[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] As such the old Masters observed these five chief principles very closely in their Paintings. I. The Historical content, that is often called the Invention or also the argument. II. The uniformity, which one commonly calls the Proportion, symmetry, analogy and harmony. III. The colour or the colouring; and in this they tend to carefully distinguish the light and shadow, as well as the sheen and darkness. IV. The life; which exists in the Action and Passion, or (to speak more clearly) in the skilled depiction of the characteristics that one discerns in the unmovable things, as well as in the lively expression of the movements that one perceives in the movable things, when these do or suffer something considerable. V. The arrangement, that one commonly tends to call the Disposition or Ordinance.

[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] This is an amazing function of our eyes; Our eye takes a remarkable pleasure in the most twinkling colours, says Maximus Tyrius {…}, nevertheless this entertainment will only give us little joy, unless one attempts to help the pleasing glow of such bright paint a little by [NDR: placing] a brown nearby.

MAXIMOS TYRIOS

[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] As such we should pay more attention to that which Plinius tells us; namely that after the invention of the light and shadow, something else was added to the Art, which one calls the glow or the contrast [NDR: problematic translation of the term afsetsel], This glow is called Tonos, he says {…}, because it sits between the light and shadow and appears to originate from both. What the diminuition and the degradation of the colours is concerned, this is also called Harmoge. The term Tonus also appears to point to the execution of a mightier light; namely when some or another part of the Painting, which appears to have been heightened sufficiently, is heightened even more powerful, causing that that which appeared to stand out sufficiently, now only serves as a shadow, to make that which stood out before stand out even more. Yet we have talked about this in the previous part.

PLINIUS, L'Ancien

The suggested translation is problematic with regard to the translation of the terms 'afsetsel', 'verdrijving' and 'verschiet', which are translated here as contrast, diminuition and degradation (of colours). The user is advised to reconsider these translations carefully. [MO]

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1787, p. 401:] Pour représenter ces réflexions de la manière qu’elles se présentent dans une eau courante, il faut commencer d’abord par les peindre avec leurs jours & leurs ombres, sur un fond qu’on aura fait revenir, en y passant légèrement un peu d’huile tenace ; après quoi l’on prendra un blaireau ou un putois qu’on passera plusieurs fois, d’une manière aussi serrée qu’il est possible, de droite à gauche & de gauche à droite en suivant le fil et les ondulations de l’eau, & en ayant soin de ne pas trop effacer les formes des objets.

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1787, p. 471:] […] peindre un clair de lune […], ne jamais peindre l’astre mais seulement sa lumière (car il est plus important de bien éclairer un tableau, que d’y faire paroître dans un tableau le soleil, la lune, ou un corps lumineux artificiel) en faisant tomber cette lumière sur les objets par-devant, par-derrière, ou de côté […] d’une manière un peu plus sombre que par la lumière du jour […]