DOZIJNWERKER (n. m.)
TERM USED IN EARLY TRANSLATIONS
WORKMAN (eng.)FILTERS
LINKED QUOTATIONS
Quotation
Dient tot antwoordt, dat ons ghevoelen niet met alleen daer door soude verswackt worden, al stonden wy bekent dat eenighe Meesters sonder ’t behulp van d’andere Konsten en wetenschappen redelicke Schilders gheworden sijn; ghemerckt wy in dese onse verhandelinghe niet en spreken van de gemeyne dozijnwerckers, maer alleenlick van de rechte Konstenaers; die in ons oordeel gheleerde kloeckaerds behooren te wesen; dat is; mannen van sulcken uytnemenden verstand en naerstigheyd, dat de Nature t’saementlick met de Konste tot haere volmaecktheyd schijnt aenghespannen te hebben.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] It serves as an answer, that our feeling would not only be weakened by it, although it is known to us that some Masters have become acceptable Painters without the assistance of the other Arts and sciences; seen that we are not discussing the common ‘mass producers’ here, but only the real Artists; who, in our opinion, ought to be learned smart numbers; that is, men of such an outstanding mind and diligence, that it appears that Nature and Art have been combined for its perfection.
Junius defines what an artist (‘kunstenaar’), distinguishing between those who produce art works by the dozen (‘dozijnwerker’) and true artists. The difference lies in their level of knowledge (‘verstand’) and diligence (‘naarstigheid’), although he acknowledges that some masters (‘meester’) have managed to become reasonably good without this. Only the combination of nature and art will lead to perfection in art. Junius states his intention to only talk about these true artists in his text. In the English edition, the term 'dozijnwerker' is translated as ordinary workman'. This excerpt does not occur in the Latin edition of 1637. [MO]
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
[...] gelijk dan ook de Genesers en Heel-Konstenaars wel een Getal van twaalf (dosijn-Werkers zijn immers Broddelaars?) Verscheyde Formen van Hoofden hebben aangewesen; die om datse meest alle van ’t algemeen Schoon en wel Geschapen afwijken, hier niet nodig zijn op te halen, dewijl de Schilder Konst de Mismaaktheyd geheel wel missen kan. Daar is in de Generale Klomp of Vorm van het Hoofd soo veel gelegen, dat een Konterfeytsel of Tronie na ’t Leven Geschilderd, niet wel ten uytersten kan gelijken, by aldien’er het Generaal van het geheele Hooft niet wel in waargenomen is, alswe in onse Teykenkunde[ndr: reference to his own work] breeder hebben geleerd.
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] …like the Physicians and Surgeons by the dozens (since mass-producers are botchers?) have pointed out different Shapes of Heads; which – as they most of all diverge from the generally Beautiful and Well-made – do not need to be repeated here, while the Art of Painting can do without all Deformity. There are so many elements in the common Lump or Form of the Head, that a Portrait or Face that is Painted after Life, cannot even resemble it a bit, if the General [characteristics] of the whole Head have not been observed in it, as we have elaborately taught in our Teykenkunde [ndr: reference to his own book].