Quotation

{Colour.} But to return to the Definition [ndr : la définition de la peinture mentionnée p. 24], that part remaineth to be expounded, wherein it is said that Painting representeth things with Colours, like to the Life ; whence it is to be marked that the Artificial painter ought to proceed according to the course of Nature, who first presupposeth Matter (as the Philosophers hold) unto which it addeth a Forme, but because to create the Substances of things proceedeth from an infinite power, which is not found in any creature (as the Divines teach) the Painter must take something instead of Matter, namely Quantity proportioned ; {The Matter of Painting.} which is the Matter of painting, here then the Painter must needs understand that proportioned Quantity, and Quantity delineated, are all one, and that the same is the Material Substance of Painting, for he must consider, that although he be never so Skillfull in the use of his Colours, and yet laketh this Delineation, he is unfurnished of the Principal Matter of his Art, and consequently of the substantial part thereof, neither let any Man imagine that hereby I go about to diminish the power and vertue of colour, for if all particular Men should differ one from another in Matter alone (wherein out of all doubt all agree) then all Men must needs be one, and so that most acceptable variety of so many particulars are now in the world would be wanting […], so if the Painter should only Pourtrait out a Man in just Symetry agreable to Nature ; certainly this Man would never be sufficiently distinguished by his mere Quantity : But when unto this proportioned Quantity he shall farther add Colour, then he giveth the last forme and perfection to the Figure : Insomuch, that whosoever beholdeth it may be able to say, this is the Picture of the Emperour Charles the First, or of Philip his Sonne, it is the picture of a Melancholick, Flegmatick, Sanguine, or Cholerick Fellow, of one in love, or in fear of a bashfull young Man, &c. and to conclude the picture will attain to such perfection, that the party counterfeited may easily be known thereby : Wherefore I advise the Painter to be very skillfull in the use of Colours, as in that wherein consisteth the whole perfection of his Art.

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