EXEMPEL (n. n.)
FILTERS
LINKED QUOTATIONS
Quotation
Alhoewel nu d’oude Meesters haere Leerlingen met een seker opsicht verscheydenlick aenghinghen, nochtans stelden sy hun daghelicks de menighvuldighe exempelen van de waere ende onvervalschte Konst sonder eenigh onderscheyd voor ooghen. Het en is niet ghenoeg dat de Schilders en Beeld-snijders met woorden uytdrucken hoedaenigh de verwen en linien moeten sijn; maer ’t meest profijt is daer uyt te raepen, datmen haere maniere van Schilderen en snijden teghenwoordighlick aanschout seght Dio Chrysost. Orat. XVIII. Allerley leerstucken worden bequaemelick ingheplant en lichtelick ghevat door ’t behulp der exempelen, seght Columella Lib. XI De re rust. Cap. I. d’Exempelen maecken ons op ’t aller gemackelickste wijs wat wy behooren nae te volghen en te vermijden, segt Seneca Rhetor. Lib. IX. Controv. 2. De leeringhe diemen uyt de regulen haelen moet, valt langh ende verdrietigh; ’t onderwijs daarenteghen ’t welck men uyt d’exempelen treckt, is kort en krachtigh seght Seneca Philosophus Epist. VI. Dan bevinden wy dat onsen arbeyd profijtelick aenghewendt is, als de proef-stucken met de regulen over een stemmen seght Quintilianus Lib. XII Cap. 6.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Although the old Masters approached their Students differently in a certain way, still they daily showed them the manifold examples of the true and uncorrupted Art without any distinction. It is not enough that the Painters and Sculptors express with words how the paints and lines should be; but the most profit is to be gathered, if one beholds their manner of Painting and carving presently says Dio Chrysost. Orat. XVIII. All sorts of principles are competently imprinted and lightly grasped by means of examples, says Columnella Lib. XI de re rust. Cap. I. The Examples make clear to us in the easiest way what we should imitate and avoid, says Seneca Rhetor. Lib. IX Controv. 2. The learning that one should extract from the rules, strikes long and sad; on the other hand the instruction that one gathers from the examples, is short and powerful says Seneca Philosphus Epist. VI. Then we feel that our labour has been put to good use, when the samples coincide with the rules says Quintilianus LIB. XII Cap. 6.
Junius cites a number of authors (Dio Chrsystomos; Columnella, Seneca, Quintilianus) to underline the importance of the use of examples (‘exempelen’) in the education of artists. He prefers the palpable examples of the works of the older masters over the description of the right technique (Dio Chrysostomos). Moreover, he argues that examples can help pupils to grasp the complex principles of art with greater ease (Columnella and Seneca). The examples make the selection of the right things to imitate more obvious (Seneca) and provide a clear means of comparison between rules and examples (Quintilian). As such, ‘exempel’ plays a centrol role in the training of artists. [MO]