but certainly all the Management in the World cannot put together a great number of Figures, and Ornaments, with that Advantage as a few.
Where the Story requires that there be a Crowd of People, there may be some Figures without any Particular Character, which are not Supernumerary, because the Story requires a Crowd. In the Cartons [ndr : les cartons de Raphaël] there are very few Idle Figures : Nor are all those such that may seem to be so ; there are two in the Carton of S. Paul Preaching that are walking at a distance amongst the Buildings, but these serve well to intimate that there were some who like Gallio cared for none of these things.

There are Pictures representing not one particular Story, but the History of Philosophy, of Poetry, of Divinity, the Redemption of Mankind, and the like : Such is the School of Athens, the Parnassus, the Picture in the Vatican commonly call’d the Dispute of the Sacrament, all of Rafaelle ; and the large one of Frederico Zuccaro of the Annunciation, and God the Father, with a Heaven, the Prophets, &c. Such Compositions as These being of a different nature are not subject to the same Rules with Common Historical Pictures ; but Here must be Principal, and Subordonate Figures, and Actions ; As the Plato and Aristotle in the School of Athens, the Apollo in the Parnassus, &c.
Now I have mention’d this Design, I cannot pass it over without going a little out of my way to observe some Particulars of that Admirable Group of the three Poets, Homer, Virgil, and Dante ; […].
The Figure of Homer is an admirably one, and manag’d with great propriety ; He is Group’d with others, but is nevertheless alone :

In all these kinds of Pictures [ndr : images représentant la vie humaine, un trait de caractère d’un individu ou dont le but est de donner une leçon particulière] the Painter should avoid too great a Luxuriancy of Fancy, and Obscurity. The Figures representing any Virtue, Vice, or other Quality, should have such Insignia as are authoriz’d by Antiquity, and Custom ; or if any be necessarily of his Own Invention, his Meaning should be apparent. […]. There are fine Examples of these in the Palace of Chigi, or the little Farnese in Rome ; Rafaëlle has there painted the Fable of Cupid and Psyche, and intermix’d little Loves with the Spoils of all the Gods ; and lastly one with a Lyon, and a Sea-Horse, which he governs as with a Bridle, to shew the Universal Empire of Love.

The Anatomy Figures in Vesalius said to be design’d by Titian, are prettily fancied : There is a Series of denuding a Figure to the Bone, and they are all in Attitudes seeming to have most Pain as the Operation goes on, till at last they Languish, and Dye : But Michelangelo has made Anatomy Figures whose Faces and Actions are impossible to be describ’d, and the most delicate that can be imagin’d for the purpose.

I will add but one way of Expression more, and that is, plain Writing.
Polygnotos, in the Paintings made by him in the Temple of Delphos, wrote the Names of those whom he represented.
The old Italian, and German Masters improv’d upon this ; the Figures they made were Speaking Figures, they had Labels coming out of their Mouths with that written in them which they were intended to be made to say ; but even Rafaëlle, and Annibale Carracci, have condescended to Write rather than leave any Ambiguity, or Obscurity in their Work : Thus the Name of Sappho is written to shew ‘twas She, and not one of the Muses intended in the Parnassus : And in the Gallery Farnese, that Anchises might not be mistaken for Adonis, Genus unde Latinum was written.

In a Figure, and every part of a Figure, and indeed in every thing else there is One part which must have a peculiar Force, and be manifestly distinguish’d from the rest, all the Other parts of Which must also have a due Subordination to It, and to One Another. The same must be observ’d in the Composition of an entire Picture ; And this Principal, Distinguis’d part ought (Generally speaking) to be the Place of the Principal Figure, and Action : And Here every thing must be higher Finish’d, the Other parts must be Less so Gradually.
Pictures should be like Bunches of Grapes, but they must not resemble a great many single Grapes scatter’d on a Table ; there must not be many little Parts of an Equal Strength, and detach’d from one another, which is as odious to the Eye as ‘tis to the Ear to hear many People talking to you at once. Nothing must Start, or be too strong for the Place where it is as in a Confort of Musick when a Note is too high, or an Instrument out of Tune ; but a sweet Harmony and Repose must result from all the Parts judiciously put together, and united with each other.

In order to give this Just Representation of Nature […] I say in order to follow Nature exactly, a Man must be well acquainted with Nature, and have a reasonable Knowledge of Geometry, Proportion, (which must be varied according to the Sex, Age, and Quality of the Person) Anatomy, Osteology, and Perspective. I will add to these an Acquaintance with the Works of the best Painters, and Sculptors, Ancient, and Modern : For ‘tis a certain Maxim, No Man sees what things Are, that knows not what they Ought to be.
That this Maxim is true, will appear by an Academy Figure drawn by one ignorant in the Structure, and knitting of the Bones, and Anatomy, compar’d with another who understands these throughly :

in LE BRUN, Charles, Afbeelding der Hertstogten of middelen om dezelve volkomen te leeren afteekenen, door de Heer K. Le Brun, trad. par KAARSGIETER, F. de, Amsterdam, Zacharias Verbeek, 1728., p. 1-2

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, Des vortreflichen Florentinischen Mahlers Lionardo Da Vinci Hoch-nützlicher Tractat von der Mahlerey, BÖHM, Johann Georg (éd.), Nürnberg, Johann Georg Böhm, 1724., p.53

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, Des vortreflichen Florentinischen Mahlers Lionardo Da Vinci Hoch-nützlicher Tractat von der Mahlerey, BÖHM, Johann Georg (éd.), Nürnberg, Johann Georg Böhm, 1724., p.151

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, Des vortreflichen Florentinischen Mahlers Lionardo Da Vinci Hoch-nützlicher Tractat von der Mahlerey, BÖHM, Johann Georg (éd.), Nürnberg, Johann Georg Böhm, 1724., p.114

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, Des vortreflichen Florentinischen Mahlers Lionardo Da Vinci Hoch-nützlicher Tractat von der Mahlerey, BÖHM, Johann Georg (éd.), Nürnberg, Johann Georg Böhm, 1724., p.12

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, Des vortreflichen Florentinischen Mahlers Lionardo Da Vinci Hoch-nützlicher Tractat von der Mahlerey, BÖHM, Johann Georg (éd.), Nürnberg, Johann Georg Böhm, 1724., p.56

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, Des vortreflichen Florentinischen Mahlers Lionardo Da Vinci Hoch-nützlicher Tractat von der Mahlerey, BÖHM, Johann Georg (éd.), Nürnberg, Johann Georg Böhm, 1724., p.100

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, Des vortreflichen Florentinischen Mahlers Lionardo Da Vinci Hoch-nützlicher Tractat von der Mahlerey, BÖHM, Johann Georg (éd.), Nürnberg, Johann Georg Böhm, 1724., p.86

in DU FRESNOY, Charles-Alphonse, Kurtzer Begriff Der Theoretischen Mahler-Kunst, trad. par GERICKE, Samuel Theodor, Berlin, Johann Michael Rüdigen, 1699., p.16

in DU FRESNOY, Charles-Alphonse, Kurtzer Begriff Der Theoretischen Mahler-Kunst, trad. par GERICKE, Samuel Theodor, Berlin, Johann Michael Rüdigen, 1699., p.26

in LE BRUN, Charles, Deß Welt-berühmten Herrn Le Brun, Königl. Französiß. vornehmsten Hof-Mahlers zu Paris Entwurff, Wie die Künstler die Affecten der Menschen exprimiren sollen, Augsburg, Kroniger und Göbels, 1704., p. 2

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, Traitté de la peinture, de Léonard de Vinci, donné au public et traduit d'italien en françois par R. F. S. D. C., trad. par FRÉART de CHAMBRAY, Roland, Paris, Jacques Langlois, 1651., p.6

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, Trattato della pittura di Lionardo da Vinci, novamente dato in luce, con la vita dell'istesso autore, scritta da Rafaelle Du Fresne. Si sono giunti i tre libri della pittura, & il trattato della statua di Leon Battista Alberti, con la vita del medesimo, TRICHET DU FRESNE, Raphaël (éd.), Paris, Jacques Langlois, 1651., p.24

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, Trattato della pittura di Lionardo da Vinci, novamente dato in luce, con la vita dell'istesso autore, scritta da Rafaelle Du Fresne. Si sono giunti i tre libri della pittura, & il trattato della statua di Leon Battista Alberti, con la vita del medesimo, TRICHET DU FRESNE, Raphaël (éd.), Paris, Jacques Langlois, 1651., p.

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, Trattato della pittura di Lionardo da Vinci, novamente dato in luce, con la vita dell'istesso autore, scritta da Rafaelle Du Fresne. Si sono giunti i tre libri della pittura, & il trattato della statua di Leon Battista Alberti, con la vita del medesimo, TRICHET DU FRESNE, Raphaël (éd.), Paris, Jacques Langlois, 1651., p.64

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, Trattato della pittura di Lionardo da Vinci, novamente dato in luce, con la vita dell'istesso autore, scritta da Rafaelle Du Fresne. Si sono giunti i tre libri della pittura, & il trattato della statua di Leon Battista Alberti, con la vita del medesimo, TRICHET DU FRESNE, Raphaël (éd.), Paris, Jacques Langlois, 1651., p.80

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, Trattato della pittura di Lionardo da Vinci, novamente dato in luce, con la vita dell'istesso autore, scritta da Rafaelle Du Fresne. Si sono giunti i tre libri della pittura, & il trattato della statua di Leon Battista Alberti, con la vita del medesimo, TRICHET DU FRESNE, Raphaël (éd.), Paris, Jacques Langlois, 1651., p.81

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, Trattato della pittura di Lionardo da Vinci, novamente dato in luce, con la vita dell'istesso autore, scritta da Rafaelle Du Fresne. Si sono giunti i tre libri della pittura, & il trattato della statua di Leon Battista Alberti, con la vita del medesimo, TRICHET DU FRESNE, Raphaël (éd.), Paris, Jacques Langlois, 1651., p.87

in DOLCE, Lodovico, Dialogo della pittura di M. Lodovico Dolce, Intitolato l’Aretino. Nel quale si ragiona della dignità di essa Pittura, e di tutte le parti necessarie, che a perfetto Pittore si acconvengono: con esempi di Pittori antichi, e moderni: e nel fine si fa menzione delle virtù, e delle opere del divin Tiziano / Dialogue sur la peinture de Louis Dolce, intitulé l’Aretin. Dans lequel on traitte de l’excellence de la peinture, de toutes les qualités necessaires au bon Peintre, avec les exemples des Peintres anciens et modernes, à la fin on y parle du merite et des ouvrages du divin Titien, trad. par VLEUGHELS, Nicolas, Firenze, Michel Nestenus et François Moucke, 1735., p. 176

in DU FRESNOY, Charles-Alphonse, De arte graphica liber, Paris, Nicolas Langlois, 1668., p.14

in DU FRESNOY, Charles-Alphonse, De arte graphica liber, Paris, Nicolas Langlois, 1668., p.17

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, A Treatise of Painting by Leonardo da Vinci. Translated from the Original Italian, and adorn'd with a great Number of Cuts. To which is prefx'd, The Author's Life ; Done from The last Edition of the French, London, J. Senex - W. Taylor, 1721., p.39

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, A Treatise of Painting by Leonardo da Vinci. Translated from the Original Italian, and adorn'd with a great Number of Cuts. To which is prefx'd, The Author's Life ; Done from The last Edition of the French, London, J. Senex - W. Taylor, 1721., p.68

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, A Treatise of Painting by Leonardo da Vinci. Translated from the Original Italian, and adorn'd with a great Number of Cuts. To which is prefx'd, The Author's Life ; Done from The last Edition of the French, London, J. Senex - W. Taylor, 1721., 63

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, A Treatise of Painting by Leonardo da Vinci. Translated from the Original Italian, and adorn'd with a great Number of Cuts. To which is prefx'd, The Author's Life ; Done from The last Edition of the French, London, J. Senex - W. Taylor, 1721., p.115

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, A Treatise of Painting by Leonardo da Vinci. Translated from the Original Italian, and adorn'd with a great Number of Cuts. To which is prefx'd, The Author's Life ; Done from The last Edition of the French, London, J. Senex - W. Taylor, 1721., p.141

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, A Treatise of Painting by Leonardo da Vinci. Translated from the Original Italian, and adorn'd with a great Number of Cuts. To which is prefx'd, The Author's Life ; Done from The last Edition of the French, London, J. Senex - W. Taylor, 1721., p.143

in DA VINCI, Leonardo, A Treatise of Painting by Leonardo da Vinci. Translated from the Original Italian, and adorn'd with a great Number of Cuts. To which is prefx'd, The Author's Life ; Done from The last Edition of the French, London, J. Senex - W. Taylor, 1721., p.151

in FRÉART de CHAMBRAY, Roland, An Idea of the Perfection of Painting: demonstrated from the Principles of Art, and by examples conformable to the observations , which Pliny and Quintilian have made upon the most celebrated pieces of Ancient painters parallel’d with some Works of the most Modern Painters, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Julio Romano and N. Poussin, trad. par EVELYN, John, London, Henry Herringman, 1668., p. 18

in FRÉART de CHAMBRAY, Roland, An Idea of the Perfection of Painting: demonstrated from the Principles of Art, and by examples conformable to the observations , which Pliny and Quintilian have made upon the most celebrated pieces of Ancient painters parallel’d with some Works of the most Modern Painters, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Julio Romano and N. Poussin, trad. par EVELYN, John, London, Henry Herringman, 1668., p. 42

in DE PILES, Roger et DU FRESNOY, Charles-Alphonse, The Art of Painting by C.A. DU FRESNOY with Remarks, trad. par DRYDEN, John, London, W. Rogers, 1695., p.22

in DE PILES, Roger et DU FRESNOY, Charles-Alphonse, The Art of Painting by C.A. DU FRESNOY with Remarks, trad. par DRYDEN, John, London, W. Rogers, 1695., p.23

in DE PILES, Roger et DU FRESNOY, Charles-Alphonse, The Art of Painting by C.A. DU FRESNOY with Remarks, trad. par DRYDEN, John, London, W. Rogers, 1695., p.115

in BOUTET, Claude, The Art of Painting in Miniature: Teaching The speedy and perfect Acquisition of that Art without a Master. By Rules so easy, and in a Method so natural as to render this charming Accomplishment universally attainable. Containing I. The Difference between Painting in Miniature, and other Kinds of Painting. II. The Management of Colours in Draperies, Linnen, Lace, Furrs, &c. III. The Method of mixing Colours for Carnations ; for painting of Architecture, or any Building of Stone or Wood ; for Landskips, Terrasses, Water, Ruins, Rocks, &c. IV. The Art of Painting all Sorts of Flowers, with the proper Colours required to represent Nature to the highest Perfection. V. The various Methods of Painting. Translated from the Original French. The Fourth Edition. To which are now added, I. Certain Secrets of one of the greatest Italian Painters for making the finest Colours, Burnished Gold, Shell Gold, &c. II. Some general instructive Lessons for the Art of Drawing. And III. The Usefulness and Benefit of Prints, London, J. Hodges - J. James - T. Cooper, 1739., p. 20.

in LE BRUN, Charles, A method to learn to design the passions, proposed in a conference on their general and particular expression : Written in French, and illustrated with a great many figures excellently designed, by Mr. Le Brun, chief painter to the French King, Chancellor and Director of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. Translated into English, and all the designs engraved on copper, by John Williams, Esq., trad. par WILLIAMS, John, London, J. Huggonson, 1734., p.12

in DE PILES, Roger, Beknopt verhaal van het leven der vermaardste Schilders : met Aanmerkingen over hunne werken, trad. par VERHOEK, Joannes, Amsterdam, Balthazar Lakeman, 1725., p. 3-4

in DE PILES, Roger, Beknopt verhaal van het leven der vermaardste Schilders : met Aanmerkingen over hunne werken, trad. par VERHOEK, Joannes, Amsterdam, Balthazar Lakeman, 1725., p. 42-43