The art of painting according to the theory and practise of the best Italian, French, and Germane masters. Treating of the antiquity of painting. The reputation it always had. The characters of several masters. Proportion. Action and passion. The effects of light. Perspective. Draught. Colouring. Ordonnance. Far more compleat and compendious then hath yet been publisht by any, antient or modern. The second edition. By M.S. gent.

CAP. X. (Book 10)

Of Proportion.

PRoportion is of two sorts either Proper, Expressing the exact Proportion of the Thing to be Represented, or else in Perspective, in Respect of the Eye, differing very much from the other, for according to the Distance of the Thing from the Eye it Judgeth what Proportion the Head hath with the Body.

For should a Carver make a Statue according to true Propor∣tion and place it on high, he that below beholds it will judge it Disproportionable, by Reason the upper Parts will come to the Eye in a Sharp Angle, and the lower Parts in a Blunt.

The Philosophicall and Perspective Reason hereof is, because when the Statue is in the open Air, which being Transparent is fil'd with certain Visuall Species, which coming into the Eye meet with those Visuall Lines which come in a Pyramidal Form,

whose Cone toucheth the Eye.

Therefore the Artist must carefully observe the Height he designs his work, and accordingly add as much to the Upper Parts as the Distance will loose, which Rules Phidias and Praxi∣tiles exactly observ'd in their Statues in Monte Cavallo in Rome, as likewise did the admirable workman of Trajans Colums, and by this means the Eye soon judgeth of the Prototypon whom the work Represents which is the Intent of Painting and Carving.

It may be enquir'd what Proportion a moveable Picture should have, I Answer, it must always be suppos'd to hang something above the Eye, since that Sence is most delighted to look up∣wards and hath been observ'd by all Great Masters.

So great is the Vertue of Proportion, that nothing delighteth the Eye without it, since the Grace of all Beautifull Forms consists in a Proportionable Measure of Parts, and as Vitruvious saith, that none can proceed with Judgment without Acquain∣tance with the Force thereof, it giving the Majesty and Beauty to Bodys, whence he calleth it Euritbmia.

It hath been of great Force in exciting Mens Minds to Re∣verence and Devotion, witness the Statue of Jupiter Carv'd by Phidias; and the great Zeuxe's perswaded Greece to dedicate their most Majestical and best Proportion'd works to the immor∣tal Gods, as being the works of Men Reputed amongst them as Gods, and not only represented the works of God, but likewise supply'd the Defects of Nature.

Nor does it only affect Painting but likewise Carving, and all other Arts, and was the first Pattern of all Artificial Things; yet the Painter (as Baptista Albertus affirms) more especially considereth Mans Body, therefore Antiquity to Grace Painting above the rest (as cheif Mistress of Proportion) nam'd the rest Handicrafts-Men. Now let's consider the Definition of Proportion.

Proportion is a Correspondency and Agreement of the Measures of the Parts between themselves, and with the whole in every Work.

This Correspondency Vitruvius cals Commodulation, because a Modell is a Measure, which being taken at first, measures both the Parts and the Whole.

In Former times before this Symmetrical Measure of Parts was Understood and considered, all Italy could witness what Lame and Preposterous Statues and Pictures were continually set up, especially about the Time of Constantine the Great untill Giotto in Tuscany and Andrino di Edosia Pauese in Lombardy.

A great Benefit of Proportion is, it wonderfully assists the Judg∣ment in Judging of the Famous Antique Paintings: 'tis pitty to see how some (absolute Ideots in this most Essential part of the Art) affect a vain surface of Gaudy Colours, to the disgrace of the Science and sometimes sinde Buyers of their own Talent.