[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] If someone truly deserves the name of great Master, and that his Works are judged to be filled with the true virtue of Art, and that they have all the necessities such as good Design and proportion, acceptable distribution of colors and harmony in them, that coincide with the location of the light, in which the objects are placed; and that the shadows and lights are appropriate, after the occasion in which they originate; and that furthermore all the Figures are placed and colored after the content of the History that one wants to portray; moreover that they produce their actions and passions carefully and naturally, which coincide with their whole pose; as such one may trust his Art, yet be humble of heart and social in interaction: {What pride often generates.} Because pride makes our enemies deceitful, to undermine our good name and fame with Lies and evil guiles; which can only be defeated by behaving oneself honorable with regard to the lesser Masters.

[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:

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1787, p. 108-110:] Le meilleur moyen pour prévenir ce désagrément, c’est de se retirer dans un lieu tranquille, muni de papier & de crayons ; & après qu’on aura arrêté la grandeur du champ que doit remplir la composition qu’on se propose de mettre sur la toile, on commencera par en indiquer les plans & par fixer le point de vue […] Ensuite on recueillera ses esprits pour examiner le sujet qu’on projette d’exécuter, ainsi que la manière la plus convenable de le disposer, de même que de grouper les principaux personnages […] Quant aux accessoires, on ne fera que les indiquer par des points jusqu’à ce qu’on mette ensemble la composition ; car lorsque les principaux objets sont bien placés, les autres suivent d’eux-mêmes la disposition générale. Ce travail étant fini, on le reprendra pour examiner avec soin ce qu’on aura fait, en commençant de nouveau par les principales figures, & en considérant quelle est la passion qui doit les faire agir […] de quelle manière elles doivent contraster entr’elles […] On tracera tout cela sur un autre morceau de papier […] examiner quelles figures doivent rester nues, quelles autres ont besoin d’être drapées ; ce qui demande un caractère noble ou commun ; pour passer ensuite à la disposition générale des couleurs locales & à leur harmonie : de cette manière, on parviendra à terminer l’ouvrage avec une grande facilité sans se fatiguer la mémoire

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1787, p. 353:] La principale attention [ndlr : disposition] à porter dans l’harmonie, consiste à placer toujours du sombre contre du clair, & du clair contre du sombre.

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1787, vol 2, p. 2-3:] […] un bon paysage est l’objet le plus agréable que l’art puisse produire, & dont l’effet charme le plus la vue, quand l’entente générale & l’harmonie des couleurs y sont bien observées. […] Le bon effet d’un paysage dépend principalement d’une disposition bien entendue du clair-obscur, d’où résulte une parfaite harmonie, qui séduit la vue, au point de faire croire qu’elle se promène réellement dans un site ouvert & d’une vaste étendue. Pour cela il faut employer deux moyens ; […]

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1738, p. 631-632:] The Grace of well-etch’d or engraved Print consists, First, in a bright Light and dark Shade ; by which I understand, that the faint Hatching on the lighted Parts be kept almost imperceptible, and the shady Touches contrarily strong and dark. Secondly, that the Naked, or Carnations, be hatched fine and somewhat dull, and the Draperies courser and rougher, according to their Qualities ; yet all without any Outline, either on the light or shaded Side, even so that the Extremities be only formed by the Tint of the Grounds against which they come. But to give the Work the greatest Perfection, and shew the Judgment [ndr: understanding and knowledge] of the Master, the Tints of the Colours should also appear as much as possible : Yet as a Print does not so intirely consist of fine Ordonnance, beautiful Figures, elegant By-works, and neat cut or etch’d Strokes, as in a good general Harmony, so this Harmony ought to be principally studied.