greatness if that whole Broad Light had been kept, and that part which is flung over his Shoulder, and hangs down his Back had been omitted ; but That adds also a Grace.