[…] we hope for Pardon, if in this Chapter we shall not keep so strictly within the Limits of this ART [ndr : la peinture] in particular, which we are forced sometime to entrench upon the Confines of some neighbour ARTS, relating to Sculpture and Engraving, and referring to the Invention of Letters, antick Images, Pillars, or Pagan Deities of old ; which now the Maturity of these latter Ages has so variously distinguished and diversified ; of all which, yet in a general Acceptation, we conceive PAINTING to be comprehensive and of near affinity to, and the introducing of which we can hardly judge any Extravagancy, but rather (as we shall briefly endeavour to make it appear) very applicable and consonent to our Deposition in hand.
FOR Pictura and Sculptura, in the Sence of the Poets, were accounted Twins ; and as that Worthy Author M. Evelyn, joying with them Architectura, declares those Three illustrious and magnificent ARTS so dependent upon each other, that they can no more be separated than the very Graces themselves, who are always represented to us holding Hand in Hand, and mutually regarding one another ; we may reasonably conjecture that they were born together ; or however, that the Emergency, or Rise of the one was not long previous to the Invention of the other.
FOR if we take Pictura in a general Acceptation, and according to the Definition of Vitruvius, viz. Fit Imago ejus quod est seu esse potest : It may be comprehensive of not only Painting but Sculpture, Plastick and Mosaick Work, or any other Counterfeit, or Similitude, of any created, or imaginary Being whatsoever ; and so makes no essential Difference at all between them, but only ratione materia, which is only in the Mechanick and less noble Part of the ART, they agreeing notwithstanding in the Essentials, the more liberal and refined Accomplishments of it.
BUT yet this is not all that de facto, there is such Affinity and Similitude between these TWO ARTS ; but we may affirm ‘tis the Excellency also, and mutual Perfection of each other to be so : For as Sir H. Wotton takes notice out of Pliny {Elements of Architecture}, where designing to distinguish, he handsomly interweaves them together to our Purpose, saying, That Picture is best when it standeth off as if it were carved ; and Sulpture is best when it appeareth so tender as if it were painted.
AND once more to urge the entire Connection of these TWO ARTS together, we dare with Confidence enough affirm, whereever we find a compleat ARTIST in Sculpture, he must also have a competent Talent of Knowledge in PAINTING ; and particularly more than meanly skilled in the ART of ready Drawing and Designing, and have a sufficient Knowledge of the Nature and Effect of Light and Shadows, which small Commencements, perhaps, made up the compleat Character of not a few of the antient Heroes, whom Pliny does so studiously, yet not undeservedly celebrate.

FOR Pictura and Sculptura, in the Sence of the Poets, were accounted Twins ; [...] AND once more to urge the entire Connection of these TWO ARTS together, we dare with Confidence enough affirm, whereever we find a compleat ARTIST in Sculpture, he must also have a competent Talent of Knowledge in PAINTING ; and particularly more than meanly skilled in the ART of ready Drawing and Designing, and have a sufficient Knowledge of the Nature and Effect of Light and Shadows, which small Commencements, perhaps, made up the compleat Character of not a few of the antient Heroes, whom Pliny does so studiously, yet not undeservedly celebrate.

Our poor and needy Life perceiving some casual Things to fall out prosperously, whilst it doth mistake and try, whilst it doth slip, reform and change ; hath out of this same assiduous Reprehension made up small Sciences of ARTS, the which it hath afterwards, by a continual Study, brought to some considerable Degree of Perfection. And therefore Ælian says, so Rude and Imperfect were the first Attemps of this ART, that to avoid the Danger of a Mistake, they were wont constantly to affix to their Works such a clear and discerning Character of distinction, as this is a Horse, an Ox, or a Tree, &c. And what higher Expectations can we derive from a Portrait, or Profile of a Face drawn from the Shadow upon a Wall ; or when we find Gyges, whom Pliny sometime calls the first Painter, born in Lydia, which, as he says, was Tuscania, went into Egypt, found out the ART there, and all his Skill arrived only to some competency of Design, probably with a Coal, or some such coarse Material. From which Sort of Picture they advanced not much further, ‘till some competent Time after, came Polignotus, the first that painted Encaustice, or by Fire ; which was not enameling on Gold, but with hot glowing Irons, to draw, or cast their Design into Wood, or Ivory, and possibly to finish with some slight Shadowing within ; for before that, as Carel van Mander, in his Lives of the Painters observes, the First Pictures were only drawn, and consisted of Out-Lines only, and therefore called Linearis Pictura.
THE next Step they advanced was by the Invention of Cleanthes and Thelephanes, who super-added some Finishing within, and filled their Out-Lines with one Colour, which was only a Piece of Red Potsheard, pounded and fine ground ; First found out, and, as some affirm, us’d by Callias the Athenian.
AND thence, […], they were called Monocromata ; and to the Assistance of these came Higienontes, Dinias and Charmas, who also made Faces with one Colour only.

Our poor and needy Life perceiving some casual Things to fall out prosperously, whilst it doth mistake and try, whilst it doth slip, reform and change ; hath out of this same assiduous Reprehension made up small Sciences of ARTS, the which it hath afterwards, by a continual Study, brought to some considerable Degree of Perfection. And therefore Ælian says, so Rude and Imperfect were the first Attemps of this ART, that to avoid the Danger of a Mistake, they were wont constantly to affix to their Works such a clear and discerning Character of distinction, as this is a Horse, an Ox, or a Tree, &c. And what higher Expectations can we derive from a Portrait, or Profile of a Face drawn from the Shadow upon a Wall ;

or when we find Gyges, whom Pliny sometime calls the first Painter, born in Lydia, which, as he says, was Tuscania, went into Egypt, found out the ART there, and all his Skill arrived only to some competency of Design, probably with a Coal, or some such coarse Material. From which Sort of Picture they advanced not much further, ‘till some competent Time after, came Polignotus, the first that painted Encaustice, or by Fire ; which was not enameling on Gold, but with hot glowing Irons, to draw, or cast their Design into Wood, or Ivory, and possibly to finish with some slight Shadowing within ;

And what higher Expectations can we derive from a Portrait, or Profile of a Face drawn from the Shadow upon a Wall ; or when we find Gyges, whom Pliny sometime calls the first Painter, born in Lydia, which, as he says, was Tuscania, went into Egypt, found out the ART there, and all his Skill arrived only to some competency of Design, probably with a Coal, or some such coarse Material. From which Sort of Picture they advanced not much further, ‘till some competent Time after, came Polignotus, the first that painted Encaustice, or by Fire ; which was not enameling on Gold, but with hot glowing Irons, to draw, or cast their Design into Wood, or Ivory, and possibly to finish with some slight Shadowing within ; for before that, as Carel van Mander, in his Lives of the Painters observes, the First Pictures were only drawn, and consisted of Out-Lines only, and therefore called Linearis Pictura.

THE next Step they advanced was by the Invention of Cleanthes and Thelephanes, who super-added some Finishing within, and filled their Out-Lines with one Colour, which was only a Piece of Red Potsheard, pounded and fine ground ; First found out, and, as some affirm, us’d by Callias the Athenian.
AND thence, […], they were called Monocromata ; and to the Assistance of these came Higienontes, Dinias and Charmas, who also made Faces with one Colour only.

THE next Step they advanced was by the Invention of Cleanthes and Thelephanes, who super-added some Finishing within, and filled their Out-Lines with one Colour, which was only a Piece of Red Potsheard, pounded and fine ground ; First found out, and, as some affirm, us’d by Callias the Athenian.

He [ndr : Cimon de Cleonen] was the First bold and daring Man that took Courage to adventure into the Ocean of this ART [ndr : la peinture], that made many remarkable Discoveries of the incognita thereof, and left the Way open and fairly obvious to all his Followers ; for he enriched it with such a Variety of Embellishments, that in him first it began to have some Form of itself, and arrive to a competent Perfection ; what in their Paintings was Dead and Stiff, he gave Motion and Life to by his Skill, that he attained to in the Art of Fore-shortenings, turning the Faces of his Figures several Ways, either looking Upward, Backward, or Downward ; and by his Kowledge in the various Motions of the Limbs and Joints, and Muscling of the whole Body, which he was the first that attained and taught, what before either they knew nothing at all of Drapery, or, however, but some very unpleasant, flat and startch’d Way, he rectify’d, and, as Pliny tells us, taught a true and natural sort of Drapery, and the proper Plaiting and Foldings of all sorts of Garments.

THERE are many rare Paintings of his [ndr : Parrasios] mention’d by Pliny, […] Then his Piece of Archigallus, so admir’d by Tiberius afterwards, who […] preserv’d it in his own Bed-Chamber, with his boasted Portrait of Hercules, who, as Parrasius would persuade, vouchsafed himself to appear and sit to him while he drew him to the Life in his most exact Proportions and Features.

ABOUT this Time flourish’d Arestides, whose Excellency lay in expressing the Passions and Affections, and decyphering all the Virtues and Vices, and as particularly appear’d by that Piece of his of the Indulgent Mother, mortally wounded in the Body, and a sucking Infant hanging at the same Time upon her Breast, where, unconcern’d for her own Life, she express’d a wonderful Reluctancy, and strange Strife within her in regard to the Infant, as loath to deny it Food, and unwilling to give it the Breast, for fear of destroying it with her Blood, which mingled with her Milk, issued forth in great abundance. This Table was dear to Alexander, and carried along with him to Pella.

AFTER him [ndr : Lysippe de Sicyone] succeded his Scholar Pamphilus de Macedonia, the first that improv’d himself, and the ART, by his Study of good Literature, and especially in Arithmetick and Geometry ; without which, he was of Opinion it was impossible to be a perfect and compleat Painter. His Authority so far prevail’d, that by a strict and perpetual Edict, the States of Greece ordain’d, that all Gentlemens Sons, and Freeborn, should go to the Painting School, and there be taught First, above all Things, the Art Diagraphice : That no Slave should have that Privilege, or under a Penalty be taught by any the ART, or Mystery of Painting ; and that it should be accounted and rang’d in the first Degree of the liberal Sciences.

Apelles himself was so ingenuous to own so great a Proficiency therein, as might seem to add Confirmation, while in the Disposition, or Ordinance, he modestly yielded to Amphion ; in the Measures, or Proportions, he subscribed to Aschepiodorus ; and of Protogenes was wont to say, in all Points he was equal to him, if not above him ; but after all, there was yet one Thing wanting in them all, which was instar omnium, or, however, the Beauty and Life of all, which he only ascribed, and was proud in being the sole Master of himself, viz. his Venus by the Greeks, named ΧΑΡΙΣ a certain peculiar Grace, sometimes called the Air of the Picture, resulting from a due Observation and Concurrence of all the essential Points and Rules requisite in a compleat Picture, accompany’d with an unconstrained and unaffected Facility and Freedom of the Pencil, which together produced such a ravishing Harmony, that made their Works seem to be performed by some divine and unspeakable Way of ART ; and which (as Fr. Junius expresseth it) is not a Perfection of ART, proceeding meerly from ART, but rather a Perfection proceeding from a consummate ART.
HENCE it was that Apelles admiring the wonderful Pains and Curiosity in each Point in a Picture of Protogenes’s Painting, yet took Occasion from thence to reprehend him for it as a Fault quod nescivit manum tollere de tabula, implying, that a heavy and painful Diligence and Affectation, are destructive of that Comeliness, Beauty and admired Grace, which only a prompt and prosperous Facility proceeding from a found Judgment of ART, can offord unto us.

WE have been more particular in the Relation of this famous Piece [ndr : Bell fait ici référence au tableau commencé par Apelle et Protogènes sur lequel ces deux artistes ont successivement tracé des lignes – événement précédent de peu leur rencontre], because a large Dispute hangs upon it {Pliny, Lib. 35. Ch. 10.} : and the late Commentator upon our Author, Ludov. Demontiosius, seems very much offended at the generally received Acceptation of the Story of this noble Contention ; and would not by any Means admits that this Tryal of Skill was about the Subtilty of Lines ; for, as he says, with a good Share of Truth in the main, in a coloured Picture, or Painting, there is so little Use of Lines, that the very Appearance of any is justly reproveable ; for the Extremities should be lost and confounded in the Shadows, and ought to go off without any Thing of the least Stiffness, or Sharpness of a Line.
NEITHER will he admit it in Drawings, or Designs, with the Coal, or Pen, for that in those the true ARTIST never regarded so much the Fineness, or Courseness of his Touches ; but only how and where they served best to express the proper Shadowing and Raising of his Draught according to the Life ; and brings in for Instance many Drawings of the celebrated Masters of his Time, which he had seen of Mich. Angela Bonoroti, Raphael de Urbin, Salviati, Polydore, and the Great Titian’s, where his Observation does not take Notice that any have in the least affected the Nicety of curious Lines.

[…] he [ndr : Ludovicus Demontiosius ou Jean de Monjosieu] labours to convince us in the Truth of, he distinguishes all the Colours in a Picture in reference to the different Modification of Light upon Bodies, into three Sorts, or rather Degrees, Light, Splendor and Shadow ; in the Light the Colour is Deluted, in the Shadow Saturated, and in the Splendor only the Species of the Colour is truly discern’d ; this Splendor he calls also the Tone, carrying so near an Analogy with the Sence of it in Musick, where it comprehends the Phthonge, the Intervals, the Place of the Voice, and the Tenor ; all which he applies to the Meaning of this Splendor, or Tone in Painting : To these three foregoing Degrees of Colour, he adds a fourth Thing incident, call’d the Harmoge, which is the Commixture, or the curious and insensible Transition of the three Degrees of Colours ; and this, in the Opinion of our Author, is the Interpretation of the famous Contest about the Scissure and Intersection of Lines ; of which, when Apelles had given a Specimen, and Protogenes had seem it, Artem agnovit sed negligentiam Artificis notavit, and therefore took another Pencil, and what was left somewhat too hard and unpleasant in the Union of the Colours, he corrected and made more tender, ‘till Apelles again returning by the Interposition of another Colour, gave it such a Finishing, as left no Place for any further Attempt.

THIS seeming strain’d Opinion, Claudius Salmatius controverts again, […] ; and further, he would establish and set up the Agreeableness and Congruity of the Use of Lines in the best of Paintings, from that sort of Picture peculiarly call’d Linearis Pictura ; which not only express’d the Proflles and Circumscriptions of the Figure, but their Practice was also, intus lineas spargere, from the Phrasings and constant Use of several Terms of ART ; for what else can be employ’d by Lineamenta, the Lineaments of a Face, or Figure, by Apelle’s Nulla dies sine linea, which became Proverbial, and as the Poet varies it,
           
Nulla dies abeat quin linea ducta supersit.  
                                                                                  Hor.

BEFORE we leave this eminent Master [ndr : Apelle], we cannot but take notice what Pliny in two several Places, has, with pretty positive Assurance asserted, that in all the stupendious Paintings of this ARTIST above-cited, he made use of but four Colours only, which were White, Yellow, Red, and Black ; his White Tripoli of Melos ; for Yellows, Okre of Athens ; for Reds, red Okre and Synopye of Pontos, and for Black, ordinary Vitrial, or Shoemakers Black. […] in another Place himself [ndr : Pline] tells us (besides the other Black above-mention’d) Apelles was the first that invented to make Black of Ivory, or the Tooth of an Elephant burnt, which was call’d Elephantinum, and gives us the Particulars of several other Colours, both Natural and Artificial, found out and used among the Greek, […]. 

And it is obvious to any, that have any competent Talent in Painting, how impossible it must needs be, such rare and extraordinary Paintings as seems to emulate and challenge Nature herself in all her luxuriant Variety of Composures and Colour, should ever be express’d, or accomplish’d by the slender Assistance, only of those four Species of Colours  [ndr : white, yellow, red, black] ; and unless they were as comprehensive as the four Elements, out of which they tell us all Things do emerge ; […] yet it will come short of giving a full Answer to the Objection ; for, without Blew, the derivative Colours cannot be made up to furnish and compleat our Painters Palate ; and without this, how can it be imagin’d he [ndr : Apelle] was able to approach the Beauty of the Heavens in the glorious Representation of the Sky ? How could he ever expect to parallel the variegated and unparallel’d Complections of the glorious Gayeties of the Gardens ? In Absence of this, the Fields and sprightly Plants must loose their Verdure, and appear only in their Autumnal Dress ; and his Venus herself must fall short of what she was, for want of a Tenderness to express the Delicacy of her azured Veins.

BESIDES all this, our Author [ndr : Pline] in another Place affirms, such was the Beauty and Brightness of his [ndr : Apelle] Colours, that least the Lustre should too much dazzle and offend the Sight, he had one peculiar and extraordinary Invention of a curious (and our Author would have it black) Varnish, so finely tempered and driven over the whole Work, that it not only took off that Inconvenience, but secured and guarded it from the Injury of Wet and Dirt, or any Filthiness whatsoever.

{Athenion.} ATHENION of Marona, Disciple of Glaucion, was a Man of very good Skill, and tho’ his Way of Colouring seem’d somewhat dry, and not altogether so agreeable (he not affecting the Gaudery of Colours) yet his Works were throughly Painted, and he maintain’d the full Vigour and Strength of his Lights and Shadows, which, with his unwearied Endeavours, and Re-search after every Thing that was Excellent and Worthy of his Knowledge in the ART, render’d him equal in Esteem with Pausius and Nicias, and had he not unhappily died in his Youth, in the Opinion they had of him, he had become a most excellent and extraordinary Man.

{Pirrichus.} PIRRICHUS was one that busied himself about little Things, and all mean and inferior Subjects, as of Herbs, Flowers, Beasts, Insects, Tradesmens Shops, and other such like, as have no Gust of any noble Idea, for which he was Surnam’d Rhyparographus.
            {Serapion.} SERAPION, on the other hand, was for Picture of a Colosean Stature, such as their Shops and Stalls, were not big enough to contain ; his Excellencies were seen in Painting mighty Tents, Stages, Theaters and Pageants, but for a Face, or the Figure of a Man, or Woman, he durst never attempt to make an Essay. {Dionysius.} On the other side Dionysius was good for nothing else, and therefore was commonly call’d Anthropographus.

{Ludius.} ONE of principal Note that flourish’d in the Reign of Augustus, was Ludius, celebrated for the Invention of Painting Landskips, wherein he succeeded very well, and shew’d a great Variety of Invention in representation of Prospects both by Sea and Land ; of Cities, and particularly Structures, and Designs of Architecture ; in Views of Forests, Rivers, Plains, Walks, Huntings, Parrades, Grottoes, Fountains, with all the various Forms and Actions of Birds, Beasts and Men, appropriate and accommodate to each particular Circumstance, together with many other incident Occurrences, of which this Subject furnishes with a copious Variety ; and of all these, he was the first we meet with that made the Application, and painted upon the Fronts of their publick and private Buildings along the Streets, and upon their Walls, both without Doors and within.

ABOUT this Time the Italians were again beholden to the Greeks in the Communication of another Sort of Picture call’d Mosaick Work ; […]. It is, indeed, an ART, we may look upon, as in some Sense, subordinate to PAINTING, with an Emulation to imitate it in all the Variety of Design, Figures, Colours, Lights, and Shades, but with Materials, not only of a wonderful Beauty, but of a much more permanent and enduring Nature, such as Shells, Gold, Glass, Pebbles, Ivory, and Pieces of variegated Marbles, which, with a mighty Industry and Curiosity, were all Cut, Form’d, Tinctur’d Anneal’d, Enammel’d, Gilt, Glaz’d, or Burnish’d, and, by a wonderful Application, fitted to compose the Figures of Birds, Beasts, Flowers and Men ; and, in short, to represent almost any Thing that PAINTING itself could pretent to ; and of this for Instance among many others, that might be produc’d, St. Marks’s Church at Venice, particularly remains to this Day as a glorious Example.

{Margaritone.} MARGARITONE, […]. Thus after having perform’d several PAINTINGS (which were all according to the Greekish Manner) a many Pieces in Fresco, or in wet Lime, and all with a great and singular Industry.

BUT he, of all the PAINTERS, worthy of the highest Reputation, after the Death of Cimabus, was his Disciple Giotto, […] he became Famous for his excellent Skill in expressing the Affections, and all Manner of Gesture, so happily representing every Thing with such an identity and peculiar Conformity to the Original Idea, that he was said to be the true Scholar if Nature.