TOUCH (n.)
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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.
MICHELANGELO (Michelangelo Buonarroti)
MONTJOSIEU, Louis de
POLIDORO DA CARAVAGGIO
RAFFAELLO (Raffaello Sanzio)
SALVIATI, Francesco (Francesco de Rossi)
TIZIANO (Tiziano Vecellio)
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
Several Observations, in drawing a Head after the Life
And because the greatest difficulty, and principal parts of this Art consist in some part in drawing the lively Resemblance of a Face, therefore I thought it very necessary to add this as a further Direction to draw any Face after the life. Therefore if you will draw any Face after the life, that it may resemble the party you draw it after ; take notice in the First place of the Physiognomy or circumference of the Face, whiter it be round or long, Fat or Lean, Big or Little, […], then you must diligently and judiciously observe and discern all the Gentle Master Touches, which gives the Spirit and Life to a Face, and discovers the Grace or Disposition of the Mind, wherein lieth the whole Grace of the Work, and the Credit of the Artist, you may easily discern a smiling Countenance in the Corners of the Mouth, when they turn up a little ; […] ; there are also some touches about the Eyes and Mouth which you must diligently observe, which gives the Spirit and Life to a Face.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
(...) in the time of Raphael Urbine flourished the renouned Marco Antonio, who graved after those incomparable pieces of that famous Painter, to whom he was so dear, that the honour he has done him to posterity will appear, so long as that School of Raphael remains in the Popes Chamber at the Vatican, or any memorial of it lasts ; though to speak truth, even of this rare Graver, the Pieces which he hath published seem to be more estimable yet for the choice and imitation, then for any perfection of the Burine ; as forming most of his figures and touches of too equal force, and by no means well observing the distances, according to the rules of Perspective, that tendernesse, and as the Italians terme it, Morbidezza, in the hatching, which is absolutely requisite to render a piece accomplish’d and without reproch.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
Thus Aglaphontes us’d but one Colour, no more did Nitia the Athenian Painter ; and it was this Relievo also for which the famous Zeuxis became so renound’d : not to insist on Heredices the Corinthian, and Thelophanes the Sicyonian, who were both of them but Monochromists ; and, ‘till Cleophanes came amongst them, no dissemblers, as owning no other Colours but those eminent Contraries ; that is, the lights and the shades, in the true managing whereof, so many wonders are to be produc’d by this Art, and even a certain splendor, and beauty in the touches of the Burin, so as the very Union and colouring it self may be conceiv’d without any force upon the imagination, as we have before observed in these excellent Gravings of Natalis, Rouslet, and Poisly, after Bourdon ; and in what Greuter, Blomart, and some others have done after Monsieur Poussin, Guido Rhene, Cortoon, &c.
BLOEMART, Cornelis
BOURDON, Sébastien
DA CORTONA, Pietro (Pietro Berrettini)
GREUTER, Matthaeus
NATALIS, Michel
POILLY, François de
POILLY Nicolas de
POUSSIN, Nicolas
RENI, Guido
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
Touches must be Bold, by the conduct of a free and steady Pencel, with all possible Freedom : that thereby, they may Animate the work with Life and Spirit, and may appear most Finish’d at a Proportionable distance.