[D'après NOLDUS 2008, p. 12:] 4 Soyez donc averti, car la gorge de l’Art imite doucement les voix des Sirènes attirant chacun vers son jeu charmant. Mais pour arriver à lui, on doit emprunter de nombreuses voies et nager par toutes les eaux. Il reste ensuite à gravir une montagne si haute que vous n’y arriverez jamais si la Nature ne vous protège. {Sans la Nature, on ne peut pas devenir Peintre.}

[D'après NOLDUS 2008, p. 13:] 8 Si la Nature vous est propice {On voit très tôt si quelqu’un peut devenir un bon Peintre.} on le verra très tôt à la tournure de votre esprit. […] 9 […] De même, feront, parmi les serviteurs de l’Art du Dessin ces jeunes qui plus tard dépasseront les limites communes ; ils s’élèveront et commenceront tôt à dépasser les autres. 10 Mais si la Nature vous pousse dans cette direction si, avec une vive intelligence, inclinée à ces choses, vous avez reçu de sa main une telle part, que vous sentez vivre dans votre esprit, sens et goût d’innombrables figures et idées, de tenter l’aventure je ne vous déconseillerai pas car, - qui sait ?- la résussite pourrait être à l’horizon. 11 Mais qu’aucun labeur ne vous attriste. Celui qui persiste peut espérer la victoire. Après le dur effort, on jouira d’une douce récompense, […]

[D'après NOLDUS 2008, p. 50:] Maintenant, établissons de manière ordonnée dans des circonstances adaptées des règles sûres et des Lois fixes que par une observation assidue et multiple la Nature nous a révélées avec raison, {La Nature nous apprend et impose elle-même les bonnes lois.} afin de ne pas aborder en ignorant un quelconque système de posture sans respecter des mesures précises, des règles et des principes.

[D'après NOLDUS 2008, p. 151:] 47 Qui pourrait assouvir votre faim et votre envie ô Jeunes ? et dépeindre ici tous les Animaux, non seulement les Lions, mais aussi les horribles Monstres et Dragons ? Il n’y a rien de mieux pour éviter des erreurs que de vous renvoyer à la Nature. Vous y trouverez un modèle pour toutes choses ; observez comment chaque être se couche, court, marche ou se tourne, et traitez tout selon sa nature. {Qu’il n’y a rien de meilleur que de tout peindre d’après la vie, en étant attentif à tous les mouvements, et au traitement spécifique de chaque sujet.}

[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] St Chrysostomus (…) constructs a verbose story of the things that the Art of Painting tends to imitate; The painters, he says {…}, consist in expressing Nature by her Art, after mixing her paints, reproducing all sorts of similitudees of visible bodies.

CHRYSOSTOMOS, Joannes (Saint)

[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Apelles has also painted things that cannot be reproduced; such as for example thunderbolts, heat lightning, lightning, (…) So that Theophylactus Simocasus seems to have thought of this, when he says {…}, that the Painters strain themselves to express such things, that Nature itself cannot do.

APELLES
PLINIUS, L'Ancien
THEOPHYLAKTOS SIMOKATTES

From this extract, it is clear that Junius associates ‘afmaelen’ with painting directly after something which is before the artist’s eyes. Here, he remarks that ‘afmaelen’ is not possible in the case of temporary things like thunder and lightning, but that artists – in this case Apelles – have nonetheless painting such subjects. He then goes on to state that painters hereby manage to express something which Nature itself cannot. [MO]

[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] This is proposed and answered even more explicitly by Quintilianus, I know it is being questioned, he says {…}, whether the Art should expect greater advantage from nature or from instruction. Which, although it does not serve our purpose much, seen that we presume that a perfect Artist cannot be deprived of either one, yet we believe that it is very much dependent on how the question is posed. Because if one wants to deduct one from the other, then one will find that nature is capable of much without instruction, and that to the contrary no instruction in the world can do without the doing of nature: again when one combines both Art and nature in a mediocre mind and knowledge, then it appears that nature counts the most in this: if by contrast these mediocre or also excellent minds reach perfection, then it appears that Art has done more for them than nature. […]Nature can be compared to matter; just like the Art coincides very well with the instruction, the one works, the other is worked. The Art is not capable of anything without the matter; the matter also has its own dignity without the Art. As such the highest Art is to be wished together with the best Matter.

QUINTILIANUS

[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Which then makes it evident that the Artist can only clearly and expressively work out those things which he traces by hand when he beholds them presently. Which most of all takes place in the passions or the inner movements of our mind; because although it exists coincidentally in the truth, says Quintilianus {…}, and coincidentally in the imitation; it is as such that the true stirrings burst out naturally, but they lack art, this has to somehow be shaped through learning. The imitated stirrings on the other hand, although they have Art, they then lack in nature; and therefore it is here the most significant that one is truly moved to not understand the representations differently, as if it were real things that we occupy ourselves with.

QUINTILIANUS

[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] From this it follows, that the paintings that surpass the lovely sweetness of all sorts of painted works, that far surpass human understanding and Art; paintings that are said to be purely produced by an unmentionable, inimitable, supernatural, divine Artistic Act, have to contain something in them, which cannot be obtained from the diligent difficulty of the Art-rules; but that, having observed the free spirit of the brave Artists how nature tends to playfully adorn in such a wide variety of things, attemps to obtain the same in the imitation of nature.

[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] …as such nothing is left, than to briefly discuss by what means one can obtain this Grace. It is true that we do not dare to connect it to one specific Art-rule, while Tullius and Quintilianus judge that this is impossible, nonetheless we think, that, although one may not take this Grace for perfection of the bare Art, that it is nevertheless a fruit of Art, in as far as the perfect art occupies itself with that which best resembles our nature. As such the Art and nature together shape this gracefulness, therefore it is also necessary that we carefully elaborate on the perfection of Art, to which we are most drawn by nature. Everyone who works in these Arts in a reasonable manner, attempts to always occupy himself. Although it is therefore probably that a good Artist will acquit himself well, or at least acceptably, in all that he takes in his hand, nevertheless it is certain that he will touch upon the true power of this gracefulness most easily, when he does not place the excellence of his Art in things that he detests, or that are praisefully desired by him, but rather in such things that have a secret association with the special inclination of his nature.

CICERO, Marcus Tullius
QUINTILIANUS

Whereas Junius cites Cicero and Quintilianus iN the Latin edition, he only paraphrases the citations in the Dutch edition. Therefore, the translated terms are approximate. [MO]

[proposition de traduction, Léonard Pouy:] […] nous allons démontrer qu’il est bien plus méritant de suivre la nature plutôt que la manière de faire d’autres maîtres, car imiter la manière d’un autre peintre est odieux, tandis que suivre la nature est louable. […] Mais comment la suivrons-nous ? La suivrons-nous de façon à ce que l’on puisse voir que c’est de telle ou telle manière que cela a été fait ou par tel ou tel maître? Non, assurément, car si cela peut-être visible et reconnu, alors ce maître aura mis trop de lui même dans son travail. Mais s’il fait en sorte d’imiter la vie de telle façon que les gens jugent que cela approche la vie avec naturel sans pouvoir y détecter la manière du maître qu’il l’a fait, un tel esprit mérite louanges et honneurs, et sera considéré comme supérieur aux autres. Aussi faut il cesser de suivre la manière des autres maîtres (à propos de quoi Michel-Ange déclara très justement : « Celui qui en suit toujours un autre ne le surpassera jamais »), qui apportent toujours quelque chose de leur invention.

MICHELANGELO (Michelangelo Buonarroti)

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] …as such the goodness of the same Creator, has given such ingenuity to Man, that he has found infallible rules for himself to imitate nature in many ways; {The Rules of Art have been found in the rules of nature.} as one notices that the things that are not done after certain rules, will appear very vain, and without power, to delight the practiced eye as something natural. Nature is inconceivably rich in bringing forth different versions of each sort, from which we take an Example for so many thousands of Men, Animals and Crops, which, although they are from one race, are not exactly similar to each other; as such it can be said that the Art possesses the same perfection in his, for as much as she can bring forth as many shapes as she wants with imitation. {In which the Art imitates.} Yes, she can bring forth things that appear impossible to nature, with regard to things that we have never seen brought into the world by nature. {Also outside the common state of nature.} Yet while the Art has taken its origin from nature and nature not from Art, but only from God in an inconceivable way, and it placed in a lasting order and kept that way, as such one should notice, that all which Art does outside of nature, is not a power but a failure; as nature naturally does not bring forth anything unnatural, this is contrary to itself; or it is also seen as a Deformity: {That which is outside the natural, is misshapen.}

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] But notwithstanding that we said earlier (although not without reason), that the power of the Art of Painting is general, to produce everything, except the living Souls in the Images, as such some have doubted whether one could be able to depict lifeless things in their movement: {Whether one can depict things that appear to be moving.} which (although observed by few) we would plainly like to argue with a Yes; because nobody will be able to contradict, that the Art follows nature in everything, especially in that which can be observed during a period of time with consideration:

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] As we have spoken up until now of the origin, honorability and use of the Art of Painting, as such we now reach the initial encouragement, which she should obtain either from the innate nature or from the Laws of Art, in order for her to meet a well-formed natural thing through attempting such practice. Because like it has always been noted by the wise, that usually those things do succeed to which nature itself guides us, and that to the contrary the things of which one has a natural aversion usually fail; As such one may rightfully say, that it is impossible to require the Art of Painting unless one is born for it thanks to a affluence of nature. {A well-disposed nature is the greatest advantage for learning an Art.} […]Meaning such nature, that listens to the precept of the rules of Art, so that the Art will adequately shape itself after the stimulation of our nature: Because the Arts (says F. Iunius) can first be completely put to use, when all their rules and adequate nature meet.

JUNIUS, Franciscus

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] {Desire should give the first impulse to the Arts.} Nobody (the Peripatetic Philosophers tend to say) can obtain any useful Sciences, unless he has a special desire for it. Which one should understand of such a desire, that is inclined and stimulated to such an Art, together with the favorability of nature; Seen that the youth always tends to be inclined to something specific it wants to do, and afterwards becomes it.

philosophes péripétaticiens

In the English translation, no reference is made to the peripatetic philosophers, who are cited in the Dutch original. [MO]

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] {Sensible instruction is best for the Pupils.} Sensible instruction will be most beneficial for the Pupil; concerning the great Mastery, it will eventually emerge from the innate nature after the practicing of such good instruction.

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] {Means to acquire Harmony in general.) In Drawing one should pay attention, to make such a distinction in the diminution of dark and light, for the vanishing Bodies that are following each other, as exists between the weakest Highlight and the Colour of your grounded Paper, on which one generally draws with white Crayon; and that it always diminishes one Tint or a different Colour; just as it is said ‘it differs a little bit’ etc. . As such you will obtain a great reddering [ndr: referring to the placement of colours], contrast, exaltation and harmony in your Drawing, and avoid that your things are stuck together; {That the Light, in all objects that we see, always shapes a good Harmony, so that we can discern them from each other.} but follow nature in everything, as she always manages to place and shape her light on the objects in such a manner, that the dark side of a Body contrasts with the light side of another, and a lit Part against a shadowed or one that is void of light:

In the English translation, this term is translated as 'coming forward'. [MO]

FABRITIUS, Carel

[BLANC J, 2006, p. 16] Mais pour répondre à cette question : l’art est il plus avantagé par la nature ou par l’apprentissage ?, il faut savoir que la nature sans l’apprentissage peut faire beaucoup, tandis que l’apprentissage est vain et inutile sans quelque secours de la nature ; {Que la nature et l'enseignement doivent aller ensemble}mais également que, quand l’apprentissage vient au secours de médiocres dons de la nature, celle-ci semble s’amender et livrer plus que ce que contient l’entendement. Les esprits excellents qui parviennent à cette perfection doivent toutefois davantage à leur apprentissage qu’à leurs penchants innés.

[BLANC J, 2006, p. 94] Mais pour répondre à cette question : l’art est il plus avantagé par la nature ou par l’apprentissage ?, il faut savoir que la nature sans l’apprentissage peut faire beaucoup, tandis que l’apprentissage est vain et inutile sans quelque secours de la nature ; {Que la nature et l'enseignement doivent aller ensemble}mais également que, quand l’apprentissage vient au secours de médiocres dons de la nature, celle-ci semble s’amender et livrer plus que ce que contient l’entendement. Les esprits excellents qui parviennent à cette perfection doivent toutefois davantage à leur apprentissage qu’à leurs penchants innés.

[BLANC J, 2006, p. 104] {L'art de peinture doit représenter la nature.} L'art de peinture est une science qui doit permettre de représenter toutes les idées ou tous les concepts que l'ensemble de la nature visible peut nous donner, et tromper l'oeil par les contours et les couleurs.

[BLANC J, 2006, p. 24] {Een spiegel der natuer}. Want een volmaekte Schildery is als een spiegel van de Natuer, die de dingen, die niet en zijn, doet schijnen te zijn, en op een geoorlofde vermakelijke en prijslijke wijze bedriegt. Den Konst versmader Agrippa bekent, dat de Schilder konst een zeer zuivere navolgster der natuerlijke dingen is, die eertijts d'eerste plaets der vrye konsten in hadde.

AGRIPPA, Heinrich Cornelius

Hoogstraten fait ici référence à l'ouvrage de Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa (1486-1535), Van de onzekerheid en ijdelheid der wetenschappen en konsten, (1530) traduit du latin par J. Oudaan, Rotterdam, 1661, chapitre XXI, p.92-93.Voir BLANC J, 2006, p.104, n.115.

[BLANC J, 2006, p. 119] Certains jugeaient que l'art du dessin ne devait concerner que le beau, d'autres qu'il devait toucher à tout ce que la nature produit. Et c'est ce chemin qui est d'abord plus utile aux jeunes gens, afin qu'ils s'habituent à imiter les choses telles qu'elles sont, pour, avec le temps et en ayant atteint la connaissance des choses, choisir avec jugement ce qui existe de plus beau.

[BLANC J, 2006, p. 119] Certains jugeaient que l'art du dessin ne devait concerner que le beau, d'autres qu'il devait toucher à tout ce que la nature produit. Et c'est ce chemin qui est d'abord plus utile aux jeunes gens, afin qu'ils s'habituent à imiter les choses telles qu'elles sont, pour, avec le temps et en ayant atteint la connaissance des choses, choisir avec jugement ce qui existe de plus beau.

[BLANC J, 2006, p. 136] Il est bien possible de corriger les défauts que le hasard donne dans la nature. Mais cela ne doit se faire qu'en obéissant au modèle d'une saine conformité, qui consiste en une habile solidarité des parties entre elles, et en un rapport qui convient avec le tout. Cette conformité, en effet, est également susceptible d'être variée, le corps humain pouvant être petit ou grand, tendre ou robuste, etc.

[BLANC J, 2006, p.137] Qui désire les louanges, dit-il plus loin, doit éviter la laideur dans ses figures. Autrement dit, il doit les épurer de tous les signes condamnables et ne rechercher que ce qui est sain et plaisant. Et pour cela, il veut que l'on contemple sur le vif de nombreux corps d'hommes et que l'on recueille les plus belles mesures. L'art, en effet est immergé dans la nature. Lorsque vous l'en aurez sorti, vous eviterez de nombreux errements dans vos oeuvres. Voici l'enseignement du grand Albrecht Dürer, dans son livre des proportions, avant que la mort, je crois, ne l'ait surpris alors qu'il préparait cet ouvrage.

DÜRER, Albrecht

[BLANC J, 2006, p. 138-139] Nous trouvons, à Rome et ailleurs, assez de preuves de l'existence de cette habile connaissance des proportions. Et si nous ne parvenons pas à la connaissance [ndr: des anciens], notre oeil gagnera toutefois en précision, afin d'éviter les laideurs habituellement produites par l'imitation de la nature ordinaire, si nous commençons ainsi à prendre goût aux vraies proportions.

[BLANC J, 2006, p. 349 {Le bon coloris est comme l'édifice au-dessus de la fondation de l'art du dessin et il en est l'âme, sans laquelle l'art du dessin est dénué de force, c'est à dire qu'il est incapable de faire paraître la nature de façon totalement ressemblante.}

[BLANC J, 2006, p. 350] La fin de l'art de peinture est, comme il a été dit plus haut, de tout représenter. Son objet est donc la totalité de la nature visible, dont rien ne se montre à nos yeux qui n'ait sa propre forme et son propre aspect [...]. Mais seules les couleurs - qui peuvent être des couleurs simples et non mélangées ou des couleurs mélangées- que les choses ont en elles-mêmes permettent de rendre d'abord visible ces formes.

[BLANC J, 2006, p. 431] C'est pourquoi tout ce que l'on trouve dans la nature de beau, de spirituel et de parfait est même généralement appelé "pittoresque".

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] That outstanding Teacher wanted his pupils to completely surrender themselves to the teaching of Nature and the laws of Life, without straying from it, and also without complaining and grumble against it: because a Painter may never argue that there are laws or rules in nature or in life, that are improper, hard or difficult; {A Painters should never fight against the laws of nature.} such that he would wish that they were different than they are; or that they would allow, if it were possible, that they were pushed around by him a bit. But he should observe the laws of nature as such, that they are formed as they are, only to the advantage of his art.

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] When Leonardo da Vinci instructed his Pupils with regard to the Proportion, he told them to observe the Human Figures only lengthwise and not so much in their width. Explaining that in Nature the width is always proportioned after the length, and the length after the girth. {How some have mainly observed the Proportion lengthwise.} Since, he said, there is such a wonderful Wisdom in Nature, that everything that she creates, no matter which species, she combines it the most proper way and arranges it in relation to the others. And regarding to this the Painter should follow this Order in the Proportional Sizes of the Limbs, from which one sees that Nature usually embellishes; and makes it its purpose, to continuously produce these in this manner, and serve the Artists as Examples.

DA VINCI, Leonardo

Goeree refers specifically to Leonardo da Vinci’s ideas on the proportion of the human body. [MO]

[translation: BEURS, en préparation, transl. Myra Scholz:] {General requirement} Since a painter wants to immortalize nature, and by means of his artworks his name as well, it is most important that he prepare the panel and canvas in such a way that he achieves his aim, and that the person who pays for the art has no complaints—and he will have no reason for such if one skillfully paints true to nature on durable painting surfaces with durable colors.

[translation: BEURS, en préparation, transl. Myra Scholz:] A painter, too, can consider his work and art largely in vain if he juxtaposes colors that do not go well together. What is most excellent may lose its luster through what is inferior: […] {How to apply this to colors} But to apply this to our purpose, it is difficult to determine in what kinds of colors these laws are manifest. Yet one’s own experiments and experience, and the diligent observation of the supreme teacher, nature, which combines colors of many kinds in flowers, the rainbow, birds, stones, and all sorts of things, can in time give reasonable assurance, especially if sound judgment is used. But complete certainty would depend on the nature of colors, which is not yet adequately understood, and on the strength of the optic nerves and perception.

On page 26, this term is written as 'by elkanderen schikken'. [MO]

[translation: BEURS, en préparation, transl. Myra Scholz:] {Wide scope of the art of painting} With regard to the mixing of colors, then, this art appears infinite, an indefinable sea in which a person can lose his way. For this reason a painter can best apply himself to mastering that which is most in keeping with his individual character, in order to experience the greatest pleasure in aspiring to a high degree of perfection.

[translation: BEURS, en préparation, transl. Myra Scholz:] {Proper application of everything is necessary} If a painter does not know these things, he will lose control of his work, which will be chaotic and deviate from nature, having no balance of intense and subdued, nearness and distance. {Different subjects require different orders} As one can imagine, not all subjects should be treated in the same way. For some, with little difference in distances, one can simply rely on imagination as established by habit—but not when one is beginning to practice art. Some pieces have many gradations of distance and grounds, such as landscapes, where sky must also be applied in shades from the lower part (adjacent to the landscape) upward. There are also floral pieces with many amazing combinations of blossoms and leaves. There are interior scenes with human figures, also needed for historical paintings. All these can easily confuse a pupil who is not well versed in the order of application.

[translation: BEURS, en préparation, transl. Myra Scholz:] {In glass and liquids rays are refracted; effects in glass and water} Just as the reflection of spherical light waves played a role in the previous chapter, the bending of light rays is also relevant here, but on the surface of things made of other substances, namely those that are translucent. In this case the rays are refracted either towards the perpendicular or away from it, depending on whether the light rays begin to slow down or speed up in passing through the substance: […] Yet we shall not further investigate these things mathematically, as Sir Christian Huygens has done, knowing that for this still life a painter can always place nature in front of him, and all he need do is maintain the same light and the same point of view on the entire scene.

HUYGENS, Christiaen

In this paragraph, Beurs discusses the importance of diffraction with regard to still life painting, in particular glass and liquids. [MO]

[translation: BEURS, en préparation, transl. Myra Scholz:] {Subjects of the this chapter} It is definitely necessary for us to devote a chapter to all kinds light and fire, which when burning at night lend the surrounding objects a wondrous appearance, and in so many different ways that they defy description. {Difficulty} It is obvious, then, that practicing this material in order to achieve some degree of perfection and competence is quite difficult, and that rendering various manifestations of nocturnal lights requires a great deal of thought, care, observation of nature, and experience. {Offer of assistance} We will provide the pupil with a few pointers about the most important types in order to help him on his way, knowing that practice and good judgment have to do most of the work here. {General remarks about nocturnal light} All shadows here are strong and sharp-edged. And to make a general statement about torches, firebrands, and lamps: They can all be dealt with in much the same way.[…]

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] As such the young man, driven by a spirited nature, moves happily and loosely from step to step, towards the visibilities of nature and clear reflections, to which he feels his natural inclination drawn, while he feels that Nature and Art both start to smile at him, and push him towards the more the greater things to which he is seduced by desire and diligence.

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Such that is truly to be regretted that we daily witness so many adequate minds turn into botchers, and this only because of bad instruction. It is true that Nature has a lot of power, besides the instruction: but we have to admit, that instruction is powerless without the help of Nature: Because Nature is blind, if Art does not open her eyes.

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] They [ndr: talented artists] are naturally preferred and is always trained in beauty, to provide the world excellent men, especially in this Noble Art, which contains so many sciences: Yes I dare say, that there should be no Art or Science in the world, or a perfect Painter should have some knowledge of it. Nature provides the apt minds more advantage than the practice of learning provides to others. Does one not find more examples of illustrious Masters in this Art, who have climbed to the highest summit, who were happy and full of joy: than of those, who had a melancholic nature? Raphael, Polidoro da Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Perino del Vaga, Parmigianino, Primaticcio, Pietro da Cortona, Tintoretto, Giorgione, Ludovico and Annibale Carracci, Francesco Albano, Bassano, Lanfranco and many others; have they not all been happy and apt of mind?

ALBANI, Francesco
BASSANO, les
CARRACCI, Annibale
CARRACCI, Ludovico
DA CORTONA, Pietro (Pietro Berrettini)
DA VINCI, Leonardo
DEL VAGA, Perino (Pietro di Giovanni Bonaccorsi)
GIORGIONE (Giorgio da Castelfranco)
IL PARMIGIANINO (Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola)
IL PRIMATICCIO (Francesco Primaticcio)
IL TINTORETTO (Jacopo Robusti)
LANFRANCO, Giovanni
POLIDORO DA CARAVAGGIO
RAFFAELLO (Raffaello Sanzio)

It is unclear what exactly 'Zy' in the first sentence is refering to. This paragraph is ordered differently in the German translation. [MO]

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1787,p.99:] En quoique la nature soit dans quelques parties moins parfaite que l’art, ce n’est certainement pas dans celle du coloris […] Quelle n’est donc pas la folie des peintres qui prétendent embellir la nature dans la partie du coloris, tandis qu’elle y est inimitable?

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1787, p. 100:] Qu’on se flatte donc point, je le répète, de trouver le vrai & le beau coloris sans le chercher dans la nature même; ce qui est d’autant plus essentiel, que c’est dans cette partie que consiste la plus grande beauté de la peinture; sur tout par la variété des teintes vermeilles, bleuâtres & jaunâtres […]

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1787, p. 288:] Plusieurs peintres même, loin de rendre la nature telle qu’elle pourroit l’être, pour approcher de la perfection idéale, cherchent, au contraire, à la dégrader ainsi que l’ont fait le Bamboche, Ostade, Brouwer, Molenaar […]

BROUWER, Adriaen
IL BAMBOCCIO (Pieter van Laer)
MOLENAER, Jan Miense
VAN OSTADE, Adriaen

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1738, p. 134:] The modem Painting can therefore not be accounted Art, when Nature is simply followed ; which is a meer imperfect Imitation or defective aping her. Even, were a Thing represented ever so natural, well-designed and properly ordered ; the Condition, Manners and Cuftom of the Country well obferved, and the Colouring most exact:, yet the Knowing will not think it artful: But when Nature is corrected and improved by a judicious Master, and the aforefaid Qualities joined to it, the Painting must then be noble and perfect [...] Van Dyk, never enough to be commended, gained Excellence in the antique as well as the modern Manner, by strictly following the aforesaid three Graces in both […]

VAN DYCK, Antoon

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1787, p. 335:] Nous avons dit plus haut que la peinture est une imitation de toutes les parties visibles de la nature.

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1787, p. 441-445:] Il y en a qui pensent que plusieurs différentes espèces de lumière doivent faire un mauvais effet, quand elles se trouvent ensemble dans un tableau ; car, disent-ils, si cela n’étoit pas, Raphaël, le Carrache, le Titien, le Poussin, & d’autres grands maîtres, en auroient fait usage dans leurs productions. Les peintres François même, ajoutent-ils, qui sont parvenus à un si haut dégré de perfection, sont unanimement d’avis qu’il ne faut employer qu’une seule lumière générale dans un tableau, & rejetent ceux où il y en a davantage ; d’où ils concluent que ces doubles lumières sont une invention des peintres Hollandois, qui ne connoissent pas l’antique, & qui ne font qu’imiter servilement la nature, pour mieux plaire aux ignorans. A quoi je réponds, que quoiqu’il soit vrai que Raphaël, le Poussin, & d’autres grands maîtres, n’aient pas introduit ces doubles lumières dans leurs ouvrages, & se soient contentés d’un jour général, il ne faut pas l’attribuer à leur mépris pour cette méthode, comme si elle étoit contraire à la nature & à la vérité [ndr : art]; mais seulement parce qu’ils l’ignoroient encore, & qu’elle ne leur est pas entrée dans l’esprit ; car l’art n’étoit pas encore parvenu de leur tems, à ce dégré de perfection dans cette partie, auquel on l’a porté depuis. Je ne prétends pas néanmoins qu’un tableau où l’on a employé différentes lumières, soit meilleur que celui où il ne règne qu’un jour général bien rendu ; mais je veux seulement faire entendre que différentes lumières ménagées avec intelligence [ndr : avec art], peuvent contribuer à donner une élégante diversité [ndr: litt. convenance changeante] à une production de crois que ces exemples suffisent pour faire comprendre la nature & l’effet de différentes lumières, & combien la connoissance en est nécessaire aux artistes, soit, pour l’emploi de la lumière du soleil, ou pour celle du jour ordinaire, tant dans les paysages que dans toutes les autres espèces de compositions.

CARRACCI, Annibale
École française
École néerlandaise
POUSSIN, Nicolas
RAFFAELLO (Raffaello Sanzio)
TIZIANO (Tiziano Vecellio)

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1738, p. 253:] As to the Force, I should not be sparing either of White or Black […] You must not suffer yourself to be swayed by this or that Manner ; follow Nature, and you will content Art. Away then with Drudgery and Muddling ; handle your Work boldly, yet not, with Rembrant and Lievens, to let the Colours run down the Cloth, but lay them smooth and even, that your Objects may seem round, and relieved only by Art, not by daubing.

LIEVENS, Jan
REMBRANDT (Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn)

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1787, vol. 2, p. 176:] Au reste, il y a deux grands avantages à imiter & à copier les ouvrages des bons maîtres, 1. parce qu’on y voit la nature corrigée [ndr : par leur esprit et leur art] des défauts qu’elle peut offrir ; quelquefois même elle y est embellie : 2. à cause que par ce moyen on apprend à faire soi-même ces corrections & ces embellissemens, quand on a la nature devant les yeux : deux points qui, sans contredit, sont de la plus grande importance. Cependant on peut dire qu’un artiste, par l’inclination qui lui est innée, ne doit être regardé que comme un enfant, qui en grandissant, suit de plus en plus l’impulsion de la nature […] Mais lorsque la raison & l’art le guident, il ne peut manquer de parvenir à la perfection ; ce qui me conduit à remarquer que l’étude & la pratique de l’art sont infiniment plus utiles que toutes les notions que nous tenons de la nature seule, qui souvent nous induit en erreur, en nous ne faisant chercher la perfection dans une seule partie, quoiqu’elle soit parfaite dans tout ce qu’elle produit ; et à cet égard l’art est obligé de suivre la nature […]

This analysis only refers to the term 'natuur' in the sense of the physical world, although it occurs in this citation with other connotations as well. [MO]

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1787, vol. 2, p. 191:] Quelles merveilles de l’art ne voit-on pas en Italie, & sur-tout dans la magnifique Rome, où l’on diroit que la nature & l’art semblent être convenus d’établir leur trône, & d’exercer leur puissance, pour rendre cette ville la maîtresse & la merveille [ndr : la beauté] de l’univers !

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1787, vol. 2, p. 197-198:] Il n’y a point d’objet qui ne fasse un bon effet [ndr : la grâce] lorsque la nature & l’art se trouvent réunis ensemble par une main habile ; & quoique tous les hommes n’aient pas la vue assez exercée pour discerner les causes de cette beauté ils n’y sont pas cependant, en général, pas moins sensibles ; de sorte qu’on peut dire que la puissance de l’art est telle, que toute admirable que soit la nature dans ses productions, elles ne font cependant une profonde impression sur notre esprit par le secours de l’art.

[D'apres DE LAIRESSE 1738, p. 630:] The Art of Engraving is questionless noble and praise-worthy ; because it respects Painting, as Painting does Nature : For as the latter has Nature for it’s Model or Object, which it faithfully imitates with the Pencil ; so Engraving likewise copies Painting, either with the Needle or Graver, in such Manner as only to stand in Need of Colours ; which, when required, may be added to it. Painting consists in a neat and good Outline [ndr: drawing], Proportion, Light and Shade : And these are also the Foundations of Engraving. Painting distinguishes between common Light and Sunshin : Engraving does, or can do, the same. In fine, whatever the one performs with the Pencil, the other can express with the Needle or Graver, and as neatly, wheather Stuffs of all Kings, Wool, Silk, Sattin, Linnen, Glass, Water, Gold, Wood, Stone &c.