[proposition de traduction, Léonard Pouy:] Le bon arrangement des jours et des ombres est l’une des principales couronnes dont doit se parer un bon peintre, car il apporte à notre art sa bienséance. Car lorsque les ombres sont arrangées à leurs propres places les unes à côté des autres, elles possèdent un pouvoir tellement enchanteur et une convenance si merveilleuse, qu’elles font apparaître comme tout à fait vraies certaines choses qu’il est difficile d’imiter avec un pinceau et des couleurs.

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Moreover the characteristics and power of light and shadow should be understood well and observed, {Also lights and shadows.} so one will not show these contradictorily to its place, figure or unnaturally of color and power, but that it is shaped after the uniformity of the general light, be it summer days, sunshine, morning or evening skies, moonlight, candle light and other occasions or moderations of the Air:

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] It is not advisable, says Franciscus Junius, that we surrender ourselves to just one Master, to follow him in every way: Apelles doubtlessly was the most famous, yet some have surpassed him in one or another element: He may have been praised by the Old Master, but not that only he should be imitated. {How one has to choose the best of different Masters and combine it.} It would be Good to become like Apelles, but it cannot hurt if to the gracefulness of Apelles one adds the happy audacity of Zeuxis, the relentless diligence of Protogenes, the strong profoundness of Nicophanes; and the virtues of others, would be added. As such we also say, how can it hurt if we want to imitate Raphael of Urbino as a burning torch for its lovely composition, virtuous action of the figures, and great thoughts, that we attempt to obtain the good Drawing and steady contours of Carracci, Testa and the others; the gracefulness, graceful pleasance and rich Majesty of Pietro da Cortona, the wise observation of flat shadows and lights, folds and natural Coloring of Poussin, Barocci, Simon Vouet and what one judges to be worth imitating after his mood and talent, in other Masters.

APELLES
BAROCCI, Frederico
CARRACCI, Annibale
DA CORTONA, Pietro (Pietro Berrettini)
JUNIUS, Franciscus
NICOPHANES
POUSSIN, Nicolas
PROTOGENES
RAFFAELLO (Raffaello Sanzio)
TESTA, Pietro
VOUET, Simon
ZEUXIS

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] If someone truly deserves the name of great Master, and that his Works are judged to be filled with the true virtue of Art, and that they have all the necessities such as good Design and proportion, acceptable distribution of colors and harmony in them, that coincide with the location of the light, in which the objects are placed; and that the shadows and lights are appropriate, after the occasion in which they originate; and that furthermore all the Figures are placed and colored after the content of the History that one wants to portray; moreover that they produce their actions and passions carefully and naturally, which coincide with their whole pose; as such one may trust his Art, yet be humble of heart and social in interaction: {What pride often generates.} Because pride makes our enemies deceitful, to undermine our good name and fame with Lies and evil guiles; which can only be defeated by behaving oneself honorable with regard to the lesser Masters.

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] {Remark about the Art of Imitation.} Beforehand we should point out that one can stimulate Children to anything that concerns the Art of Painting by means of the Art of following or imitation, because although it is impossible to prescribe everything that the Art of Drawing entails separately, as such the Art of Imitation gives great assistance to the Art of Drawing. Where can one find a Painter (says Quintilian), who has learned to draw everything that occurs in nature, yet an artful Master who has the right manner of imitation is never wanting to nicely depict all that occurs to him. After we have gotten the young pupils going with the instruction of the small principles of imitation, and that they have obtained the principle of imitation by this first action, as such they should be kept busy diligently and long with the drawing after good well-executed and comprehensive Drawings, which we believe to be much more useful and adequate than any Art of Print; {Drawing after Drawings is very useful.} the reason for this is that in a good Drawing they will not only see the composition, steady Drawing, sensible whiteness of the contours, light and shadow, touches and highlights, but they will also see the manner of treatment and nature of drawing, which they cannot see and therefore cannot learn from a Print, except after a long time and great sad labour, often without obtaining a steady manner, causing that their things will sometimes occur like this or that, haphazardly.

QUINTILIANUS

This section is not included in the English translation. [MO]

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] {Night-light causes hard shadows.} Yet while Drawing by Night-light has this issue, that it causes very hard and cut-off shades and strong lights, why many end up with cruelty, Coppery glittering highlights, flickering lights and glassy reflections, which is why some try to guard themselves against this by placing between the light and the model a pane of fine and thinly oiler Paper, to make the shades softer. (…) {Daylight is the natural and best light.} However, of all of these the daylight should be praised most of all and is therefore the most advisable; as one can see a simple evenness of day and shadow and a natural reflection in it:

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] {How to achieve flatness.} In addition this manner will lead you the way towards the flatness, and the observation of beautiful lights and evenly large shadows. These are obtained through the manner of angularity, when one makes large and general darkness and lights, without interrupting or spoiling it by any other things that may occur in it or by the quickness [ndr: problematic translation]; (…) and this should generally be observed both in the Nudes, Drapery and other bodies, which could easily be spoiled if one fails to pay attention to it.

[translation: BEURS, en préparation, transl. Myra Scholz :] {White and black} 4. White is the surface of an object to the extent that it reflects many light rays at the same angle from which they struck it, and thus black is a surface that can bring none or very few of them to our eye, to affect it in a noticeable way. {How they can be described, and their uses} 5. Those materials or surfaces of objects can therefore be described as light and dark, on which things are made reasonably recognizable for the eye by depictions of well-lit parts and shadows, as one can see in prints, with hatching or in mezzotint, and in various paintings made only with black and white; for this reason they can also be used to lighten or darken all colors, as needed.

[translation: BEURS, en préparation, transl. Myra Scholz:] And although animals can be drawn—that is, depicted just with light and shadow, or in a more detailed way with crayons or water colors—there is nevertheless no more lifelike, and at the same time more durable way to portray them than with oil paints.

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1738, p.18:] Let us proceed now to the second of the Parts wherein Beauty consists, namely, The Motion of the Members. This depends chiefly on contrasting or Opposition of all the Members of the Body, and on their Lights and Shades ; which give a Figure Motion and Life […]

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1787, p. 321-322:] Le contraste des attitudes ou des mouvemens des figures est fondé sur des règles certaines, dont on peut s’instruire en peu de tems, & qu’on peut même enseigner aux autres. La proportion des membres peut pareillement être démontrée d’une manière géométrique, ainsi que l’a remarqué Albert Durer ; & il en est de même du clair-obscur, dont on acquiert une connoissance fondée par les loix de la perspective.

DÜRER, Albrecht

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1787, p. 401:] Pour représenter ces réflexions de la manière qu’elles se présentent dans une eau courante, il faut commencer d’abord par les peindre avec leurs jours & leurs ombres, sur un fond qu’on aura fait revenir, en y passant légèrement un peu d’huile tenace ; après quoi l’on prendra un blaireau ou un putois qu’on passera plusieurs fois, d’une manière aussi serrée qu’il est possible, de droite à gauche & de gauche à droite en suivant le fil et les ondulations de l’eau, & en ayant soin de ne pas trop effacer les formes des objets.

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1787, vol.2, p.146-147:] Il y en a qui pensent que les portraits de Van-Dyk ne paroissent que des gouaches quand on les met à côté de ceux du Titien ; à cause que les ouvrages de ce dernier sont d’un coloris & d’un clair-obscur si vigoureux, que ceux de Van-Dyk ne peuvent pas souffrir cette comparaison. Ils prétendent même que le coloris du Titien est d’une beauté inimitable, & rend celui de Van-Dyk foible & froid même : jugement qui ne paroît aussi ridicule qu’injurieux. Je conviens cependant qu’il y a une grande différence entre le coloris du Titien & celui de Van-Dyk ; mais je suis, en même tems, convaincu qu’il n’est pas nécessaire d’avoir recours aux Italiens pour trouver un bon coloris ; car si, par exemple, il ne s’agissoit seulement que de la vigueur, on pourroit citer Rembrand, qui ne le cède certainement pas dans cette partie au Titien. Mais on voit malheureusement que la plûpart du monde suit les idées de ces juges prévenus, qui n’approuvent que la manière des Italiens, tant dans l’histoire que le paysage & le portrait.

École italienne
REMBRANDT (Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn)
TIZIANO (Tiziano Vecellio)
VAN DYCK, Antoon

[D'apres DE LAIRESSE 1738, p. 630:] The Art of Engraving is questionless noble and praise-worthy ; because it respects Painting, as Painting does Nature : For as the latter has Nature for it’s Model or Object, which it faithfully imitates with the Pencil ; so Engraving likewise copies Painting, either with the Needle or Graver, in such Manner as only to stand in Need of Colours ; which, when required, may be added to it. Painting consists in a neat and good Outline [ndr: drawing], Proportion, Light and Shade : And these are also the Foundations of Engraving. Painting distinguishes between common Light and Sunshin : Engraving does, or can do, the same. In fine, whatever the one performs with the Pencil, the other can express with the Needle or Graver, and as neatly, wheather Stuffs of all Kings, Wool, Silk, Sattin, Linnen, Glass, Water, Gold, Wood, Stone &c.

[D'après DE LAIRESSE 1738, p. 630-631:] Fame can tell the many Wonders of Painting in it’s Absence ; but Engraving makes itself every where present […] His work must be like a clear Looking-glass, which exhibits all Objects true and without Falsity. As to the manual Operation, a fine Handling is a great Step to Grace ; and, in order to it, the Knowledge of three Things is absolutely necessary, to wit, The Art of Drawing, Persspective, and the Doctrine of Light and Shade : These, as Principals, compose the Theory of the Whole Work.