Academy of the Most Noble Art of Painting

Whereupon I had Sculpture before my eyes, speaking to me in this manner: "Indeed, I am she who has always been accustomed to entice the most sharp-witted talents, those of a better temperament The term "temperament" or "complexion" refers to the early modern theory of the four humors, which were believed to determine a person's physical and mental character. and most lively spirit, to be instructed by me. I am she, I say, who was born prior to these many years of your notebook original: Adversaria. So much so that even that heavenly Craftsman and Molder, who immensely surpasses all of nature, first used my labor in the very formation of the first man. Whence also so many other most excellent arts, about to show me due reverence, fall at my very feet, subjected by a spontaneous bond of mutual submission. Truly, for my sake were invented works in relief original: Anaglyphica, as well as the plastic arts in clay, wax, or gypsum; various artworks formed into statues. I first handled stones, marbles, and bronze. Neither the hoary old age of time nor any long duration harms my works; since they are fashioned from such material that neither the blasts of storms, nor the injuries of cold or heat, nor the fall of rain or snow can wear them away. Hence, for monuments of future times, they prevail much more excellently than any painting, which must be entrusted only to secret chambers and preserved in the innermost shrines. So great a multitude of painters is found everywhere that they excel in their number the leaves and flowers, or the very infinity of the stars shining at night: because every complexion is suitable for that art; not only an agile and lighter hand, but even a fearful and slower one can perform everything in it."

Sculpture requires a more lively and ingenious complexion than Painting.

"On the contrary, I, Sculpture, require only the sharpest and more fervent talents, not just in the more celebrated artists, but even in any common practitioner. From all of this, the prerogative of my nobility can be seen more than enough. If faith is denied to me, it cannot be denied to that ancient investigator of Natural History, Pliny; whose records relate this: when the ancients placed statues for both of us, they dedicated mine made of pure gold, but the painting’s of silver only; and they placed mine on the right hand, while they admitted that other only on the left. By this very act, the glory and excellence obtained by me over Painting was declared most manifestly."

The subject of Statuary is more excellent than the material of Painting.

"I pass over here with a 'dry foot' A Latin idiom meaning to pass over something briefly or without getting bogged down. the price of the material itself to which I dedicate my labors: because most precious stones, such as Porphyry, Jasper, Serpentine original: Ophites, and various kinds of marbles along with other stones, besides gold and silver themselves and other more excellent metals, are usually entrusted to me: while on the contrary, that miserable Painting is content with any most vile and abject kind of colors, and usually handles more sordid rags and linens."

The excellence of artificial things is to be judged by how closely they imitate Nature.

"This also must be rightly brought forward by me as a foundation: that any thing is said to be more excellent, perfect, and beautiful, according to the way it imitates nature itself from every side. Now truly, I, Sculpture, attain the true and genuine form of any thing precisely, and I express my object

in such a way that it can be fully viewed and considered from every position; as if the living model itself were presenting itself to the eyes. Furthermore, like that ingenious Statue of Memnon A reference to the "Colossi of Memnon" in Egypt, which were said to produce a sound like a voice when struck by the rising sun., I can break forth into speech when the sun rises. On the contrary, Painting, with its lighter brush and much industry of labor, can scarcely approach the shadow of a likeness."

Sculpture requires a full knowledge of stones, so that the nature and property of each may be exactly distinguished, lest one wander far from the goal in the carving, because its errors cannot be corrected as those of painters can.

"Finally, I, Sculpture, require a most full—and not just an ordinary or common—knowledge of any stones whatsoever, so that the nature and property of each may be exactly distinguished, lest anyone wander from the goal in the carving and commit errors that cannot be mended hereafter. On the other hand, Painting can always repeat the strokes of its brush and hide committed errors with any substitute color."

The response of Painting to the preceding arguments.

After Sculpture had blurted these things out—to the weariness of the listener, though not without foundation—Painting, on the contrary, defended her own prerogative with a shorter summary of words, speaking thus: "My adversary Sculpture, with a most ample display of words and the swollen and rash proclamation of an arrogant mind, attributes preeminence and the prerogative of nobility to herself; she brings onto the stage as her first foundation the 'first-formed' original: Protoplasten, referring to Adam. of the whole human race, fashioned from the mud of the earth by the Author and heavenly Sculptor of all artists, and molded and shaped into a statue as if endowed with speech. But that same glory must not be entirely denied to me; for although I am properly called 'Pictorial,' I also concur in my own way with the 'Plastic' or molding art, and I am molded out of colors. Even Praxiteles himself, once the most excellent of statuaries, was accustomed to call Painting the mother and nurse of his art, and the latter [Sculpture] often its daughter; because Sculpture draws its origin from the drawing and design of Painting."

Design is indeed necessary for Statuaries, yet it is proper to Painting.

"For before the Statuary approaches the stone itself or other material with his chisel, he necessarily first designs in his imagination the concept of how he wishes to figure this or 그 [that] in due proportion: which is nothing else than a graphic work, to be placed among the first fruits of the art of painting."

Various most beautiful arts have arisen from Painting.

"As for Sculpture boasting of certain arts subordinate and subject to her, and wishing to excel me by this very thing, it is rather worthy of laughter, since scarcely more other arts are subject to and serve anyone than they do me, Painting. For from where does the ingenious invention and arrangement of histories, which Poetry proposes, have its origin? From where comes that most celebrated Art of Design and Drawing original: Diagraphica? From where come so many measurements and coordinations of the most famous Architecture? To what does the most pleasant study of Perspective and Optics primarily look? What of Painting done in fresco original: aquario and albarium or in oil? To what are works produced on panels, copper, canvas, glass, and stones to be referred? Is it not from me, Painting, that all these things come? From where do they have their origin?"