[D'après NOLDUS 2008, p. 170-171:] 4 Sans en dire ni bien ni mal, je n’ai pas besoin de vous rappeler, que certains peintres très expérimentés d’une main assurée et avec beaucoup de fermeté, (ils ne se perdent pas dans les sentiers tortueux, mais, de par leur art, sont dignes du nom de Maîtres) ont la capacité de tracer rapidement sur leurs panneaux {Travailler directement sur le panneau est réservé aux Maîtres.} ce qui était déjà complètement peint dans leur Idée. 5 Ils les attaquent directement, sans beaucoup tergiverser, avec pinceau et couleur, franchement. Travaillant ainsi, ces compagnons tracent leur sujet rapidement avec la couleur de fond. {Corriger en repeignant avec la couleur de fond.} Parfois, ils repeignent promptement, pour mieux équilibrer leur composition. Alors, ceux qui sont riches d’invention travaillent avec audace, et corrigent leurs fautes au fur et à mesure.

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] {What one should generally observe.} In sketching and positioning one’s Figure one should foremost pay good attention how every part unites with the whole. Secondly to the proportion: Thirdly to the Action or movement of the Figure, and then how we have learned before.

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Albrecht Dürer himself, who indeed appears to turned so much upside down, that everyone is almost disgusted to see so many Lessons on Measurement and Rules of Proportion, has attempted to free his Readers of this trouble. He clearly also saw that many easily tired Brains, would not be caught lazy to ask Whether it was really necessary to spend so many Rules and so much measuring and time on the Proportioning of Figures for the Anatomy, before they would be able to compose it flawlessly? I do not so much prescribe, he said, the exact measurement, but rather I teach that one may attempt to obtain – by retracing Nature through Industry and Diligence – a certainty that leans on the steady Reason; As those who have obtained such a steadiness of Eyes and Hand, will by nobody be expected to make such a Precise Measurement of Figures. And truly, when the Eyes have been prepared by the Rules of Art, than Eyesight itself becomes a Rule: and the Hand can confidently follow such a Guide, and avoid all Error.

DÜRER, Albrecht

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] The NECK then, on which the Head of a Man is standing, is somewhat Long in shape, to let the Head move freely back and forth on it like on an axis; And it stems from this freedom, that in the well composing of Figures the Head does not have to be directed to the side to which the Chest is directed: Because the Creator has shown it quite differently by the shaping of the Neck and its function. And because of this it poses a misunderstanding in Artistic Scenes when the Figures attest differently.

A rare example amongst the many descriptions of different body parts in which Goeree refers directly to artistic practice. [MO]

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] The famous Italian Painter Masaccio was praised extremely, because he had considerably improved the decayed period of the Art of Painting, regarding the positioning of Figures. Because as it had come into being through a general inattentiveness, the postures of the Figures on both feet rather inert and ungraceful, without selecting the least intention or Action;

MASACCIO (Tommaso di ser Giovanni di Mone Cassai)

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] And as we believe to have discussed the Anatomy here with such exhaustion; as is necessary to properly compose the Figures in the Art of Drawing and Painting; however, we know that our Work might still seem too narrow, and mainly because almost all of our Lessons appear to be applicable to the posing of Single Figures, without any Coupling: such that they are often not adjustable to make them work well for the Bundle or assembly of Actions and occurrences, in which many Figures appear at once, and to each other and all together, or in different Couples and Accumulations. Likewise in this some Masters have also managed to make use of different Aids, observing well that the Figures often needed very different Actions in a Couple or Bundle, than in a single posing. To which we answer, that although these desired things are very important parts of the Art of Painting, we nevertheless have decided for many different reasons, that such a thing belongs more to the Composition and Collection of Histories than to the Anatomy; and as we have the intention, to also address that Part in due time, our modest Reader is asked to have the kindness, to have received that which we have pointed out here and there – where it was appropriate - with regard to the Actions of connected Figures on Credit; and to bear the rest long enough, as is necessary, to fulfill the payment of our promise in an appropriate manner.