Art

The variety of color in objects cannot be discerned at a great distance, excepting in those parts which are directly lighted up by the solar rays.

A single and distinct luminous body causes stronger relief in the objects than a diffused light; as may be seen by comparing one side of a landscape illuminated by the sun, and one overshadowed by clouds, and illuminated only by the diffused light of the atmosphere.

The vivacity and brightness of colors in a landscape will never bear any comparison with a landscape in nature when it is illumined by the sun, unless the painting is placed in such a position that it will receive the same light from the sun as does the landscape.

Men and words are ready made, and you, O Painter, if you do not know how to make your figures move, are like an orator who knows not how to use his words.

Many will be busied in taking away from a thing, which will grow in proportion as it is diminished.

Sculptured figures which appear in motion, will, in their standing position, actually look as if they were falling forward.

Those who become enamored of the art, without having previously applied to the diligent study of the scientific part of it, may be compared to mariners who put to the sea in a ship without rudder or compass and therefore cannot be certain of arriving at the wished for port.

The painter who draws by practice and judgment of the eye without the use of reason is like the mirror which reproduces within itself all the objects which are set opposite to it without knowledge of the same.

I have solved what color is, however ; I still have no idea about what line is.

Make an effort to collect the good features from many beautiful faces.

Painting is concerned with the ten things you can see: these are darkness and brightness, substance and color, form and place, remoteness and near ness, movement and rest.

A good painter has two main objects to paint, man and the intention of his soul. The former is easy, the latter hard as he has to represent it by the attitude and movement of the limbs.

Make your faces so that they do not all have the same expression, as one sees with most painters, but give them different expression, according to age, complexion, and good or bad character.

The human being, creature of eyes, needs the image.

Good writing comes from good talent.

The first object of the painter is to make a flat plane appear as a body in relief and projecting from that plane.

We may call painting the grandchild of nature.

How painting surpasses all human works by reason of the subtle possibilities which it contains.

Perspective is a most subtle discovery in mathematical studies, for by means of lines it causes to appear distant that which is near, and large that which is small.

He only moves toward the perfection of his art whose criticism surpasses his achievement.

A painter was asked why, since he made such beautiful figures, which were but dead things, his children were so ugly; to which the painter replied that he made his pictures by day, and his children by night.

The imagination is to the effect as the shadow to the opaque body which causes the shadow.

The painter or draftsman ought to be solitary, in order that the well-being of the body not sap the vigor of the mind.

O painter, take care lest the greed for gain prove a stronger incentive than renown in art, for to gain this renown is a 80 far greater thing than is the renown of riches.