Academy of the Most Noble Art of Painting

...the summit, so that all Painters were amazed by his works; and all Sculptors revered his statues with the most humble devotion. Furthermore, nature itself, without any teacher, instilled all the rules of Architecture in him in such a way that he knew how to place the statues he formed at the proper height and in the proper manner: and so, he was deservedly decorated with the praises not only of a perfect Architect, but also of a most skillful Painter, and a Sculptor surpassing nature itself. The author is likely concluding a description of a "universal man" like Michelangelo, though the preceding name is lost to the page break.

And Albert Dürer.

So also that most celebrated Albert Dürer, after he had already become famous for much renown in the Art of Painting, further devoted his efforts not only to copperplate engraving Chalcographia, but specifically cultivated Sculpture as well. In this, within a short space of time and without singular effort, he profited so greatly and excelled with such praise that in 그시대 [that age] none of those who were Sculptors by profession were considered his equal. On the other hand, it can never be proven by any example that any Sculptor reached a similar perfection in the Art of Painting at the same time. From this, it can very easily be conjectured how singular are the gifts of genius belonging to an excellent Painter.

And also Lorenzo Bernini.

Furthermore, he who is still among the living, that most Noble Lorenzo Bernini, Knight; he is at once a most excellent Sculptor, Architect, and Painter. Although, since he attained the absolute highest degree in the first two Arts, the value of his most lively genius, occupied elsewhere, was more negligent in the last of these arts meaning painting, so that in this art he has produced hardly anything that transcends ordinary ways.

To return to the proposal: in this very book, after the treatise on the Art of Painting in particular is completed, it will be narrated at greater length which Artists from the times of Cimabue Giovanni Cimabue (c. 1240–1302), traditionally considered the first Great Italian painter to break away from the "Gothic" or Byzantine style. excelled in either of these arts.

Sculpture and Painting were utterly abolished in the primitive Church.

But they are introduced again.

For originally, Sculpture was no less utterly abolished and forbidden in the Church than Painting; and they had faded away to such an extent that not even on coins did an accurate likeness appear anywhere. This precept was put into use and observed for a long time in the earlier centuries of the Church, especially in the times of the Emperor Justinian Referring to the periods of Iconoclasm, where religious images were destroyed to prevent idolatry.: meanwhile, all images were broken and burned. This continued until finally, at the Second Council of Nicaea Held in 787 AD, this council restored the veneration of icons., it was again granted and approved that both arts should be reintroduced. Whereupon later, in the Year of Christ 1240, the aforementioned Cimabue began to become famous in Florence; who, by the singular excellence of his Art, attained a great height of glory.

The Author's Purpose.

Therefore, so that by this work of mine I may not only be of specific use to all cultivators of the noble Arts, but also provide them with some delight, I will first treat Painting in particular at greater length. I have established a discourse on all its rules and the sciences required for it: namely 1. On

Invention and Design: 2. On the symmetry and proportion of the human body: 3. On Elegance or the "decorum" of the image and its foreshortening abbreviatione: 4. On the Affections and Disturbances of the soul What we would today call emotional expression and psychology in art.: 5. On colors: 6. On Painting done with water-based colors, as well as oil; likewise that which is done upon stone: 7. On the Distribution and Harmony of Colors: 8. On Calligraphy or the Elegance of the brushstroke: 9. On Historical Paintings: 10. On Paintings on fresh walls Fresco painting.: 11. On Topographical or outdoor subdialibus paintings: 12. On Painting clothes and drapery: 13. On Light and the Painter's Studio Conclavi Pictorio, as well as on Night Paintings. Likewise 14. on the origin, nature, and significance of Colors.

On the hoped-for use and fruit of this work.

By this, I certainly hope it will come to pass that this labor of mine will not only be useful to those who cultivate this Art as their profession, but also pleasant to other readers. The former will find proposed to their eyes, as if in a most polished mirror of that art, the true method of learning this Art fundamentally; while the latter will find the method of judging its works. I have taken this task upon myself especially for the due honor of the Art itself and the sincere benefit of its cultivators, because I perceived that hardly any help was provided to this Art by those who had handled these studies with their own hands. For nothing is more praiseworthy than if Art and virtue, Nobility and skill, honor and merit, dwell together in a harmonious fellowship. This can also provide a stimulus and spur to everyone, so that they may attain a similar goal of honor through the laudable exercise of virtue no less than through Art and study.

The Author's apology regarding his phrasing and style of speaking.

The kind Reader will also forgive me, I humbly pray, because in this Work I have not always used the ancient Latin manner of speaking The author is apologizing for using "Modern" or "vulgar" Latin rather than the high-style Classical Latin of Cicero., and sometimes I may creep along in a humble style. For it could hardly be otherwise if the individual elements of that Art were to be named by their own native names, according to modern use and custom. This latter point, however, deserves excuse because my aim is by no means to put forth specimens of Eloquence, but at least to serve all cultivators of this most noble art of Painting. Hence I hope the kind Reader will take it in good part and judge the work by its good intention. At the request and advice of many, I have studied to satisfy those most fond of this profession to the best of my ability. At the same time, I have sought to either renew or preserve the memory and life of Artists—both Ancient and still living, including Greeks, Italians, Germans, and Netherlanders Belgaru—consecrating them to posterity along with their most celebrated works and, as far as possible, the portraits iconibus of the more famous ones.

A floral ornament featuring a central flower with radiating leaves and stems, positioned at the bottom of the page.