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. XXVI. (Book 26)

Of Colours, their Natures and Effects.

THere be Seven Cardinal Colours viz. White, Blew, Yel∣low, Red, Brown, Green and Black.

White denotes Innocency, Light &c. the Planet Luna.

Yellow, denotes Majesty, Honour, Nobility &c. the Stone a Topas; the Planet, Sol.

Blew, the colour of the Skys, signifys Devotion, Breathing to Heaven &c. the stone a Saphire; the Planet Jupiter.

Red denotes Heroes from their Bloody Acts. The symbol of Fortitude. The Tipe of Modesty from Blushing, and is the middle colour between Black and White. the stone, a Ruby, the Planet, Mars.

Green is the Colour of the Spring and shows Peace and Plesantness of Mind; and Hope from Tillage; likewise Youth. The stone an Emerald. The Planet Venus.

Brown, from Red and Black, (scarce deserves the Name of a Colour) signifys Mediocrity, Prudence, Frugality &c. The Stone an Amethist. The Planet, Mercury.

Black is opposite to White; and is Obscurity, therefore not properly cal'd a Colour, but the Death and Burial of Colours. It is the symbol of Grief, sorrow and Damnation; from the Infernall Darkness. Yet denoteth Constancy, being the most durable Colour. The stone a Diamond. The Planet Jupiter.

Wee will now consider the Nature, Propertys, Qualitys, Sympathys, Antypathys, Greatness and Smalness of Bodys of the Several Colours, which are us'd in Painting.

Those of the Greatest Bodys are Umber, Indigo, Indian Red and Vermilion. The next are Colens Earth; Ivory Black, Light Red, Yellow Oker, Masticots, Orpment and White. those of a smaller Body are Ultramarine, Carmine (which is the most beautifull Red) Lake, Pinks, destil'd Verdegreece next Terravert and the smallest Body of all, is Smalt, which the young practi∣sioner must not adventure to use except mixt with others.

Vermilion, is apt to change somewhat black when Com∣pounded, but us'd simple in Draperys &c. is of a lasting Nature.

Indigo turns Green in Time, and should be chiefly us'd in Dead-Colouring, but if boyl'd, or kept buryed some years it will hold better.

Smalt turns black, but holds best in Glasing, in like manner doth destill'd Verdegreece.

Orpment should be us'd only in Touches by it self in Drapery, Gold, &c. for if it be compounded it grows foul,

Umber should be us'd only in Dead-Colouring, or in deep Shaddows, which you cannot obtain by Brown Pink, Lake, &c. but from its Body, it is of great use in Dead-Colouring.

Drying Oyle must not be us'd with any Colours (how bad dryers soever) if you have occasion to mix them with White, Distil'd Verdegreece, Vermilion, Umber or Masticots; except ve∣ry little of these go into the Composition: never if you use a∣ny Quanity of White.

The foremention'd Colours of Greater Bodys, in their Com∣positions, must deepen the Lights, till you bring them to your

Dark Shaddows; because their Strength and force is so great, that it will occasion the loss of much Colour to bring them to the lighter, especially Indigo.

Those of lesser Bodys you must Heighten on the contrary and not deepen down.

If yon bring down your Shaddows with the greater Bodyed Colours, you must take care that you use very little of those Colours, for it will be to great spoyle, of smaller Bodyed Co∣lours, you may use much more according to the Body in your first Lights.

In the lighter Shaddows which may be obtain'd without White, you must use no white in them, for it makes them look Gray and Cold, but more especially in the dark Shaddows.

Diligently observe what Colours bare a Sympathy or Antipa∣thy to each other, and order your mixtures on your Pallate ac∣cordingly, as Blew and Yellow make a Green but Blew and Ver∣milion produce a Nigre Colour.

In the disposal of Colours on a Picture, consider the whitest Colours are not always the Stronger, but as they are Luminous or agreeing with the Light, as Vermilion is stronger then Green brought up to the same Height: and Yellow Masticot is stronger then White Masticot and will be seen at a greater Distance.

Those Colours must be laid near to one another, that are proper of their own nature to help one another, and give a mu∣tual help to rayse up their Briskness, as the Red doth to the Green, and the Yellow to the Blew, &c.

What Colour soever we put in Drapery, &c. and there be a Colour by of a near kind we must bring a different one in between, which may loosen the Drapery, otherwise they will Loose themselves in each other.