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seven discourses on art-第6章

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I cannot help imagining that I see a promising young painter; equally vigilant; whether at home; or abroad in the streets; or in the fields。  Every object that presents itself is to him a lesson。 He regards all nature with a view to his profession; and combines her beauties; or corrects her defects。  He examines the countenance of men under the influence of passion; and often catches the most pleasing hints from subjects of turbulence or deformity。  Even bad pictures themselves supply him with useful documents; and; as Leonardo da Vinci has observed; he improves upon the fanciful images that are sometimes seen in the fire; or are accidentally sketched upon a discoloured wall。

The artist who has his mind thus filled with ideas; and his hand made expert by practice; works with ease and readiness; whilst he who would have you believe that he is waiting for the inspirations of genius; is in reality at a loss how to beam; and is at last delivered of his monsters with difficulty and pain。

The well…grounded painter; on the contrary; has only maturely to consider his subject; and all the mechanical parts of his art follow without his exertion; Conscious of the difficulty of obtaining what he possesses he makes no pretensions to secrets; except those of closer application。  Without conceiving the smallest jealousy against others; he is contented that all shall be as great as himself who are willing to undergo the same fatigue: and as his pre…eminence depends not upon a trick; he is free from the painful suspicions of a juggler; who lives in perpetual fear lest his trick should be discovered。



A DISCOURSE



Delivered to the Students of the Royal Academy on the Distribution of the Prizes; December; 14; 1770; by the President

Gentlemen;It is not easy to speak with propriety to so many students of different ages and different degrees of advancement。 The mind requires nourishment adapted to its growth; and what may have promoted our earlier efforts; might; retard us in our nearer approaches to perfection。

The first endeavours of a young painter; as I have remarked in a former discourse; must be employed in the attainment of mechanical dexterity; and confined to the mere imitation of the object before him。  Those who have advanced beyond the rudiments; may; perhaps; find advantage in reflecting on the advice which I have likewise given them; when I recommended the diligent study of the works of our great predecessors; but I at the same time endeavoured to guard them against an implicit submission to the authority of any one master; however excellent; or by a strict imitation of his manner; to preclude ourselves from the abundance and variety of nature。  I will now add that nature herself is not to be too closely copied。 There are excellences in the art of painting; beyond what is commonly called the imitation of nature:  and these excellences I wish to point out。  The students who; having passed through the initiatory exercises; are more advanced in the art; and who; sure of their hand; have leisure to exert their understanding; must now be told that a mere copier of nature can never produce anything great; can never raise and enlarge the conceptions; or warm the heart of the spectator。

The wish of the genuine painter must be more extensive:  instead of endeavouring to amuse mankind with the minute neatness of his imitations; he must endeavour to improve them by the grandeur of his ideas; instead of seeking praise; by deceiving the superficial sense of the spectator; he must strive for fame; by captivating the imagination。

The principle now laid down; that the perfection of this art does not consist in mere imitation; is far from being new or singular。 It is; indeed; supported by the general opinion of the enlightened part of mankind。  The poets; orators; and rhetoricians of antiquity; are continually enforcing this position; that all the arts receive their perfection from an ideal beauty; superior to what is to be found in individual nature。  They are ever referring to the practice of the painters and sculptors of their times; particularly Phidias (the favourite artist of antiquity); to illustrate their assertions。  As if they could not sufficiently express their admiration of his genius by what they knew; they have recourse to poetical enthusiasm。  They call it inspiration; a gift from heaven。  The artist is supposed to have ascended the celestial regions; to furnish his mind with this perfect idea of beauty。 〃He;〃 says Proclus; 〃who takes for his model such forms as nature produces; and confines himself to an exact imitation of them; will never attain to what is perfectly beautiful。  For the works of nature are full of disproportion; and fall very short of the true standard of beauty。  So that Phidias; when he formed his Jupiter; did not copy any object ever presents to his sight; but contemplated only that image which he had conceived in his mind from Homer's description。〃  And thus Cicero; speaking of the same Phidias:  〃Neither did this artist;〃 says he; 〃when he carved the image of Jupiter or Minerva; set before him any one human figure as a pattern; which he was to copy; but having a more perfect idea of beauty fixed in his mind; this he steadily contemplated; and to the imitation of this all his skill and labour were directed。

The moderns are not less convinced than the ancients of this superior power existing in the art; nor less conscious of its effects。  Every language has adopted terms expressive of this excellence。  The Gusto grande of the Italians; the Beau ideal of the French and the GREAT STYLE; GENIUS; and TASTE among the English; are but different appellations of the same thing。  It is this intellectual dignity; they say; that ennobles the painter's art; that lays the line between him and the mere mechanic; and produces those great effects in an instant; which eloquence and poetry; by slow and repeated efforts; are scarcely able to attain。

Such is the warmth with which both the ancients and moderns speak of this divine principle of the art; but; as I have formerly observed; enthusiastic admiration seldom promotes knowledge。 Though a student by such praise may have his attention roused; and a desire excited; of running in this great career; yet it is possible that what has been said to excite; may only serve to deter him。  He examines his own mind; and perceives there nothing of that divine inspiration with which he is told so many others have been favoured。  He never travelled to heaven to gather new ideas; and he finds himself possessed of no other qualifications than what mere common observation and a plain understanding can confer。  Thus he becomes gloomy amidst the splendour of figurative declamation; and thinks it hopeless to pursue an object which he supposes out of the reach of human industry。

But on this; as upon many other occasions; we ought to distinguish how much is to be given to enthusiasm; and how much to reason。  We ought to allow for; and we ought to commend; that strength of vivid expression which is necessary to convey; in its full force; the highest sense of the most complete effect of art; taking care at the same time not to lose in terms of vague admiration that solidity and truth of principle upon which alone we can reason; and may be enabled to practise。

It is not easy to define in what this great style consists; nor to describe; by words; the proper means of acquiring it; if the mind of the student should be at all capable of such an acquisition。 Could we teach taste or genius by rules; they would be no longer taste and genius。  But though there neither are; nor can be; any precise invariable rules for the exercise or the acquisition of those great qualities; yet we may as truly say that they always operate in proportion to our attention in observing the works of nature; to our skill in selecting; and to our care in digesting; methodising; and comparing our observations。  There are many beauties in our art; that seem; at first; to lie without the reach of precept; and yet may easily be reduced to practical principles。 Experience is all in all; but it is not every one who profits by experience; and most people err; not so much from want of capacity to find their object; as from not knowing what object to pursue。 This great ideal perfection and beauty are not to be sought in the heavens; but upon the earth。  They are about us; and upon every side of us。  But the power of discovering what is deformed in nature; or in other words; what is particular and uncommon; can be acquired only by experience; and the whole beauty and grandeur of the art consists; in my opinion; in being able to get above all singular forms; local customs; particularities; and details of every kind。

All the objects which are exhibited to our view by nature; upon close examination will be found to have their blemishes and defects。  The most beautiful forms have something about them like weakness; minuteness; or imperfection。  But it is not every eye that perceives these blemishes。  It must be an eye long used to the contemplation and comparison of these forms; and which; by a long habit of observing what any set of objects of the same kind have in common; that alone can acquire the power of discern
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