IMITATIE (n. f.)
TERM USED IN EARLY TRANSLATIONS
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Dit is dan dese naeboetsinghe, die men ghemeyndelick d'Imitatie noemt, uyt welcke de Teycken-Konst, de Schilder-Konst, de Giet-Konst en al 'andere Konsten van desen aerd voord-spruyten. Oock so is 't dat dese Imitatie van Philostratus {in proaemio Iconum} genaemt wordt een seer oude vont ende met de Nature selver wonderlick wel overeen komende. […]Oock soo en moghen wy in 't minste niet eens twijfelen of 't grootste deel der Konsten, ghelijck den selvighen Quintilianus elders {orat. Instit. Lib. X. cap. 2} steunt op d'imitatie, jae dat noch meer is, 't gantsche belydt onses levens bestaet daerin dat wy altijdt vaerdighlick naetrachten, 't ghene wy in andere hoogh achten.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] This is than that imitation, which one commonly calls imitation, from which the Art of Drawing, the Art of Painting, the Art of Casting and all the other Arts of this earth spring forth. Just as this Imitation is called by Philostratus {…} a very old source and wonderfully similar to Nature itself. […]Just like that we cannot doubt in the least or 'the larger part of the Art, like the same Quintilianus [says] elsewhere {…}, leans on Imitation, yes even more so, the whole ruling of our lives consists therein that we always capably aim to that which we esteem highly in others.
For the translation, I could not find a suitable synonym for Imitation, that would reflect the sense of the Dutch term 'nabootsing'/'imitatie'. [MO]
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Beneffens dese voornoemde Imitatie der naturelicker lichaemen door welcke de Konstenaers aengeleyd worden om allerley sienelicke dingen nae 't leven uyt te drucken, so staet ons alhier noch een andere soorte van Imitatie aen te mercken, door welcke den Konstenaer sich verstoutet oock soodaenighe dinghen af te beelden die van 's menschen ghesicht verde sijn afgescheyden. Ende al hoewel de voornaemste kracht van dese imitatie in de fantasije bestaet, soo is het nochtans dat wy d'eerste beginselen deser imaginatie onsen ooghen moeten danck weten; want d'inwendighe verbeeldinghen die in onse ghedachten spelen, konnen daer in noyt ghefatsoenert worden 't en sy dat wy eerst de ghedaente der dinghen ergens in 't rouwe met onse ooghen hebben aenschouwet, of ten minsten met d'een of d'ander onser vijf sinnen hebben ghevoelt.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Besides this aforementioned Imitation of natural bodies by which the Artists are stimulated to express all sorts of visible things after life, we should here consider another type of Imitation, by which the Artists dares to also depict such things that are far removed from man's view. And although the principal power of this imitation exists in the fantasy, then we should still thank our eyes for the first beginnings of this imagination; as the internal representations that play in our thoughts can never be modeled there, unless we have first beheld the shape of things somewhere in coarse with our eyes, or at least have felt with one or another of our five senses.
Junius identifies to types or levels of imitation. The first type occupies itself with expressing the natural world directly. The second type of imitation starts by this direct observation of nature, but subsequently processes this observation in the mind, by means of fantasy.[MO]
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Dit selvighe wordt ons noch duydelicker voor ghestelt in die treffelicke saemen-sprekinghe die nae 't verhael van Philostratus ghehouden is gheweest tusschen Thespesion den voornaemsten der Gymnosophisten ende Apollonius Tyaneus. De woorden van Philostratus {Lib VI de vita Apollonii, cap. 9} sijn aenmerkenswaerd, Hebben Phidias en Praxiteles seght Thespesion, den Hemel bekommen ende vandaer e ghedaente der Goden tot de Konst neder ghebracht; of is het wat anders, 't welck hun de ghestaltenisse der Goden heeft leeren af-vormen? Vry wat anders, seght Apollonius, en dat vol van allerley wijsheydt. Wat is doch dat? Seght Thespesion, want du en wetest behalven d'Imitatie anders niet voordt te brenghen. De fantasije, seght Apollonius, heeft dese dinghen voltrocken, als wesende een Konstenaer vele wijser dan d'Imitatie. Want d'Imitatie werkt maer alleen wat sy ghesien heeft; de fantasije werckt oock wat sy niet ghesien en heeft s'haer selven 't ghene sy noyt gheseien heeft voorstellende met een opsicht op 't ghene in de nature is, noch soo wordt d'Imitatie menighmael door een verbaesde dusyelinghe verhindert; de fantasije daer en teghen wil sich niet laeten stutten, maer sy vaere koenelick voordt in 't ghene sy voor heeft.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] The same is explained to us even clearer in the striking dialogue which according to Philostratus was held between Thespesion the most prominent amongst the Gymnosophists and Apollonius Tyaneus. The words of Philostratus {…} are remarkable, Have Phidias and Praxiteles says Thespeison, climbed the Heavens and from there brought down the shape of the Gods to the Art; or is it something else, that has taught them to reproduce the shape of the Gods? Truly something else, says Apollonius, filled with all sorts of wisdom. What then is this? Says Thespesion, because you do not know to produce anything besides Imitation. Fantasy, says Apollonius, has developed these things, being an Artist much wiser than Imitation. Because Imitation only makes what it has seen; fantasy also makes what she has not seen and she has by imagining to hetself that which she has never seen by looking towards that which is in nature, similarly Imitation is often obstructed by an unexpected dizziness; fantasy by contrast does not let herself be stopped, but she boldly sails on in that which she intends.
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Staet ons dan alhier naeuw te letten op dese woorden van Quintilianus, daer en is nerghens yet, seght hy {orat. Instit. Lib. 10, cap. 2}, welcke door enckele imitatie toe neemt: ende indien het ongheoorloft waere gheweest tot hetgene ghevonden was yet-wat toe te voeghen, wy en souden als noch anders gheen Schilder-konst hebben dan die d'uytersterste linien van de schaduwe der lichaemen nae-treckt. Slaat uwe ooghen waer-waerd ghy wilt, nochtans houdt ick my selven daervan ver-sekert, dat ghy nerghens eenighe konsten sult ontmoeten die sich binnen d'enge palen haere eerster beginselen ghehouden hebben.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] We should then pay close attention to these words by Quintilianus, there is nowhere something, he says {…}, which augments through simple imitation: and if it were improper to add something to that which had been found, we still would not have any other Art of Painting than one which draws after the outer lines of the shadow of bodies. Shed your eyes wherever you want, I am sure that you will nowhere meet any arts that have remained inside the narrow poles of her first principles.
In this extract, basing himself on Quintilianus, Junius explains that the first paintings consisted of the simplest form of imitation : the tracing of shadows by means of lines. He calls this ‘the first principles of art’ and adds that art has developed far beyond it now. On page 22, Junius has already discussed this topos, in that case by citing Pliny the Elder. [MO]
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Wy moeten in 't eerste daer op letten, wat voor Konstenaers wy bestaen nae te volghen; in die ghene dewelcke wy ons selven aldus voorstellen; want wy ontmoeten selfs in d'alder volmaeckste Konstenaers eenighe dinghen die laeckenswaerdt sijn: en 't waere wel te wenschen dat ghelijck wy 't quaede 't welck in de Konstenaers ghevonden wordt ergher maecken, dat wy even alsoo 't goede beter uytdruckten. Even wel nochtans soo en is het den ghenen die oordeels ghenoegh hebben om de fouten groote Meesters te vermijden niet ghenoegh dat sy maer alleenlick een ydele schaduwe haere deughden nae volghen, overmidts d'Imitatie dan eerst prijswaerdigh schijnt te wesen als sy de volle kracht der Konst in de voornaemste dinghen heeft ghetroffen. Dies worden oock die ghene voor onvroedt ende onbesint gehouden, de welcke de deugheden van groote Meesters niet wel-doorgrondet hebbende op 't eerste ghesicht te werck gaen, meynende dat hun d'Imitatie wonderlick wel gheluckt is als sy d'uytgelesen wercken der ouder Konstenaeren eenigher wijse in 't nae-trecken van Linien en 't opsmeeren van Coleuren hebben afghebeeldet, daer sy nochtans verde van de rechte kracht der selvigher verscheyden sijn.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Firstly we should pay attention to what kind of Artists we had best imitate; in those which we then imagine ourselves; as we even meet some things that are condemnable in the most perfect Artists: and it is good to wish that, like we make the bad that is found in Artists worse, that we also express the good better. Similarly it is currently not enough to those who have enough judgement to avoid the mistakes of great Masters to only imitate the idle shadow of their virtues, as the imitation only appears to be praiseworthy when she strikes the full power of Art in the principal things. This is also held as unwise and thoughtless in those who, not having penetrated the virtues of the great Masters well, work from first sight, thinking that their Imitation has succeeded wonderfully well when they have depicted the exquisite works of the old Artists in some way by the tracing of lines and the smearing of colours, although they are still further from the true power of it.
Junius explains the importance of selecting which artists and which aspects to imitate (‘navolgen’). He goes on to explain that, in imitation, it is necessary to avoid mistakes that were made and portray only the aspects that convey the true power of an artwork. Junius uses ‘imitatie’ and ‘navolgen’ as equivalents. [MO]
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't Ghene wy voor desen alreede voor ghehouden hebben, moet hier en elders al wederom verhaelt worden; dat wy naemlick de kracht der oprechter imitatie niet behooren te stellen in 't nae-aepen van uytwendighe verciersels, maer dat wy meest van allen d'inwendighe kracht des wercks moeten uyt drucken. Laet ons dan altijdt nieuwe achtinghe daer op nemen, wat een sonderlinghe bevalligheydt d'oude Meesters in 't wercken ghehadt hebben; hoedaenigh haer voornemen gheweest is; wat maniere van stellinghe sy hebben ghebruyckt, als oock hoe dat hun selfs die dinghen, dewelcke maer alleen tot vermaeck scheenen te dienen, den wegh tot eenen eeuwigen naem hebben ghebaent. Voor end'alleer wy dese dinghen grondighlick begrijpen, soo en is het ons niet moghelick d'oude wel nae te volghen.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] That which we have already proposed, has to be retold here and elsewhere; namely that we should not place the power of honest imitation in aping external embellishments, but that we most of all have to express the internal force of the work. Let us then always reconsider this anew, what a remarkable gracefulness the old Master have had in working; what has been her aim; which manner of composition they have used, as well as how those things which appeared to have only served entertainment, have paved the way to eternal fame. Not before we understand these things thoroughly, it is impossible to us to imitate the old well.
Anciens (les)
This section is not present in the first Latin edition (1637), but is included in the later Latin editions (1694). [MO]
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Want als dese groote Meesters bevonden dat hun haere fantasije volmaeckt ter verbeeldingen sonder eenigh exempel voor droegh, soo en konde het niet gheschieden dat sulcken puyck der menschen de rechte reden soo verde van sich soude verbannen, als dat sy de liefde van een mis-prijselicke ghewoonte hoogher souden achten dan 't ghene sy verstonden de Konst dienstigher te sijn. Dus blijckt het hoe gantsch grooten goedt dese fantasije te weghe brenght; wanneer sy naemelick de wackere verstanden der Konstenaeren van den onvruchtbaeren arbeydt der ghewoonelicker imitatie tot een groot-moedigher stoutigheydt overbrenght, soo dat sy haer selven nu niet meer aen soo een slaefachtighe maniere van doen verbinden, maer bestaen met eenen vryen Gheest verder te gaen dan haere voorganghers wel oyt hebben gedaen.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Because if these great Masters thought that their fantasy presented them representations completely without any example, then it could not happen that such splendid men would ban the true reason so far, that they would consider the love of a disdainful habit better than that which they understood to be more useful for the Art. So it becomes clear how much good this fantasy brings forth; namely when she conducts the alert minds of Artists from the unprofitable labour of the usual imitation to generous boldness, such that they no longer relate to such a slavish manner, but manage with a free mind manage to go further than their predecessors ever did.
In this excerpt, Junius calls imitation a ‘slavish manner’, which can be improved by means of fantasy. As such, imitation is placed in a negative light. [MO]
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De Poesije ende de Schilder-Konst sijn oock daer in malkanderen gelijck datse haer selven allebeyde meest met d'imitatie besigh houden. Wy sien 't daghelicks hoe niet alleen de Poeten maer oock de Schilders door eenen onderlinghen naer-yver ofte aemulatie de ghedaente der Goden met een stoute handt af-beelden, oock soo besteden sy haeren arbeydt om den mensche met t'saemen 't menschelick bedrijf uyt te drucken.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Poetry and Painting are also equal to each other, in that they occupy themselves mostly with imitation. We see daily how not only the Poets but the Painters as well because of a mutual envy or emulation portray the shape of Gods with a bold hand, just as they use their labor to express together the human activity.
In this citation, Junius connects emulation to ‘naer-yver’ (envy), but makes a difference. Emulation is used in the practical sense of ‘emulating’ colleagues and is seen as an aspect of the work of painters. Junius refers to the aemulation between Painters (and Poets) amongst themselves. Junius remarks on the similarity between painters and poets : both compete amongst eachother while depicting the Gods, so he sees no difference between painting and poetry here. [MO]
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…de Schilderye is een swijghende Poesye; de Poesye daer en teghen is een sprekende Schilderye. Op welck segghen Plutarchus dese woorden toe past, die dinghen, seght hy {Bellone an pace clariores fuerent Athenienses}, dewelcke de Schilder-Konst vertoont als offe teghenwoordighlick gedaen wierden, de selvighe stelt ons de spraeck-konst voor ooghen als offe langhe te vooren gheschiedt waeren, ende ghelijck de Schilders dat met verwen afbeelden, 't gene de Schrijvers met woorden uytdrucken, soo is 't dat sy maer alleen verschillen in de materie en maniere van imitatie; want sy hebben alle beyde 't selvige oogenmerck.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] … the Painting is a silent Poem, the Poem on the other hand is a speaking Painting. On this saying Plutarchus applies these words, those things, he says {…}, which Painting shows as if they are currently being done, rhetoric offers us the same [NDR: things] as if they have happened long before, and like the Painters depict that with paint, which Writers express with words, it is thus that they only differ in the matter and manner of imitation; since they both have the same aim.
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't Gaet vast en seker dat d'alderbeste Meesters die hare Konst in Koper, Yvoor, Marmer, ofte oock in verscheydene verwen oeffenen, uyt de naturelicke dinghen selver eenigh grondt-leeringhen trecken om haere imitatie nae 't voorschrift der selvigher te richten, om niet alleen den gantschen omtreck der voorghestelder lichaemen recht wel te treffen, maer oock om 't licht ende de schaduwe, de verhooginghen ende de verdiepingen nae 't leven uyt te drucken.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] It is certain that the very best Masters who practice their Art in Copper, Ivory, Marble, or also in different paints, extract some precepts from the natural things themselves to direct their imitation after the precepts of this, to not only strike the entire contour of the depicted bodies well, but also to express the light and shadow, the highlights and depths after life.
This section is not present in the first Latin edition of 1637, but is included in the 1694 editions. [MO]
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Wy aenschouwen de Schilderije van een hagedisse, van een Simme, van Tersites tronie met lust ende verwonderingh, seght Plutarchus {de poesis aud.}, meer om de ghelijckenisse die wy daer in sien dan om de schoonheyd. Want alhoewel men het ghene in sijn eyghen nature leelick is niet en kan schoon maecken, d'imitatie van schoone of leelicke dinghen werd nochtans sonder eenigh onderscheyd gepresen.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] We behold the Painting of a lizard, of an Ape, or of the face of Tersites with desire and astonishment, says Plutarchus {…}, more for the similitude that we see in it than for the beauty. Because although one cannot make beautiful that which is in his one nature ugly, the imitation of beautiful or ugly things is nevertheless praised without any distinction.
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Die gene daer-en-tegen, die andere navolgen ende blijven navolgen, zijn even als die, welcke langs de grondt blijven kruypen, ende uyt vreese van te vallen niet op haer eyghen beenen derven staen, veel min haer selven aenporren om het gene daer andere nalatigh in zijn geweest, te verbeteren, ofte yets toe te voegen. Vande sulcke seght Davincy datse geen Echte Soonen, maer alleen Neven van de Konst en mogen genoemt werden. {Wat Davincy seyde vande gene die nalatigh in de verbeteringh van haer doen waren.} Waerom oock Iunius seght dat sulcke navolgingh een slaefse Imitatie is, den aenkomelingen meer schadelijck dan profijtelijck;
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Those, on the other hand, who imitate others and keep on imitating, are like those who keep on crawling close to the ground, and do not dare to stand on their own feet out of a fear to fall, even less push themselves to improve that where others have been negligent, or to add something. About such [artists] Da Vinci says that they are no real Sons, but may only be called Cousins of Art. {What Da Vinci said of those who were negligent in improving their action.} Why Junius also says that such imitation is a slavish imitation, more harmful than profitable for beginners;
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[…] Want (seght hy op een andere plaets) daer en is niets ’t welck door de enckele Imitatie toeneemt: Ende indien het ongeoorloft waere gheweest, tot het gene gevonden was, yets toe te voegen, wy souden als noch anders geen Schilder-Konst hebben, dan die d’uyterste Lynien van de schaduwen der Lichamen natreckt.
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] […] As (he says somewhere else) there is nothing which increases through simple imitation: And if it had been inacceptable, to add something to that which was found, we would not have any other Art of Painting, than one which traces the outer lines of the shadows of bodies.
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De moderne Teekenkonst is, diemen van jongs op leerd, door een natuurlyk begrip, en oeffening der handen, dewelke zo noodzaakelyk is, datmen onmoogelyk tot de tweede kan koomen, dan alvoorens haar, korrekt en vast te kennen, als zynde de grondslag van t’geheel. […] is voor zo ver een goed modern teekenaar, dewyl niet meer vereyscht wordt, als een eenvoudige imitatie, of naarbootzing, zonder het minste af, of toe te doen; Zy vraagt, nog wijst niet, wat goed en kwaad is in de voorwerpen? maar laat haar vergnoegen, als zy zo ver zyn, wyzende hen lieden dan verders, een trap hooger, naar haar Zuster Antik, die ouwer en wyzer is: Dat’s voor zoveel de moderne, en Algemeene Teekenkonst betreft, als zynde noodzaakelyk.
[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] The modern art of drawing is that which one learns since childhood, through a natural understanding and practice of the hands, which is so necessary, that one can impossibly obtain the second, before one knows her correctly and steadily, as the basis of it all. […] is thus far a good modern draughtsman, as nothing else is demanded but a simple imitation, without deleting or adding anything; She does not ask or points out, what is good or bad in the objects, but limits herself, when they have advanced this much, to point them ahead, to a next step, to her sister Antiquity, who is older and wiser: That’s it for as far as the modern and general art of drawing is concerned, being necessary.