seven discourses on art-第14章
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from the first place what is in reality of too much magnitude to become with grace and proportion that subordinate station； to which something of less value would be much better suited。
My advice in a word is this： keep your principal attention fixed upon the higher excellences。 If you compass them and compass nothing more； you are still in the first class。 We may regret the innumerable beauties which you may want： you may be very imperfect： but still； you are an imperfect person of the highest order。
If； when you have got thus far； you can add any； or all； of the subordinate qualifications； it is my wish and advice that you should not neglect them。
But this is as much a matter of circumspection and caution at least as of eagerness and pursuit。
The mind is apt to be distracted by a multiplicity of pursuits； and that scale of perfection； which I wish always to be preserved； is in the greatest danger of being totally disordered； and even inverted。
Some excellences bear to be united； and are improved by union； others are of a discordant nature； and the attempt to join them only produces a harsher jarring of incongruent principles。
The attempt to unite contrary excellences （of form； for instance） in a single figure； can never escape degenerating into the monstrous； but by sinking into the insipid； taking away its marked character； and weakening its expression。
This remark is true to a certain degree with regard to the passions。 If you mean to preserve the most perfect beauty in its most perfect state； you cannot express the passions； which produce （all of them） distortion and deformity； more or less； in the most beautiful faces。
Guido； from want of choice in adapting his subject to his ideas and his powers； or in attempting to preserve beauty where it could not be preserved has in this respect succeeded very ill。 His figures are often engaged in subjects that required great expression： yet his 〃Judith and Holofernes；〃 the 〃Daughter of Herodias with the Baptist's Head；〃 the 〃Andromeda；〃 and even the 〃Mothers of the Innocents；〃 have little more expression than his 〃Venus attired by the Graces。〃
Obvious as these remarks appear； there are many writers on our art； who； not being of the profession； and consequently not knowing what can or what cannot be done； have been very liberal of absurd praises in their descriptions of favourite works。 They always find in them what they are resolved to find。 They praise excellences that can hardly exist together； and above all things are fond of describing with great exactness the expression of a mixed passion； which more particularly appears to me out of the reach of our art。
Such are many disquisitions which I have read on some of the cartoons and other pictures of Raffaelle； where the critics have described their own imagination； or indeed where the excellent master himself may have attempted this expression of passions above the powers of the art； and has； therefore； by an indistinct and imperfect marking； left room for every imagination； with equal probability to find a passion of his own。 What has been； and what can be done in the art； is sufficiently difficult； we need not be mortified or discouraged for not being able to execute the conceptions of a romantic imagination。 Art has its boundaries； though imagination has none。 We can easily； like the ancients； suppose a Jupiter to be possessed of all those powers and perfections which the subordinate Deities were endowed with separately。 Yet； when they employed their art to represent him； they confined his character to majesty alone。 Pliny； therefore； though we are under great obligations to him for the information he has given us in relation to the works of the ancient artists； is very frequently wrong when he speaks of them； which he does very often in the style of many of our modern connoisseurs。 He observes that in a statue of Paris； by Fuphranor； you might discover at the same time three different characters； the dignity of a judge of the goddesses； the lover of Helen； and the conqueror of Achilles。 A statue in which you endeavour to unite stately dignity； youthful elegance； and stern valour； must surely possess none of these to any eminent degree。
From hence it appears that there is much difficulty as well as danger in an endeavour to concentrate upon a single subject those various powers which； rising from different points； naturally move in different directions。
The summit of excellence seems to be an assemblage of contrary qualities； but mixed； in such proportions； that no one part is found to counteract the other。 How hard this is to be attained in every art； those only know who have made the greatest progress in their respective professions。
To conclude what I have to say on this part of the subject； which I think of great importance； I wish you to understand that I do not discourage the younger students from the noble attempt of uniting all the excellences of art； but to make them aware that； besides the difficulties which attend every arduous attempt； there is a peculiar difficulty in the choice of the excellences which ought to be united； I wish you to attend to this； that you may try yourselves； whenever you are capable of that trial； what you can； and what you cannot do： and that； instead of dissipating your natural faculties over the immense field of possible excellence； you may choose some particular walk in which you may exercise all your powers； in order each of you to be the first in his way。 If any man shall be master of such a transcendant； commanding； and ductile genius； as to enable him to rise to the highest； and to stoop to the lowest flights of art； and to sweep over all of them unobstructed and secure； he is fitter to give example than to receive instruction。
Having said thus much on the union of excellences； I will next say something of the subordination in which various excellences ought to be kept。
I am of opinion that the ornamental style； which in my discourse of last year I cautioned you against considering as principal； may not be wholly unworthy the attention of those who aim even at the grand style； when it is properly placed and properly reduced。
But this study will be used with far better effect； if its principles are employed in softening the harshness and mitigating the rigour of the great style； than if in attempt to stand forward with any pretensions of its own to positive and original excellence。
It was thus Lodovico Caracci； whose example I formerly recommended to you； employed it。 He was acquainted with the works both of Correggio and the Venetian painters； and knew the principles by which they produced those pleasing effects which at the first glance prepossess us so much in their favour； but he took only as much from each as would embellish； but not overpower； that manly strength and energy of style； which is his peculiar character。
Since I have already expatiated so largely in my former discourse； and in my present； upon the styles and characters of painting； it will not be at all unsuitable to my subject if I mention to you some particulars relative to the leading principles； and capital works of those who excelled in the great style； that I may bring you from abstraction nearer to practice； and by exemplifying the propositions which I have laid down； enable you to understand more clearly what I would enforce。
The principal works of modern art are in fresco； a mode of painting which excludes attention to minute elegancies： yet these works in fresco are the productions on which the fame of the greatest masters depend： such are the pictures of Michael Angelo and Raffaelle in the Vatican； to which we may add the cartoons； which； though not strictly to be called fresco； yet may be put under that denomination； and such are the works of Giulio Romano at Mantua。 If these performances were destroyed； with them would be lost the best part of the reputation of those illustrious painters； for these are justly considered as the greatest efforts of our art which the world can boast。 To these； therefore； we should principally direct our attention for higher excellences。 As for the lower arts； as they have been once discovered； they may
