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. XXIV. (Book 24)

Farther Observations in Perspective.

BEsides these Real Sights there be severl Deceitfull Sights, as upper Perpendicular, middle and lowermost: the upper Perpendicular Considereth the Reasons how the Intersections are carry'd to the place appointed for the Shortning, which were ordain'd in the Perpendicular, by reason of the upper Parts, and it representeth to us Figures in a little space, from be∣low Perpendicularly on the top of a Vault, perfectly expressing as well the lower as the upper parts. But those which stand out in length are (for the most part) so shortned that the Fi∣gures seem broader then they are long.

The Oblique Deceitfull Sight causeth us to see the Oblique Shortnings in their places viz. such as may be made in the Vaults of Chappels, nor in the Squares, but in the Semicircles and such like places, as the Tiburij or the Truine, whence not∣withstanding the declining of the Vault where they are paint∣ed, the Figures may be seen to stand upright as on their Legs, as if their were no Vault at all. So that the arch'd appear∣ance of a Vault causeth no interruption in the draught. In such sort that a Chappel may seem truly to be open to Heaven, or in other pretty Inventions, as is usual in such places: but this part being difficult to be conceiv'd, you may see it better ex∣press'd in those works, in the Chappal of Zenales doing in Mil∣lain; another in Parma of Antonio Correggio, &c.

By the third Deceitfull Sight above, all the Figures placed above the Eye are shown by their Lower Parts more or less according as they stand higher upon the Wall at the Horizon: wherefore the hinder parts run inwards, and the foremost fly upwards, whence you shall see wonderfull great spaces, stretch∣ing forth of Arms, Shortning of Legs, &c. and in these Fi∣gures you cannot see the upper parts except they bend for∣wards.

The fourth deceitfull middle Sight is that which giveth a Body in such sort, that in the hinder parts the lower Superficies seemes to run upwards, and the upper to run downwards, wherefore our Eye must strike directly on some part of the Body, as about the middle; this is the least Shortning as can be, and yet considereth all those difficultys as the others do.

The fifth deceitfull sight below is that by which, all the Pi∣ctures that are seen from above, placed more or less below the Horizon, are made, which also teacheth the Reasons why they are so made, it causeth their rising up on high, the running down of the hinder parts, and the Increasing of their fore∣parts: and below it makes that appear, which on high seems contrarywise to be uppermost. In the rest it followeth the o∣thers, and is to be understood after the same manner, though the Effects be divers.

The Sixth Deceitfull Sight is deep or inward, and represents to us on plains the Bodys stretcht out upon the Earth in Per∣spective, with the Head one way and the Feet another, seem∣ing to run into the wall, by performing in this place the like Effect against the Eye, which a Figure doth being wrought in a Vault Perpendicularly above the Eye, according to the first sight, and this is to be understood of such which standing on the lower ground, cannot be seen from above but only direct∣ly or below, as such who looking directly downwards, can only see Peoples Heads.

We will now conclude with some Reasons why of Nesce∣ssity Distance must diminish the Object.

The Air doth not carry the Species, which it taketh from the Images afar of, to the Eye, in the same Individual Quan∣tity; but carryeth them lesser and weaker.

The first part of the Air, which is next the Image, represents the Species lesser to the next; and so that to a third &c. till the Image come to the Eye; which coming (according to the Positions of the Mathematicians) between two Lines not Parallel, must then of Necessity meet, so concluding in the Point of the Intersection which is in the Eye.

For should the Species of a Body, be Represented in every part of the Air, in the same Vigour and Quantity; it must

follow that a Finite Thing have an Infinite Power to excite Vision: for supposing the Air to be Infinite and without Impedi∣ment these Species must be equally seen in every part of the Air and so a limited Body, would have an Infinite Power.

And did the Form of things at a distance, come to the Eye, in the same Quantity, as when near, the Multiplicity of Species crouding on the Sight, would Confound it: therefore since it is of Necessity, that the Figure must loose by Distance; take this for a General Rule, that how much the whole Figure looseth, the same contraction is to be observed throughout the whole Image.

Yet although in Things at Distance, we must go by the Rationall Proportion in Perspective, and in things near by the Natural; yet we must not so observe the Natural, but regard must be had to the Grace of the Picture.

For the Power of Painting, not only extends it self, to the Imitation of Nature, but sometimes to the Correcting of it: ren∣dring Things more pleasing to the Eye, then they are of themselves.