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. XXI. (Book 21)

The Effects of Light.

THE Light falling on the Flesh of Young Women and Children causeth a Pleasant, Tender Shaddow without much Reflection; but when on old hard and stiff Flesh, it re∣maineth more Harsh, the shaddows being harder: but falling on Plaistick Figures though round like Flesh, it maketh certain unpleasant and too apparent Reflections; not suffering the Thing to appear round like Flesh, confounding one Member with another, and the more the more White the Body is. From, the not due consideration hereof several Painters have run into Errors, by Painting after Antique Statues and Plaisticks, observing the Light as it falls there, whence their Flesh ap∣peared Unnaturall.

In Drapery it must be observ'd that those Folds which come nearest to the Bones, as the Joynts of the Fingers, the Shoulders, the Knees and other Eminences, must be more strongly Touch'd then the other Parts, and by that means the Flesh will appear the more soft and sweet.

On Diamonds and other Pretious Stones the Light falls more quick and strong according to the Condensation of their Bodys, next upon polisht Mettals as Silver, Armour, &c. in Armour must be Reflections of all things about it, but dimmer then the Armour Receives from the Primary Light, otherwise it will shew Ignorance in the Perspectives. So likewise in other Polisht Mettals, &c.

Light is strongest upon the Body which hath most Correspon∣dency with it, as Red Sanguine and well colourd Complections, which on the balls of their Cheeks, top of their Noses &c. have a stronger Luster, and sharper shining then those of Pale and Wan Complections, for there the Light finding no Cor∣respondency, is Dilated with a more remiss brightness.

Black yeildeth no sharp quickness, except in respect to the Perfection of Matter, as in black silk in comparison of Wollen Cloth.

In Yellow the Light causeth a clear brightness having Affinity with it, especially in those which are freest from Paleness.

The Light in Green hath a Mediocrity, and rather Comfor∣teth then Quickneth the Visual Faculty.

In White it is too much Continued, by reason of the Clear∣ness which hath Correspondency unto Black, whence it receiveth its shaddows.

We will now shew how Light Ingendereth its Effects in Bodys according to the Eminency or Depression, Restraining or Dilating of their Superficies, from whence ariseth the Harshness or Sweetness.

In Infancy the Light on the Superficies is Dilated and not sharp by reason there is no other impression wrought in the beholder, then a certain Dilating of a Fat and simple Matter without sharpness and very little shaddow.

In Childhood the Lights begin to appear more sharp by reason of the contracting of the superficies, but with a kinde of Variableness answerable to the Gestures which proceed from the Spirit beginning to distinguish between Good and Evill.

In Youth the Superficies being Protracted and Restrained makes the Body seemly, yet soft and tender, neither Fat nor Lean; in this Age second Light breeds wonderfull sweetness, Delightfull to the Eye, being dipriv'd of spreading of the Lights, and with great Decency gives sweet and Firm Shaddows.

In Manhood the Lights run with greater Force, having the greatest Perfection as ever they will have; not too unpleasant nor too Sweet but much Delightful, accompanied with a firm Stoutness and in some Parts something more Feirce.

In Constant Age the Body is more compacted and settled, the Lights more sharp and full of Force.

In Old Age the Lights appear Heavy and full of Majesty and Gravity and so contrary wise the Shaddows: by reason the Superficies is depriv'd of that Quality of Increasing and Vigour, yet not Crude and Hallow without Order, but in a middle Temper.

In Dotage the Superficies is sharply Elevated and making A∣cute Angles and declining Lines, cause the Lights running up∣on them to appear Sharp being Encountred with very deep Shaddows, the Eyes wholly shaddowed with the Eye-brows, the mouth with the Nose, the Cheeks with their Balls, the Forehead with Pulses, and so through all other Parts, as the Concavities of the Bones without Flesh by the most Apparent parts of the Bones.

In Infancy, we must therefore express Simplicity; in Child∣hood, a sharp Simplicity; in Youth, Amiableness; in Manhood, a Graver Beauty; in Constant Age, Lustiness and Courage; Gravity, Majesty and Consideration in Old Age.

We must likewise observe that in the Design there be one Principal Light, which must sall most strongly on that part nearest to the Light, and as the Superficies is shortned accord∣ing to the Distance from the Light so the Body looseth as much of its Colour as it lacketh of the Light, and so the Colour faileth by Degrees untill the superficies decay together with the Light.