The painting of the ancients in three bookes: declaring by historicall observations and examples, the beginning, progresse, and consummation of that most noble art. And how those ancient artificers attained to their still so much admired excellencie. Written first in Latine by Franciscus Junius, F.F. And now by him Englished, with some additions and alterations.

CHAP. VI.

GOod natures then that were loath to shame their good Masters, did with all care and di∣ligence emulate the best works of old renow∣ned Artificers, taking speciall notice of that same simplicitie of Art so much commended in ancient workes. Arts are advanced, not so much by them that dare make a great shew of Art, but rather by them that know how to find out what there is in every Art, sayth Isocra∣tes . Adorne any thing purely and soberly, sayth Agellius , and it shall grow better and better; daube it over on the contrary with the painting colour of women, and it shall resemble a jug∣glers delusion: neither doth any thing marre and falsifie the integritie of Art so much, as the astonished perswasion of

them that conceive nothing to be faire and praise-worthy, but what is costly and farre remote from the simplicitie of the Ancients. Such is alwayes the condition of our minds, that the workes begun with necessary things, end most common∣ly with superfluous, sayth Plinie . Apelles, Echion, Melan∣thius, Nicomachus, most famous Painters, sayth the same Pli∣nie , have made these immortall workes with foure colours onely; and yet was every one of their workes sold by it selfe for the wealth of whole Cities. Now on the contrary is there never a noble picture made, though purple settleth it selfe upon our walls, though India bringeth in the mud of her rivers, as also the corrupt bloud of Dragons and Elephants: see Plinie him∣selfe, for the setteth downe in the same place the particular names of these foure colours used by them. It will not be a∣misse to expound, sayth Vitruvius , why the integritie of work∣manship is now adayes put down by false and adulterate wayes; for what laborious and industrious antiquitie did study to have commended for the Art, the same doe our Artificers obtaine by the fine shew of rare colours; and the cost bestowed upon the worke by the patron of the worke, bringeth to passe, that the au∣thoritie ancient works drew out of the subtiltie of the Artificer, is not so much as desired. Who was there among the ancients but he did use vermilian sparingly, and even after the manner of a medicament? but now are there every where whole walls daubed over with it, as also with Chrysocolle, Ostrum, Arme∣nium: which things, when they are used in painting, draw the eyes by their glistering brightnesse, though they be never placed by any art: and because they are very chargeable and costly, the law hath excepted them, that namely the patrone of the worke should exhibite and provide them, not the Artificer. There was also another wanton device of chargeable Art, tending to the undoing of this same simplicitie we speake of, yea cau∣sing

the uttermost ruine of the whole Art it selfe. Picture, an Art noble in times past, sayth Plinie , is now altogether thrust out by marble and gold: not onely that whole walls are covered with it, but that marble also is scraped and filed for to make party-coloured crusts representing severall things and beasts: the lower squares of pillars have lost their estimation they were in; no more are whole spaces of hils that lie hid in our privie chambers liked of: we have begun to paint stones also: this was found out in the times of Claudius his government: as it was first instituted in Nero his times to vary the unitie of a stone by inserting such spots into the crust as were not by na∣ture: that namely the Numidian stone might be filled with o∣valls, and the Synnadian should seeme to be distinguished with purple; even as waiward delicacies would have them grow.

§ 2. The ancient Painters of better sort, did constantly follow this same study of simplicitie; neither did they spare those that durst shew themselves addicted to an effeminate∣ly remisse and a most corrupt kinde of sumptuous work∣manship: so was it that Apelles, as Clemens Alexandrinus reporteth, seeing one of his scholars busie with the picture of Helen, the which was afterwards named the golden He∣len, sayd unto the youth, Because you knew not how to paint her faire, you have made her rich. Although great Masters in old times did labour mightily to recall such de∣praving of Art to the uncorruptnesse of severe judgements, yet could they not prevaile so much, but that the sophisti∣cated Art, abounding with many sweet vices, drew still the eyes and minds of unadvised spectators; and so were after∣wards the greatest part of the Artificers by a heartlesse lus∣kishnesse perswaded to soften such things as els would have been full of strength, yea they did not sticke to change the manly countenance of Art by an affectation of a seeming

grace; little regarding what strength there was in their workes, if they were but smoothly trimme and well liked of by the vulgar sort. There is a wonderfull great difference between pure neatnesse and curious affectation, sayth Plu∣tarch . Things more honest are also more specious in a bodie that doth not fit it selfe for luxury and lust, sayth Quintilian . So sayth also the same Author in another place , When I look upon Nature it selfe, any man is fairer, in my opinion, then an Bunuch: so cannot Providence disdain her own worke so much, as to suffer debilitie to be reckoned among the best inventions; neither can I thinke that any thing is made fairer by cutting, which if it were brought forth so, should be counted a monster. Let lust therefore glory in the counterfeit effeminatenesse of the maimed sex; yet shall not evill customes get so much master∣ship, as to make it good also, what they have made precious.

Notes

• Contra So∣phist as.
• Noct. Attic. lib. VII. cap. 14,
• Nat. hist. lib. xxvi. cap. 4.
• Lib. xxxv. cap. 7.
• Lib. VII. cap. 1.
• Lib. xxxv. nat. hist. cap. 1.
• Lib. II. Paedagog. cap. 12.
• Lib. VI. Sympos. pro∣blem. 7.
• Lib. XII. cap. 10.
• Lib. V. cap. 12.