GOEREE, Willem, Natuurlyk en schilderkonstig Ontwerp der Menschkunde leerende niet alleen de kennis van de Gestalte, Proportie, Schoonheyd, Muskelen, Bewegingen, Actien, Passien, en Welstand der Menschbeelden : Tot de Teykenkunde, Schilderkunde, Beeldhouwery, Bootseer en Giet-Oeffening toepassen : maar ook hoe sich een Mensch na deselve Regelen, in allerhande Doeningh van Gaan, Staan, Loopen, Torssen, Dragen, Arbeyden, Spreken en andere Gebeerden : Bevallig en Verstandilijk aanstellen zal, Amsterdam, Wilhelmus Goeree, 1682.
As an author, Goeree published on art and (the history of) religion. In 1668, he published Verlichterie-kunde of recht gebruyck der water-verwen. The book was bounded in the same volume as the Inleydinge tot de Al-ghemeene Teycken-Konst, also written by Goeree. In 1670, the Inleydingh tot de practijck der al-gemeene Schilder-Konst followed. Willem Goeree had the intention to write a six-volume magnum opus on the Art of Painting. In the preface to the reader in the Inleydingh tot de practijck der al-gemeene Schilder-konst of 1670, he writes that, apart from the volumes on Drawing and Painting, this book – which he calls “onse geheele Schilderkonst” – would consist of books on Perspective, Anatomy, Architecture, Composition and Invention (“Ordineeringh and Inventeeringh”) and Light and Colour (“…de kracht en Eygenschap der schaduwen, dagen, reflexien en houdinge en wat verder in ‘t coloreeren waer te nemen state, door Wiskundige figueren te betoogen”) and was intended to assist and improve artistic instruction. The Verlichterie-kunde was not part of this series. Only two of the envisioned other volumes were published: one on Architecture (d’Algemeene Bouwkunde volgens d’Antyke en Hedendaagse Manier, 1681) and the other on Anatomy (Natuurlyk en Schilderkonstig Ontwerp der Menschkunde, 1682). Goeree stated in the latter that he had written the volume on composition, but it was never published.
The Natuurlyk en Schilderkonstig Ontwerp der Menschkunde was first published in Amsterdam in 1682. It was to be part of Goeree’s multi-volume work on painting. Goeree dedicated the book to Constantijn Huygens. The treatise was reprinted in 1697, 1704, 1730 and 1753. Unlike Goeree’s other books on art, this treatise was never translated.
As Goeree himself admits, the first part of the book is more about anatomy in general and less about art. However, he stimulates artists to thoroughly acquaint themselves with this subject, in order to become better artists. He pays attention to the different postures and movements, to nationality, age and gender of human figures and to individual body parts. The book includes many illustrations, according to Goeree (p. 17) based on examples by Nicolas Poussin.
A suggested translation of the selected citations is added for the convenience of the database user who might not be familiar with the Dutch language. Please note that this should by no means serve as a definite translation, it is a work in progress.
Marije Osnabrugge
[1] For more information on Goeree’s life and work as a publisher, see: KWAKKELSTEIN, 1998.
Dedication
Constantijn Huygens and Aan den bescheiden leser
Index at [p. 432-452]
Dédicace(s) at [p.*1-*4]
Avis au lecteur at [p. *5-*14]
Avis au relieur at [p. 453]
GOEREE, Willem, Natuurlyk en Schilderkonstig Ontwerp der Menschkunde: Leerende niet alleen de Kennis van de Gestalte, Proportie, Schoonheyd, Muskelen, Bewegingen, Actien, Passien, en Welstand der Mensch-beelden. Tot de Teykenkunde, Schilderkunde, Beeldhouwery, Bootseer en Giet-Oeffening toepassen; Maar ook hoe sig een Mensch na deselve Regelen, in allerhande Doening van Gaan, Staan, Loopen, Torssen, Dragen, Arbeyden, Spreken en andere Gebeerden, Bevallig en Verstandelijk aanstellen zal. Door W. Goeree. In desen tweeden druk, van den Autheur zelfs nader oversien, Amsterdam, Andries van Damme, 1704.
GOEREE, Willem, Natuurlyk en schilderkonstig ontwerp der mensch-kunde: : lerende niet alleen de kennis van de gestalte, proportie, schoonheid, muskele, beweginge, actien, passien, en welstand der menschbeelden. Tot de teykenkunde, schilderkunde, beeldhouwery, bootseer en giet-oeffening toepassen; maar ook hoe zig een mensch na dezelve regelen, in allerhande doeninge van gaan, staan, loopen, torssen, dragen, arbeyde, spreke en andere gebeerde, bevallig en verstandelyk aanstellen zal, Amsterdam, Jacob Graal, 1730.
GOEREE, Willem, Natuurlyk en schilderkonstig Ontwerp der Menschkunde leerende niet alleen de kennis van de Gestalte, Proportie, Schoonheyd, Muskelen, Bewegingen, Actien, Passien, en Welstand der Menschbeelden: Tot de Teykenkunde, Schilderkunde, Beeldhouwery, Bootseer en Giet-Oeffening toepassen: maar ook hoe zig een Mensch na dezelve Regelen, in allerhande Doeninge van Gaan, Staan, Loopen, Torssen, Dragen, Arbeyde, Spreke en andere Gebeerde, Bevallig en Verstandelyk aanstellen zal. Derde Druk, Amsterdam, Jan Roman de jonge, 1753.
GOEREE, Willem, Natuurlyk en schilderkonstig ontwerp der menschkunde: leerende niet alleen de kennis van de gestalte, proportie, schoonheyd, muskelen, bewegingen, actien, passien, en welstand der menschbeelden, Soest, Davaco, 1974.
KWAKKELSTEIN, Michael W., Willem Goeree: inleydinge tot de al-ghemeene teycken-konst: een kritische geannoteerde editie, Leiden, Primavera press, 1998.
VAN DE LINDT, Adriana, « Willem Goeree (1635-1711) : un amateur entre art et Lumières radicales », dans HECK, Michèle-Caroline (éd.), L’histoire de l’histoire de l’art septentrional au XVIIe siècle, Actes des journées d’études de Lille et Bruxelles, Turnhout, Brepols, 2009, p. 155-186.
VAN DE LINDT, Adriana, « Un amateur de Nicolas Poussin aux Provinces-Unies : Willem Goeree (1635 - 1711) », dans MAËS, Gaëtane et BLANC, Jan (éd.), Les échanges artistiques entre les anciens Pays-Bas et la France, 1482 - 1814, Actes du colloque de Lille, Turnhout, Brepols, 2010, p. 331-341.
FILTERS
QUOTATIONS
Indien daar eenige beminnelijke wetenschap waar, in welk een verstandig en geleerd Schilder op ’t minste mogt onkundig bevonden werden, ten magh hem op ’t nauwste genomen, aan geen gedeelte van de Menschkunde hapere: want behalven het onwaardeerlijk nut van dat al de voornaamste wetenschappen uyt de selve ontfangen, soo leyd’t ‘er opsigt van de algemeene Schilderkonst, een volstrekte noodwett, die sonder eenige bewimpeling of verschooning, all Teykenaars, Schilders, Beeldhouwers, Giet oeffennaars, en die verstandelijk van der selver Konstwerken willen spreken; {Menschkunde is den Schilders ten uyterste nut.} ten uitersten verpligt, grondige kennis te hebben, van de ware Schoonheyd der Mensch Beelden: en hoedanig de maatredige Proportie moet geschikt zijn tot de bediening der Ledematen; op dat die in en onder de beweging, welk tot de doening der Actien; en tot de zienelijke uitdrukking der Passien ver-eyst werd, wel bestuurd mogte werden. Gelijk ook de kennis van de uitwendige gestalte en koppeling der Beenderen […] Invoegen wy onbeschroomd durven seggen, dat een Konstenaar die sich hier in t’eenemaal onkundig en verlegen vind, niet de minste grondvest kan hebben, waar op hy sich selven voor een groot meester in de Schilderkonst kan uitgeve; gelijck hy ook geen bequaamheyd sal konnen hebben, om van de stelling of ware schoonheyd der Beelden, verstandelijk te redeneeren.
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] If there is one admirable science in which a reasonable and learned painter should least be found ignorant, he should at least not lack any principle of the Anatomy: because besides the unquestionable use that all the main sciences receive from it, with regards to the general Art of Painting an absolute law that obliges, without any disguise or palliation, all Draughtsmen, Painters, Sculptors, Casters, and those who want to talk wisely about these Artworks; {Anatomy is very useful to the Painters.} to have a profound knowledge of the true Beauty of human figures: and how the balanced Proportion should be applied for the use of body parts; such that they will be moved appropriately in the movement that is necessary for the actions and for the visible expression of the passions. Like the knowledge of the external posture and ligaments of the bones […] We dare to boldly add, that an Artist who finds himself at once lacking and confounded in this, cannot have the smallest base, on which he can claim to be a great master in the Art of Painting, just as he cannot have any capacity to speak judiciously of the posture or true beauty of figures.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] If there is one admirable science in which a reasonable and learned painter should least be found ignorant, he should at least not lack any principle of the Anatomy: because besides the unquestionable use that all the main sciences receive from it, with regards to the general Art of Painting an absolute law that obliges, without any disguise or palliation, all Draughtsmen, Painters, Sculptors, Casters, and those who want to talk wisely about these Artworks; {Anatomy is very useful to the Painters.} to have a profound knowledge of the true Beauty of human figures: and how the balanced Proportion should be applied for the use of body parts; such that they will be moved appropriately in the movement that is necessary for the actions and for the visible expression of the passions. Like the knowledge of the external posture and ligaments of the bones […] We dare to boldly add, that an Artist who finds himself at once lacking and confounded in this, cannot have the smallest base, on which he can claim to be a great master in the Art of Painting, just as he cannot have any capacity to speak judiciously of the posture or true beauty of figures.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] If there is one admirable science in which a reasonable and learned painter should least be found ignorant, he should at least not lack any principle of the Anatomy: because besides the unquestionable use that all the main sciences receive from it, with regards to the general Art of Painting an absolute law that obliges, without any disguise or palliation, all Draughtsmen, Painters, Sculptors, Casters, and those who want to talk wisely about these Artworks; {Anatomy is very useful to the Painters.} to have a profound knowledge of the true Beauty of human figures: and how the balanced Proportion should be applied for the use of body parts; such that they will be moved appropriately in the movement that is necessary for the actions and for the visible expression of the passions. Like the knowledge of the external posture and ligaments of the bones […] We dare to boldly add, that an Artist who finds himself at once lacking and confounded in this, cannot have the smallest base, on which he can claim to be a great master in the Art of Painting, just as he cannot have any capacity to speak judiciously of the posture or true beauty of figures.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] If there is one admirable science in which a reasonable and learned painter should least be found ignorant, he should at least not lack any principle of the Anatomy: because besides the unquestionable use that all the main sciences receive from it, with regards to the general Art of Painting an absolute law that obliges, without any disguise or palliation, all Draughtsmen, Painters, Sculptors, Casters, and those who want to talk wisely about these Artworks; {Anatomy is very useful to the Painters.} to have a profound knowledge of the true Beauty of human figures: and how the balanced Proportion should be applied for the use of body parts; such that they will be moved appropriately in the movement that is necessary for the actions and for the visible expression of the passions. Like the knowledge of the external posture and ligaments of the bones […] We dare to boldly add, that an Artist who finds himself at once lacking and confounded in this, cannot have the smallest base, on which he can claim to be a great master in the Art of Painting, just as he cannot have any capacity to speak judiciously of the posture or true beauty of figures.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] If there is one admirable science in which a reasonable and learned painter should least be found ignorant, he should at least not lack any principle of the Anatomy: because besides the unquestionable use that all the main sciences receive from it, with regards to the general Art of Painting an absolute law that obliges, without any disguise or palliation, all Draughtsmen, Painters, Sculptors, Casters, and those who want to talk wisely about these Artworks; {Anatomy is very useful to the Painters.} to have a profound knowledge of the true Beauty of human figures: and how the balanced Proportion should be applied for the use of body parts; such that they will be moved appropriately in the movement that is necessary for the actions and for the visible expression of the passions. Like the knowledge of the external posture and ligaments of the bones […] We dare to boldly add, that an Artist who finds himself at once lacking and confounded in this, cannot have the smallest base, on which he can claim to be a great master in the Art of Painting, just as he cannot have any capacity to speak judiciously of the posture or true beauty of figures.
Conceptual field(s)
Wanneer wy nasporen willen, op wat grond en om wat reden de Schilderkonst en Beeldvorming, eertijts onder de Grieken en Romeynen, van de geheele wijsheyd soo hoog is verheven geworden wy sullen waarlijk bevinden dat het alleen de wetenschap der Menschkunde geweest is; welke d’Antijke Schilders en Bootseerders seer nauwkeurig aan ’t bestuur van hun pinçeel en beytel hadden vereenight:
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] When we want to retrace, on what ground and for wat reason the Art of Painting and Sculpting has once been elevated so highly from wisdom amongst the Greek and Romans, we should truly find that it was only the knowledge of Anatomy, which the antique painters and sculptors had carefully connected to the handling of their brush and chisel:
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] When we want to retrace, on what ground and for wat reason the Art of Painting and Sculpting has once been elevated so highly from wisdom amongst the Greek and Romans, we should truly find that it was only the knowledge of Anatomy, which the antique painters and sculptors had carefully connected to the handling of their brush and chisel:
Conceptual field(s)
Soo en konnen doch sommige [ndr: schilders] niet al te wel verduwen, datmen haar bestipte regelen wil voorschrijven, om alle uyterlijcke en inwendige deelen, tot de veranderlijcke voorvallen der menschelijke actien en doeningen, ja tot d’uytdrukking der Passien en Zieltogten selfs te leeren uytvoeren; Op datse alsoo niet slegts geschilderde, maar ook sprekende, bewegende, werckende, en denckende beelden in haar Tafereelen souden vertoonen: en voornamelijck konnen eenige van kleyn gesigte niet wel lijden datmen haar dit uyt d’Anatomie oeffening by wijse van ontleed kunde voorstellen wild.
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] As such some [ndr: painters] cannot cope too well that they want to prescribe precise rules to them, to learn to execute all the external and internal parts, in relation to the changing events of human actions and undertakings, yes to the expression of the passions and emotions even; In order for them to not only show painted, but also speaking, moving, working and thinking figures in their Paintings: and especially some of little vision cannot comprehend that one would want to present this from the Anatomy in the sense of the knowledge of dissection.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] As such some [ndr: painters] cannot cope too well that they want to prescribe precise rules to them, to learn to execute all the external and internal parts, in relation to the changing events of human actions and undertakings, yes to the expression of the passions and emotions even; In order for them to not only show painted, but also speaking, moving, working and thinking figures in their Paintings: and especially some of little vision cannot comprehend that one would want to present this from the Anatomy in the sense of the knowledge of dissection.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] As such some [ndr: painters] cannot cope too well that they want to prescribe precise rules to them, to learn to execute all the external and internal parts, in relation to the changing events of human actions and undertakings, yes to the expression of the passions and emotions even; In order for them to not only show painted, but also speaking, moving, working and thinking figures in their Paintings: and especially some of little vision cannot comprehend that one would want to present this from the Anatomy in the sense of the knowledge of dissection.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] As such some [ndr: painters] cannot cope too well that they want to prescribe precise rules to them, to learn to execute all the external and internal parts, in relation to the changing events of human actions and undertakings, yes to the expression of the passions and emotions even; In order for them to not only show painted, but also speaking, moving, working and thinking figures in their Paintings: and especially some of little vision cannot comprehend that one would want to present this from the Anatomy in the sense of the knowledge of dissection.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] As such some [ndr: painters] cannot cope too well that they want to prescribe precise rules to them, to learn to execute all the external and internal parts, in relation to the changing events of human actions and undertakings, yes to the expression of the passions and emotions even; In order for them to not only show painted, but also speaking, moving, working and thinking figures in their Paintings: and especially some of little vision cannot comprehend that one would want to present this from the Anatomy in the sense of the knowledge of dissection.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] As such some [ndr: painters] cannot cope too well that they want to prescribe precise rules to them, to learn to execute all the external and internal parts, in relation to the changing events of human actions and undertakings, yes to the expression of the passions and emotions even; In order for them to not only show painted, but also speaking, moving, working and thinking figures in their Paintings: and especially some of little vision cannot comprehend that one would want to present this from the Anatomy in the sense of the knowledge of dissection.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] As such some [ndr: painters] cannot cope too well that they want to prescribe precise rules to them, to learn to execute all the external and internal parts, in relation to the changing events of human actions and undertakings, yes to the expression of the passions and emotions even; In order for them to not only show painted, but also speaking, moving, working and thinking figures in their Paintings: and especially some of little vision cannot comprehend that one would want to present this from the Anatomy in the sense of the knowledge of dissection.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] As such some [ndr: painters] cannot cope too well that they want to prescribe precise rules to them, to learn to execute all the external and internal parts, in relation to the changing events of human actions and undertakings, yes to the expression of the passions and emotions even; In order for them to not only show painted, but also speaking, moving, working and thinking figures in their Paintings: and especially some of little vision cannot comprehend that one would want to present this from the Anatomy in the sense of the knowledge of dissection.
Conceptual field(s)
Waarom wy dan ook, om dese beschroomde geesten niet bang te maken, het hatelijk en onschilderagtig woord Anatomie veelsints achter de bank smijten, en noemen dese nutte wetenschap liever niet een sagter naam Menschkunde; alhoewel de eerste benaming alrede onder de schilderkunstige konstwoorden, ingehuldigd en gemeen genoeg geworden is. Op de rest antwoorden wy; dat alhoewel, behalven de brodders, selfs eenige van de beroemde meesters der voorige eeuwen, niet geheel vry van de geseyde misslag zijn geweest, en somtijts Naakten hebben gemaakt, daar aan men de Spieren en muskelen niet met een sagte twijffelagtige betrecking, noch met een beklonckene vleesigheyd, of met poeseligheyd, of veilige ontspanningh, of volkomen opspanning en gehoorsaam werkende volsappigheyd, maar die veel eer als klotsen en schollen van harde klippen op en aan den anderen geflanst, schijnd te sien, men nogtans de mistasting van eenige dier groote Geesten soo seer niet en moet afleyden van de al te grondige kennis der muskelen, als wel daar van voorkomende, dat alhoewelse ’t regte pad bewandelen, sy mogelijk noch niet ver genoeg daar in doorgeboord, hun grondige kennis niet genoegsaam met de bevalligheyd van ’t leven en de schoonheyd hebben weten te vereenigen.
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] For this reason, to not scare the shy minds, we would rather throw away the hateful and un-picturesque term Anatomie and prefer to call this useful science with the softer term Menschkunde; although the first term has already become appraised and common amongst the painterly art terms. What the rest is concerned, we answer that, although besides the botchers even some of the famous masters of the previous centuries were not completely void of the aforementioned mistake and sometimes made Nudes in which the muscles are not with a soft doubtful draught nor with a firm fleshiness, nor with plumpness, nor safe relaxation, nor complete tension or obediently working juiciness, but that appear to be cobbled together like blotches and slabs, one should not so much deduct the misguidance of some of those great Minds from the too profound knowledge of muscles, but rather coming from this, that although they walk the righteous path, they have possibly not gone deep enough into it, not having been able to satisfactorily combine their profound knowledge with the gracefulness of life and beauty.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] For this reason, to not scare the shy minds, we would rather throw away the hateful and un-picturesque term Anatomie and prefer to call this useful science with the softer term Menschkunde; although the first term has already become appraised and common amongst the painterly art terms. What the rest is concerned, we answer that, although besides the botchers even some of the famous masters of the previous centuries were not completely void of the aforementioned mistake and sometimes made Nudes in which the muscles are not with a soft doubtful draught nor with a firm fleshiness, nor with plumpness, nor safe relaxation, nor complete tension or obediently working juiciness, but that appear to be cobbled together like blotches and slabs, one should not so much deduct the misguidance of some of those great Minds from the too profound knowledge of muscles, but rather coming from this, that although they walk the righteous path, they have possibly not gone deep enough into it, not having been able to satisfactorily combine their profound knowledge with the gracefulness of life and beauty.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] For this reason, to not scare the shy minds, we would rather throw away the hateful and un-picturesque term Anatomie and prefer to call this useful science with the softer term Menschkunde; although the first term has already become appraised and common amongst the painterly art terms. What the rest is concerned, we answer that, although besides the botchers even some of the famous masters of the previous centuries were not completely void of the aforementioned mistake and sometimes made Nudes in which the muscles are not with a soft doubtful draught nor with a firm fleshiness, nor with plumpness, nor safe relaxation, nor complete tension or obediently working juiciness, but that appear to be cobbled together like blotches and slabs, one should not so much deduct the misguidance of some of those great Minds from the too profound knowledge of muscles, but rather coming from this, that although they walk the righteous path, they have possibly not gone deep enough into it, not having been able to satisfactorily combine their profound knowledge with the gracefulness of life and beauty.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] For this reason, to not scare the shy minds, we would rather throw away the hateful and un-picturesque term Anatomie and prefer to call this useful science with the softer term Menschkunde; although the first term has already become appraised and common amongst the painterly art terms. What the rest is concerned, we answer that, although besides the botchers even some of the famous masters of the previous centuries were not completely void of the aforementioned mistake and sometimes made Nudes in which the muscles are not with a soft doubtful draught nor with a firm fleshiness, nor with plumpness, nor safe relaxation, nor complete tension or obediently working juiciness, but that appear to be cobbled together like blotches and slabs, one should not so much deduct the misguidance of some of those great Minds from the too profound knowledge of muscles, but rather coming from this, that although they walk the righteous path, they have possibly not gone deep enough into it, not having been able to satisfactorily combine their profound knowledge with the gracefulness of life and beauty.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] For this reason, to not scare the shy minds, we would rather throw away the hateful and un-picturesque term Anatomie and prefer to call this useful science with the softer term Menschkunde; although the first term has already become appraised and common amongst the painterly art terms. What the rest is concerned, we answer that, although besides the botchers even some of the famous masters of the previous centuries were not completely void of the aforementioned mistake and sometimes made Nudes in which the muscles are not with a soft doubtful draught nor with a firm fleshiness, nor with plumpness, nor safe relaxation, nor complete tension or obediently working juiciness, but that appear to be cobbled together like blotches and slabs, one should not so much deduct the misguidance of some of those great Minds from the too profound knowledge of muscles, but rather coming from this, that although they walk the righteous path, they have possibly not gone deep enough into it, not having been able to satisfactorily combine their profound knowledge with the gracefulness of life and beauty.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] For this reason, to not scare the shy minds, we would rather throw away the hateful and un-picturesque term Anatomie and prefer to call this useful science with the softer term Menschkunde; although the first term has already become appraised and common amongst the painterly art terms. What the rest is concerned, we answer that, although besides the botchers even some of the famous masters of the previous centuries were not completely void of the aforementioned mistake and sometimes made Nudes in which the muscles are not with a soft doubtful draught nor with a firm fleshiness, nor with plumpness, nor safe relaxation, nor complete tension or obediently working juiciness, but that appear to be cobbled together like blotches and slabs, one should not so much deduct the misguidance of some of those great Minds from the too profound knowledge of muscles, but rather coming from this, that although they walk the righteous path, they have possibly not gone deep enough into it, not having been able to satisfactorily combine their profound knowledge with the gracefulness of life and beauty.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] For this reason, to not scare the shy minds, we would rather throw away the hateful and un-picturesque term Anatomie and prefer to call this useful science with the softer term Menschkunde; although the first term has already become appraised and common amongst the painterly art terms. What the rest is concerned, we answer that, although besides the botchers even some of the famous masters of the previous centuries were not completely void of the aforementioned mistake and sometimes made Nudes in which the muscles are not with a soft doubtful draught nor with a firm fleshiness, nor with plumpness, nor safe relaxation, nor complete tension or obediently working juiciness, but that appear to be cobbled together like blotches and slabs, one should not so much deduct the misguidance of some of those great Minds from the too profound knowledge of muscles, but rather coming from this, that although they walk the righteous path, they have possibly not gone deep enough into it, not having been able to satisfactorily combine their profound knowledge with the gracefulness of life and beauty.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] For this reason, to not scare the shy minds, we would rather throw away the hateful and un-picturesque term Anatomie and prefer to call this useful science with the softer term Menschkunde; although the first term has already become appraised and common amongst the painterly art terms. What the rest is concerned, we answer that, although besides the botchers even some of the famous masters of the previous centuries were not completely void of the aforementioned mistake and sometimes made Nudes in which the muscles are not with a soft doubtful draught nor with a firm fleshiness, nor with plumpness, nor safe relaxation, nor complete tension or obediently working juiciness, but that appear to be cobbled together like blotches and slabs, one should not so much deduct the misguidance of some of those great Minds from the too profound knowledge of muscles, but rather coming from this, that although they walk the righteous path, they have possibly not gone deep enough into it, not having been able to satisfactorily combine their profound knowledge with the gracefulness of life and beauty.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] For this reason, to not scare the shy minds, we would rather throw away the hateful and un-picturesque term Anatomie and prefer to call this useful science with the softer term Menschkunde; although the first term has already become appraised and common amongst the painterly art terms. What the rest is concerned, we answer that, although besides the botchers even some of the famous masters of the previous centuries were not completely void of the aforementioned mistake and sometimes made Nudes in which the muscles are not with a soft doubtful draught nor with a firm fleshiness, nor with plumpness, nor safe relaxation, nor complete tension or obediently working juiciness, but that appear to be cobbled together like blotches and slabs, one should not so much deduct the misguidance of some of those great Minds from the too profound knowledge of muscles, but rather coming from this, that although they walk the righteous path, they have possibly not gone deep enough into it, not having been able to satisfactorily combine their profound knowledge with the gracefulness of life and beauty.
Conceptual field(s)
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] For this reason, to not scare the shy minds, we would rather throw away the hateful and un-picturesque term Anatomie and prefer to call this useful science with the softer term Menschkunde; although the first term has already become appraised and common amongst the painterly art terms. What the rest is concerned, we answer that, although besides the botchers even some of the famous masters of the previous centuries were not completely void of the aforementioned mistake and sometimes made Nudes in which the muscles are not with a soft doubtful draught nor with a firm fleshiness, nor with plumpness, nor safe relaxation, nor complete tension or obediently working juiciness, but that appear to be cobbled together like blotches and slabs, one should not so much deduct the misguidance of some of those great Minds from the too profound knowledge of muscles, but rather coming from this, that although they walk the righteous path, they have possibly not gone deep enough into it, not having been able to satisfactorily combine their profound knowledge with the gracefulness of life and beauty.
Conceptual field(s)
En dus isset bygekomen datter ook somtijts Moden in de Schilderkonst sijn opgekomen, {Moden in de Schilderkonst.} die by na algemeen doorbraken: onder welcke de trant van verkramte Menschbeelden, diemen Sprangers Greepjes noemde, al mede mag ingeteld werden. Gelijkmen verder in de sukkel-tijt der Schilderkonst, en ’t leven der vermaarde Meesters kan ontwaar werden.
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] And as such it has happened that sometimes Fashions have risen in the Art of Painting, {Fashions in the Art of Painting.} that were almost commonly established: amongst which may be counted the manner of cramped human figures, that one called Sprangers Greepjes. Like one can furthermore discern in the age of idiots of the Art of Painting and the life of famous masters.
Goeree shows an awareness of a development in Painting. In this case he dismisses the exaggerated musculature in the work of Bartholomeus Spranger and his contemporaries, calling this period (Manierism) ‘the age of idiots’. He repeats his dismissal of Spranger’s style on page 249 and has a comparable judgement of Hendrick Goltzius (Hoofdstuk XI, p. 405-406). [MO]
Conceptual field(s)
In die tijt dat eenige Meesters haar in de Mensch kunde verliepen en sommige te kort schoten, hebben sich eenige veel bescheydender aangesteld, {Wat sommige meesters hebben gedaan om de vervalle Menschkunde te XX.} gelijk hunne Tafereelen en printen aanwijsen. Men getuygt van den Florentijnschen Schilder Dello dat hy een van de eerste is geweest onder de moderne, die met een verstandig oordeel de muskelen, volgens de actien en werckingen begonde te vertoonen. Insgelijx werd van den Schilder Rosso verhaald dat hy de Dooden stellswijse ontgroef, en met groote neerstigheyd daar een Anatomie of Menschkunde uyt maakte. Seker die tot de algemeene Lees-oeffening en beschouwing der voorbeelden, beneffens ’t geduurig Teykenen van Academie-beelden, te mets gelegentheyd kan vinden om het dood lichaam van een mensch te sien ontleden, of sulx op een zedige wijse selfs te doen, die heeft de middel in de hand om met opmerking de konstige samenstel van het grootste meesterstuk der schepping wel te doorgronden, en ’t geen hy hier na ’t leven in een doode romp siet, tot de regelen van sijn konst over te brengen.
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] In the period when some Masters overestimated themselves in the Anatomy and some failed, some have behaved themselves much more modestly, as their works and prints demonstrate. {What some master have done to XX [ndr: illegible] the decayed Anatomy.} People testify that the Florentine Painter Dello was the first under the modern [ndr: artists], who started to portray the muscles with an intelligent judgement according to the actions and movements. Likewise it was said about the painter Rosso that he systematically exhumed the dead and made an Anatomy out of them with great diligence. Certainly, he who, for the general practice and observation of examples, besides the frequent Drawing of Academy-figures, can also find the opportunity to observe the dissection of the dead body of a man, or do such a thing himself in a decent way, he has the means to penetrate the artful invention of the biggest masterpiece of creation with observation, and to bring that which he sees here after life in a dead corpse into the rules of his art.
DELLO (unidentified)
Modernes (Les)
ROSSO FIORENTINO (Giovanni Battista di Jacopo)