FANTASIE (n. f.)
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't Is ghewisselick een uyttermaeten groote saeck de waere verbeeldinghen van allerley roerende ende onroerende dinghen in sijn ghemoedt op te legghen; evenwel nochtans is het noch een meerder saecke datmen een levende ghelijckenisse deser inwendigher verbeeldinghen kan uytwercken, voornaemelick indien den Konstenaer niet en blijft hanghen aen dese of geene bysondere wercken der Natuere, maer liever uyt opmerkinghe van d'aller schoonste lichamen die erghens te vinden sijn een volmaeckt voor-beeldt in sijn fantasije indruckt,
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] It is clearly an extremely important case to imprint the true representations of all sorts of movable and unmovable things in one's mind; even so it is an even more important case that one can bring about a living similitude of these inner representations, especially if the Artist does not stick to these or other specific works of Nature, but rather by observation imprints a perfect example of the most beautiful bodies that can be found anywhere in his fantasy.
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Beneffens dese voornoemde Imitatie der naturelicker lichaemen door welcke de Konstenaers aengeleyd worden om allerley sienelicke dingen nae 't leven uyt te drucken, so staet ons alhier noch een andere soorte van Imitatie aen te mercken, door welcke den Konstenaer sich verstoutet oock soodaenighe dinghen af te beelden die van 's menschen ghesicht verde sijn afgescheyden. Ende al hoewel de voornaemste kracht van dese imitatie in de fantasije bestaet, soo is het nochtans dat wy d'eerste beginselen deser imaginatie onsen ooghen moeten danck weten; want d'inwendighe verbeeldinghen die in onse ghedachten spelen, konnen daer in noyt ghefatsoenert worden 't en sy dat wy eerst de ghedaente der dinghen ergens in 't rouwe met onse ooghen hebben aenschouwet, of ten minsten met d'een of d'ander onser vijf sinnen hebben ghevoelt.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Besides this aforementioned Imitation of natural bodies by which the Artists are stimulated to express all sorts of visible things after life, we should here consider another type of Imitation, by which the Artists dares to also depict such things that are far removed from man's view. And although the principal power of this imitation exists in the fantasy, then we should still thank our eyes for the first beginnings of this imagination; as the internal representations that play in our thoughts can never be modeled there, unless we have first beheld the shape of things somewhere in coarse with our eyes, or at least have felt with one or another of our five senses.
Junius identifies to types or levels of imitation. The first type occupies itself with expressing the natural world directly. The second type of imitation starts by this direct observation of nature, but subsequently processes this observation in the mind, by means of fantasy.[MO]
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Themistius heeft dit alles wonderlick wel uyt gedruct. De fantasije, seght hy {Lib II. Geograph.}, is een Printe ende eenen voetstap der dinghen die wy sien en voelen. Want ghelijck den handtboom door onse handen bewoghen sijnde, den steen beweeght: ghelijck oock de Zee door den windt bewoghen zijnde, het Schip beweeght: soo en is 't gheen wonder dat het selvighe mede voorvalt in die dinghen dewelck wy sien ende ghevoelen, want ons ghevoelen door d'uytwendighlick ghevoelicke dinghen gaende ghemaeckt sijnde, ende alsoo een ghedaente aenghenomen hebbende van 't ghene daer door het sich selven bewoghen vindt, beweeght oock in de volmaeckte schepselen een andere kracht haeres ghemoedts, die men de fantasije naemt; welckers aerdt is de Printen die haer door 't ghevoelen worden over ghelevert ende in ghedruckt binnen in haer selven op te legghen, ende alsoo daer in te verseghelen dat se voor een goede wijle tijdts, nae dat nu de ghevoelicke dinghen uyt d'ooghen wech ghenomen sijn, de Voet-Printen der selvigher dinghen behouden.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Themistius has expressed all of this remarkably well. The fantasy, he says {…}, is a print and a footstep of the things we see and feel. Because like the lever [NDR: which is] moved by our hands, moves the rocks: and like the sea [NDR: which is] moved by the wind, moves the Ship: so it is no wonder that the same happens as well in those things which we see and feel, as our feelings have been put into motion by externally felt things, and as such have taken a shape of that which is moved by it, a different power of mind moves in the perfect creatures, which one calls fantasy; whose nature it is to enforce the Prints that are transferred to it by feeling and imprinted in itself, and also insure therein that for a considerable time, after that the tangible things have been taken away from the eyes, the foot-print of these things are kept.
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Soo is dan dese gantsch vruchtbaere kracht onses ghemoedts, nae 't oordeel van Plato {in Sophista.}, tweederley: d’eerste soeckt maer alleen soodaenighe dinghen uyt te drucken die d'ooghe teghenwoordighlick aenschouwet; d'andere bestaet daer en boven oock die dinghen af te beelden welcker voorbeeldt maer alleen in de fantasije voor ghestelt wordt.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Thus this very fruitful power of our mind is, after the judgment of Plato {…}, twofold: the first only tries to express such things that the eye beholds presently; the other also manages to depict those things whose example is only presented in the fantasy.
In reference to Plato, Junius defines two characteristics of the (power of) the mind of an artist. In this extract, the mind functions as a tool which allows the artist to depict that which he sees with his eyes, as well as that which he constructs in his fantasy. Junius describes the faculty of the imagination more elaborately in the Latin edition (1694), also providing the Greek terms from Plato, cfr. Nativel 1996, p. 176 n.1.
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Dit selvighe wordt ons noch duydelicker voor ghestelt in die treffelicke saemen-sprekinghe die nae 't verhael van Philostratus ghehouden is gheweest tusschen Thespesion den voornaemsten der Gymnosophisten ende Apollonius Tyaneus. De woorden van Philostratus {Lib VI de vita Apollonii, cap. 9} sijn aenmerkenswaerd, Hebben Phidias en Praxiteles seght Thespesion, den Hemel bekommen ende vandaer e ghedaente der Goden tot de Konst neder ghebracht; of is het wat anders, 't welck hun de ghestaltenisse der Goden heeft leeren af-vormen? Vry wat anders, seght Apollonius, en dat vol van allerley wijsheydt. Wat is doch dat? Seght Thespesion, want du en wetest behalven d'Imitatie anders niet voordt te brenghen. De fantasije, seght Apollonius, heeft dese dinghen voltrocken, als wesende een Konstenaer vele wijser dan d'Imitatie. Want d'Imitatie werkt maer alleen wat sy ghesien heeft; de fantasije werckt oock wat sy niet ghesien en heeft s'haer selven 't ghene sy noyt gheseien heeft voorstellende met een opsicht op 't ghene in de nature is, noch soo wordt d'Imitatie menighmael door een verbaesde dusyelinghe verhindert; de fantasije daer en teghen wil sich niet laeten stutten, maer sy vaere koenelick voordt in 't ghene sy voor heeft.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] The same is explained to us even clearer in the striking dialogue which according to Philostratus was held between Thespesion the most prominent amongst the Gymnosophists and Apollonius Tyaneus. The words of Philostratus {…} are remarkable, Have Phidias and Praxiteles says Thespeison, climbed the Heavens and from there brought down the shape of the Gods to the Art; or is it something else, that has taught them to reproduce the shape of the Gods? Truly something else, says Apollonius, filled with all sorts of wisdom. What then is this? Says Thespesion, because you do not know to produce anything besides Imitation. Fantasy, says Apollonius, has developed these things, being an Artist much wiser than Imitation. Because Imitation only makes what it has seen; fantasy also makes what she has not seen and she has by imagining to hetself that which she has never seen by looking towards that which is in nature, similarly Imitation is often obstructed by an unexpected dizziness; fantasy by contrast does not let herself be stopped, but she boldly sails on in that which she intends.
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Blijckt dan uyt dese beurt-spraecke ghehouden tusschen Apollonius and Thespesion, als oock uyt het gene wy tot noch toe bewesen hebben, dat de verbeeldenskracht den konstenaeren op 't hoochtste van noode is; niet soo seer den genen die de ghelijckenis der sienelicker dinghen af-beelden manneken nae manneken maeckende, als wel diengenen dewelcke nae de volmaecktheydt deser Konsten trachten. Want het staet de soodaenighte toe door 't oeffenen haerer fantasije de verbeeldinghen van afwesighe ofte oock onsienelicke dinghen sich soo ghemeyn te maecken, dat sy de selvighte altijdt by de handt hadden, om nae 't verdachte voorbeeldt der selvigher wat volmaeckts voordt te brenghen.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] From this dialogue between Apollonius and Thespesion it thus becomes clear, as well as from that which we have proved until now, that the imagination is highly necessary to artists; not so much those who depict the similitude of visible things by producing little man after little man, but rather those who aspire to the perfection of these Arts. As it allows such persons, by appropriating the representations of absent as well as invisible things by training one's fantasy, to always have this on hand to produce something perfect after the imagined example.
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Want als dese groote Meesters bevonden dat hun haere fantasije volmaeckt ter verbeeldingen sonder eenigh exempel voor droegh, soo en konde het niet gheschieden dat sulcken puyck der menschen de rechte reden soo verde van sich soude verbannen, als dat sy de liefde van een mis-prijselicke ghewoonte hoogher souden achten dan 't ghene sy verstonden de Konst dienstigher te sijn. Dus blijckt het hoe gantsch grooten goedt dese fantasije te weghe brenght; wanneer sy naemelick de wackere verstanden der Konstenaeren van den onvruchtbaeren arbeydt der ghewoonelicker imitatie tot een groot-moedigher stoutigheydt overbrenght, soo dat sy haer selven nu niet meer aen soo een slaefachtighe maniere van doen verbinden, maer bestaen met eenen vryen Gheest verder te gaen dan haere voorganghers wel oyt hebben gedaen.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Because if these great Masters thought that their fantasy presented them representations completely without any example, then it could not happen that such splendid men would ban the true reason so far, that they would consider the love of a disdainful habit better than that which they understood to be more useful for the Art. So it becomes clear how much good this fantasy brings forth; namely when she conducts the alert minds of Artists from the unprofitable labour of the usual imitation to generous boldness, such that they no longer relate to such a slavish manner, but manage with a free mind manage to go further than their predecessors ever did.
In this excerpt, Junius calls imitation a ‘slavish manner’, which can be improved by means of fantasy. As such, imitation is placed in a negative light. [MO]
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Nu komen wy eyndelick tot de voornaemste 't welck ons bewoghen heeft dese verghelijckinghe der Poesije met de Schilder-Konste dus verde te vervolghen. De Schilder-Konst, seght den jonghen Philostratus {in proemio iconum}, wordt bevonden met de Poesije nae vermaaghschape te sijn; soo schenense oock beyde een sekere fantasije ofte verbeeldenskracht ghemeyn te hebben. De Poeten brenghen de teghenwoordigheydt der Goden in haere wercken te passe, en al wat met groten staet, deftigheyddt, ende vermackelickheydt vermenght is. De Schilder-Konst maelt insghelijkcks af op een Tafereel al 't ghene de Poeten konnen verhalen. Soo steunt dan de Schilder-Konst soo wel als de Poesije op een sekere kracht der fantasije die haer selven veeltijdts iets nieuws placht t'onderwinden.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Now we finally reach the principal [NDR: reason] which has urged us to continue this comparison between Poetry and the Art of Painting further. The Art of Painting, says the young Philostratus {…}, is found to be closely related to Poetry; as such both appear to have a certain fantasy or imagination in common. The Poets let the presence of the Gods appear in their works, and everything that is mixed with great standing, stateliness and entertainment. The Art of Painting likewise paints in a scene all that the Poets can narrate. This is why the Art of Painting as well as the Poetry lean on a certain force of fantasy which often tends to take on something new.
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Staet de Konstenaers maer alleen daer op te letten, dat sy haer selven in dit stuck niet al te vele toe geven, met Dionysius Longynus {de sublimi oratione par. 2} wat onderscheydt maeckende tusschen de verbeeldenskracht die de Poeten gaerne maeckt; en d'andere die de Schilders te werck stelt. De Poetische fantasije en heeft anders gheen ooghenmerck, als een onsinnigheyds der verwonderinghe te verwecken: De Konstenaers daer en teghen sijn maer allen op de uytdruckelickheydt uyt. Soo soecken 't oock de Poeten alsso te maecken, seght den selvighen Autheur {par. 13}, dat haere ghedichten fabelachtigh en de waerheydt onghelick souden schijnen te sijn; 't fraeyste daer en teghen 't welck in de fantasije der Schilders aen ghemerckt moet worden, bestaet daerin, dat haere verbeeldinghen krachtigh sijn en de waerheydt over-een komen. Aenghesien wy dan uyt het ghene tot noch toe gheseyt is ten volsten overtuyght sijn dat de fantasije de Schilders soo wel als de Poeten treffelicke verbeeldinghen voordraeght, soo en mach oock niemant daer aen twijffelen of 't staet hun beyde toe dese milde Beelden-voetster in grooter waerdt te houden, ten eynde dat de selvighe door een daghelicksche oeffeninghe vast en seker ginghe, sonder in 't minste te wanckelen of sich yet van 't ghene sy eens ghevat heeft te laeten ontvallen. […] Soo verstaen wy dan oock uyt het gene voor desen gheseyt is de reden waerom Dionysius Longinus {par. 13} betuyght dat het voornaemste eynde der fantasije in de uytdruckelickheyt ofte duydelickheyt bestaet: als oock dat de Konst door 't behulp der fantasije gheholpen sijnde ghemackelick van de menschen schijnt te verwerven het ghene sy hun afdringht,
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] It is only necessary for the Artists to pay attention that they do not show themselves too much in this part, discerning somewhat, together with Dionysius Longynus {…}, between the imagination that makes the Poets; and the other that puts the Painters to work. The Poetic fantasy has no other aim than to stir a senselessness of astonishment: The Artists by contrast only aim at perspicuity. The Poets also try to make it such, says the same Author {…}, that her poems would appear to be fabulous and different from the truth; by contrast the most splendid [NDR: element] which has to be noticed in the fantasy of Painters, consists of this, that her representations are powerful and consistent with the truth. Seeing that we are then completely convinced, from that which has been said up until now, that the fantasy offers striking representations, as such nobody can doubt that both place high value on this mild 'Image-nurse', with the result that it surely goes through daily exercise, without ever staggering or letting go of anything they once comprehended. […]From that which has been said before we thus we understand the reason why Dionysius Longinus {…} declares that the principal aim of fantasy exists in the perspicuitys or the clarity: as well that the Art, helped by the assistance of fantasy, appears to easily obtain of man that which she exacts of him.
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Blijckt dan dat de rechte Konst-minne haer selven niet en kan onthouden in een ghemoedt 't welck met de sorghvuldigheydt van daghelickschen noodt-druft beslet ende belemmert is. De reden hier van behoeft niet verde gesocht te worden; dewijl het blijckelick is dat onse fantasije ofte verbeeldenskracht, die in dit werck seer vele vermagh, door een sorghledighe ende onverhinderde eensaemheydt dapper op gescherpt ende verweckt wordt. Want aenghesien het een oprecht Lief-hebber toe-staet de levendighe verbeeldinghen van allerley naturelicke dinghen in sijn ghemoedt op te leggen, ten eynde dat hy de selvighe te sijner tijdt met de wercken der Konstenaeren mocht verghelijcken; soo is 't klaer dat men sulcks niet en kan te weghe brenghen sonder het toe-doen van een stercke imaginatie, en dat de imaginatie gantsch en gaer krachteloos wesen sal soo langhe als wy alle daegh van den morghen tot den avond het loopen en draeven van de woelende menichte onder-hevigh blijven: oversulcks plachten oock vele treffelicke Konst-lievende mannen haeren ledigen tijdt somwijlen door te brenghen met het oeffenen ende verrijcken haerer fantasije. De fantasije, seght Michael Ephesius {in Aristot. De Memoria & reminiscentia}, is in ons gemoedt ghestelt als een Register ofte aenwijser van 't gunt wy oyt met onse ooghen gesien ofte met ons verstands begrepen hebben. Daerom houdt oock Apollonius Tyaneus staende, dat daer een sonderlinghe verbeeldenskracht vereyst wordt in dieghene welcke de wercken der Schilder-Konste recht wel meynen te besichtighen. Want het onmoghelick is, seght hy {apud Philostr. De vita apollonii lib. II. cap. 10. vide quo que Platonem lib. 2 de Legib}, dat yemant een bequaem oordeel strijcken sal van een geschildert Paerdt ofte Stier, tensy dat hem sijn gemoedt een waere verbeeldinghe der nae-gheboetster dinghen vaerdighlick voordraeghe.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] It then appears that the true Love of Art cannot forbear in a mind which is tainted and obstructed with the precision of the daily lack of diligence. It is unnecessary to search far for the reason of this; while it is obvious that our fantasy or imagination, which can do a lot in this profession, is readily sharpened and incited by a carefree and unimpeded loneliness. Because, seen that it is possible for an honest Amateur to impose the living representations of all sorts of natural things in his mind, in order for him to compare these in his own time with the works of Artists; as such it is clear that one cannot bring forth such a thing without the doing of a strong imagination and that the imagination will be completely powerless as long as we remain subject every day, from morning until evening, to the hustle and bustle of the madding crowd: as such many respectable Art-loving men should aim to pass their free time with the practice and enrichment of their fantasy. The fantasy, says Michael Ephesius {…}, has been placed in our mind as an Index or pointer of that which we have ever seen with our eyes or understood with our mind. Because of this Apollonius Tyaneus also argues that, a remarkable imagination is necessary in those who want to study the works of the Art of Painting really well. As it is impossible, he says {…}, that someone will pass a competent judgement of a painted Horse or Bull, unless his mind readily proposes him a true representation of the imitated things.
Rather than focusing on the fantasy of the artist, in this extract Junius explains that it is important for the connoisseur to have quiet moments in which he can train his imagination. He also states that a well-developed imagination is very necessary to form a good judgement on art. In order to make his point, he cites remarks by Michael Ephesius and Apollonius Tyaneus that were written down by Aristototels and Philostratus respectively. [MO]
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Dies vinden wy ons selven eyndelick oock ghedwonghen te bekennen dat Apollodorus {Apud Philostr. Lib. VI. Cap.9.} de Phantasie niet t’onrecht een dingh vol van wijsheyt ghenaemt heeft, als wesende d’eenighe Voedster-moeder van allerley goede Inventien.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Finally we feel obligated to confess that Apollodorus {…} has called the Fantasy a thing filled with wisdom with a reason, as it is the sole Nursing-mother of all good Inventions.
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d’Oude Konstenaers en lieten ’t evenwel daer by niet blijven, maer sy plaghten nae de voorghemelde afbeeldinghe van allerley bysondere schoone lichaemen, ontrent dewelcke sy haer selven eenen gantsch langhen tijd besigh hielden, tot een arbeydsaemer ende diep konstigher maniere van wercken voord te vaeren; wanneer sy naemelick d’Idea van de volmaeckte schoonheyd, die door de gheduersaemheyd der voorigher oeffeninghe in haer ghemoed was inghedruckt, in haere Schilderyen sochten uyt te drucken: Want gelijck sy den rechten grondslag van de waere Proportie voor een goede wijle tijds maer allen uyt de naevolghinghe van d’aller volmaeckste lichamen sochten te haelen, soo plaghten sy dese oeffeninghe met der tijd allenghskens over te gheven, sy en wilden haer selven niet langer met d’afbeeldinghe van ’t eene of ’t andere bysondere schoone lichaem bemoeyen, als het hun nu hoogh tijd scheen te wesen om uyt den schat-kelder haere fantasie een uytmuntende schoonheyd achtervolghens de waere wetten ende regulen van de lang-bearbeyde Symmetrie voord te brengen;
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] The old Artists did not leave it to this, but they tended to proceed with a laborious and very artful manner of working after the aformentioned image of all sorts of especially beautiful bodies, regarding which they busied themselves for a rather long time; namely when they tried to express the Idea of the perfect beauty, that was imprinted in their mind through enduring previous practice, in their paintings: Because just like, for a long period, they can only distill the right principle of the true Proportion from the imitation of the most perfect bodies, as such they tend to surpass this practice in time, no longer wanting to occupy themselves with the depicition of one or another especially beautiful body, as it would appear them to be the right moment to produce an excellent beauty, based on the true laws and rules of the long-practised Symmetry, from the treasury of their fantasy;
Anciens (les)
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Alhoewel wy in de voorighe afdeylinghen wijdloopighlick genoeg hebben aengewesen, dat de schilderijen door ’t bequaeme by een voeghen der figuren veelsins worden gheholpen; so schijnt doch evewel de duydelickheyt, die somtijds oock d’uytdruckelickheyt ghehnaemt wordt, een van de voornaemste vruchten der Ordinantie te wesen. Want gelijck een goed ende omsightigh Konstenaer het gantsche beleyd sijner Dispositie uyt de kracht der fantasije ghewoon is the haelen, mids de gantsche geleghenheyd der materie sich selven als teghenwoordigh voorstellende; so plaght hy oock altijd een klaer en levendigh afdrucksel van dese verbeelde teghenwordigheyd soo krachtighlick in sijne wercken in te printen, dat d’aendachtighe aenschouwers door de duydelickheyt deser afbeeldinghen aengheleydt sijnde, even de selvighe verbeeldenskracht in haere herten schijnen te vernemen, die den werckenden Konstenaer wel eer in ’t schicken ende ’t by een voeghen der materie ghevoelt heeft, siet de laetste afdeylinge van ’t vierde Capittel onses eersten Boecks, alwaer wy den grond-slag van dit punt kortelick hebben aengheroert. De uytdruckelickheyt vereyscht dat men d’afgebeelde dinghen niet verkeerdelick voorstelle, maer achter volghens d’orden daer in de dinghen selver gheschiedt sijn, seght Aristides Rhetor de Civili orat. Cap. 10. De uytdruckelickheyd t’saemen ghevoeghd e en konstighlick in een ghevlochten dinghen, seght Lucianus [De Conscribe. historia}, moet over al in het gantsche werck uytschijnen; vant de volmaecktheyd des wercks voornamelick daer in gheleghen is.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Although we have abundantly shown in the previous sections, that the paintings are helped significantly by the competent combining of figures; as such the clarity, which is sometimes also called the perspicuitys, appears to be one of the main fruits of the Ordinance. Because like a good and careful Artist is used to get the whole idea of his Disposition from the power of the fantasy, by imagining the whole circumstance of the matter to himself as if present; as such he also always tends imprint a clear and lively impression of this imagined presence so powerful in his mind, that the observant spectators, because of the clarity of this depiction, are incited to seemingly feel the same imagination in their hearts, which the Artist has felt earlier in the composing and combining of the matter, see the last section of the fourth Chapter of our first Book, where we have refered briefly to the principle of this point. The perspicuitys demands that one does not depict the depicted things incorrectly, but [NDR: instead] by following the order in which the things themselves happened, says Aristides (…). The perspicuitys of combined and artfully interwoven things, says Lucianus {…}, has to be clear everywhere in the whole work, because the perfection of the work mainly consists in this.
Junius explicitly mentions clarity (duidelijkheid) and perspicuity (uitdrukkelijkheid) as the result of a good composition or the right way of ordering the figures and subject matter in a painting. He explains that a good artist has imprinted the circumstances or presence (tegenwoordigheid) of the subject matter in his mind and will then instill this idea in the public. The Latin edition of 1637 only includes the citation from Lucian, the rest of the section is not present there. [MO]
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Soo kan men oock uyt het gene alreede geseyt is, sich versekeren, hoedanigh de leersame onderwijsingen, de natueren moeten te bate komen, om daer door, met alles wat tot een volkomen Konstenaer vereyst wert, de Natuerlijcke toe-genegentheydt te voltoyen; […] Insghelijcks moeten oock de Jonghelinghen ( van welckmen sich yets goets beloven mag) van een seer neerstigen ende arbeytsamen Geest zijn, opmerckende ende sinspeligh van gedachten, vol van fraye inbeeldingen ende fantasien.
Sy moeten arbeytsaem ende neerstigh wesen, om dieswille dat soodanige Konst noch om Gout noch Silver kan verkregen werden, maer alleen door een wercksame oeffeninge; voor welcke d’Oude plegen te seggen dat de Goden alle dingh verkoopen. Opmercksaemheyt van gedachten moetense hebben, om door ghewoonte van die daghelijcks te oeffenen, sterck van inbeeldinge te werden; ten eynde sy die allengskens tot het uytvoeren van haere hooghverhevene fantasien souden leeren in ’t werck stellen. {Watmen doen moet om sijn ghesteltheyt te verbeteren.} Hierom wil L. Davincy, dat een Jongh Schilder gheen dingen en mach versuymen, soo in het beschouwen der natuerlijcke voorwerpselen, ende bysondere voorvallen, als in het ondersoecken en overleggen van fraye Historyen, Poëtische verdichtselen, ende outheden, als anders; daer uyt hy niet yets en soude vinden, dat tot sijne study dienstig mogte zijn, om daer aen te gedencken: Gemerckt de inbeeldingen ende fantasien in ons gestelt zijn, als een Register, ofte aenwijser van ’t geen wy oyt met onse oogen gesien, ende met ons verstant begrepen hebben.
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] As such one can also ascertain oneself from that which has already been said, to which degree the instructive teachings have to profit nature, in order to complete the natural inclination with everything that is demanded from a perfect Artist; […] likewise the young men (of whom one may expect something good) have to be of a very diligent and laborious Mind, observing and clever of thoughts, full of pleasing imaginations and fantasies. They have to be laborious and diligent, while such an Art cannot be acquired with Gold or Silver, but only through a continuous practice; for which the Old tend to say that the Gods sell everything. The need to have percipience of thoughts, to become strong of imagination through the habit of practicing it daily; so that they will gradually learn to put it to use for the execution of their excellent fantasies. {What one should do to improve one’s condition.} Because of this Leonardo da Vinci demands that a Young Painter does not neglect anything, both in the observation of natural objects and specific events, as in the investigation and consideration of nice Histories, Poetic poetry and antiquity, and other things; from which he may find something, that could be useful for his study, to think of: As the imaginations and fantasies are placed within us, like a register, or indicator of that which we have one day seen with our eyes and understood with our mind.
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Weynige worden der (met eenigh Oordeel begaeft zijnde) ghevonden, die vande inbeeldinghskracht soodanigh zijn misgedeelt, ofte sullen in het lesen der Verhael-schriften en Vertellingen, d’eene of d’andere goede Denck-beelden by haer selven gewaer worden. Laet een aendachtigh Jongelingh de Troyaense Oorlogen inde Boecken AEneas, door den vermaerden Maro Gedicht, eens met opmerckingh door-lesen, ick houde my verseeckert, dat hy sijn gedachten met wonderlijcke bedenckingen vervult, sijn fantasie vol groote inventien afgescherst, ende sijn gemoet tot uytdruckingh van menigerley hartstoghten aengeprickelt vinden sal;
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Few can be found (being blessed with some Judgement), who are not gifted with the power of imagination, or will recognize some or other Idea in themselves when reading the Stories and Tales. Let a discerning Young man read through the Trojan Wars in the books Aeneas, poeticized by Vergil, I am certain that he will fill his mind with wonderful thoughts, sketches his fantasies full of great inventions, and will find his mind incited to the expression of many passions;
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Hier by sal, oock eyndelingh, een verstandigh Konst-oeffenaer moeten weten, dat hy hem boven de study van alle voorgemelde dingen, seer neerstigh besich houdt omtrent het beschouwen van het natuerlijck leven, ende dat in alle voorvallen daer ’t mogelijck is ghebruycken, want datmen sich soude willen laten voorstaen, soo rasmen eenige trappen vande Konst te boven is geklommen, datmen alle de formen, en doeningen van het leven in sijn memorye kan houden, ende tevoorschijn brenghen, soo wanneermen die aan zijn inventien wil toepassen, die soude sich seer dickwils bedrogen vinden; {By alles watmen navorst moet ook vooral het leven gekent worden.} alwaert saecke yemant in alle de voorige studien sich al heel wel geoeffent had: Want het natuerlijck leven is in alles soo rijck, overvloedigh, konstigh en geleert, dat onse geheughnis op verr’na niet machtig is die geheel te bevatten veel min te behouden: Invoegen men noch Wercks genoegh vint om de gedachten besich te houden ontrent de menighte der saecken, diemen in ’t leven niet altijdt en kan bekomen, ten sy slechts in een schemerent oogenblick, of andersins door een krachtighe verbeeldenskracht, die door het sien van veele saecken ende verstandigh begrijp der dingen op-gekoestert ende ondersteunt wort: Welck ontrent het uytstorten van Geestige fantasien veele vermach; en deswegen niet t’onrecht aengeraden daer na te trachten, want door de inbeeldinge soo konnen wy d’afwesende dingen ons soo gemeen maecken als ofmen die tegenwoordich by sich hadde; {Wat d’Inbeeldingh vermagh.} invoegen daer niet anders dan de handt des Constenaers van nooden is om die op den Schilder-doeck te brenghen; waerom oock eenighe de In-beeldinghen by waeckende Droomen vergeleken hebben.
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Finally, a wise practitioner of the Art should also know, that he should diligently occupy himself with the observation of the natural Life, besides the study of all the aforementioned things, and to apply it in all possible occasions, because he would be often feel deceived who would boast – as soon as he has climbed some steps of the Art – that he could store all forms and actions of life in his memory and bring them forth whenever he would want to apply them to his inventions; {In all that one investigates, one should especially know life.} although it is necessary that someone has already practiced a lot in all the aforementioned studies: As the natural life is so rich in everything, abundant, artful and learned, that our memory is not at all capable to conceive it in its entirety and even less to remember: As such one moreover finds enough work to keep the thoughts occupied regarding the quantity of things, that one cannot find in life, unless in a dusky moment, or else by means of a powerful power of imagination, which is enforced and sustained by the observation of many things and a sensible understanding of things: Which may be capable of a lot regarding the pouring out of witty fantasies; and therefore it is justified to advice to attempt this, as we can appropriate the unavailable things by means of the imagination as if we had them presently with us; {What the imagination is capable of.} as such we need nothing but the hand of the Artist to apply it to the Painter’s canvas; which is why some have compared the imaginations to awake Dreams.