A Treatise On Painting

TKEATISE LEONARDO DA YINCI TRANSLATED 3PROM THE ITALIAN BY JOHN P1UNCIS KIGAUD, B. A. WITH A LIFE OF LEONARDO AND AN ACCOUNT OF HIS WOEKB BY JOHN WILLIAM BROWN. mw EDITION, GEOEGE BELk SONS, TOEK STEEET, OOYENT GARDEN. 1 1877. . Mintck J, f X Xondon, GSeUZSan - ric ttreet, Cownt Garden, PREFACE. Vll ono was Issued by Messrs. Nichols and Son, to which was added a Life of Leonardo by Mr. John William Brown. This gentleman had the privilege of constant admittance not only to the private library of his Imperial and Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Tuscany, but also to his most rare and valuable collection of Manuscripts in the Palazzo Pitti, where ho was permitted to copy from the original docttments and correspondence whatever he con ceived useful to Ms subject. He was enabled to produce what was then the most trustworthy Life of Leonardo that had over appeared. Since that time many new biographies of Leonardo have been written, of which ono of the most important is that by Signor Gustavo TIzielli. The 1835 edition of the Treatise on Painting has long been scarce, It is now reprinted, and the more recent facts which have boon discovered concerning the life of Leonardo, and a full account of Ms manuscripts and his acknowledged paintings have been added. Nicholas Poussins drawings and Albertis designs are reproduced, and great pains have boon taken to make Leonardos work as useful as possible to students of Art. John Francis Bigaud, the translator of the Trattato della Pittura, was born of French parents at Turin, in 1742. His father, who was a merchant, intended his son to follow Ms profession but young Bigaud evinced so strong a talent for painting, that he was allowed to follow his owndesires. After he had received good instruction in art from Choralier Beaumont, principal painter to the King of Sardinia, Bigaud travelled much, in Italy, and VJ11 PBBFAGE. stayed more especially in Homo, Parma, and in Bologna, where, in 1760, ho was elected a member of tho Olomontino Academy. In 1772, Ragatid loft Italy and wont to Pann, where he remained but a short time Ho then camo to England, and gained much praise for IUH picture of Hercules. In the November of tho year of his arrival ho was elected an Associate of tho Royal Academy, and In 1 784 he became a full mombor. With tho exception of a journey on the Continent, I igaud spent tho rest of his life in England. Ho died in 181,0, at Packing-ton, irt Warwickshire, the seat of tho Karl of Aylosford, his obiof patron. In tho parish church at Pacldngton is an alte r-pi0e painted by Itigaud for tho Karl of Aylosford - no to worthy from, the circumstance that it m mipponod to bo tho first work executed in fresco in thifli country. Among other honours in art, Iltgaud was mado a Mem ber of th Royal Academy of Stockholm, and Painter to the King of Sweden CONTENTS. PAGS THE LIFE OF LEONA PO DA VJNOI ... ... xi BE A WING Proportion, ., ... ... ... 1 Anatomy .., ... .. ... ... 10 Motion and Equipoise of Figures ... ... ... 20 Linear Perspective ... .. ... ... 37 INVENTION, OB COMPOSITION ... ... ... ... 45 Expression and Character, ... ... 63 LIGHT AND SHADOW ... ... ... ... ... 67 Contrast and Effect ... ... ... ... 80 Betoes ... ... ... ... ... 81 COLOUBS AND COLOUBING ... .. ... 87 Colours in regard to Light and Shadow ... ... 100 Colours in regard to Back-grounds ... ... 106 Contrast, Harmony, and Eeflexes in regard to Colours 108Perspective of Colours . M ... ... . . . 1 M Aerial Perspective, .. . 125 X CONTENTS. IAOK MISCELLANEOUS OBSEBVATIONS ... ... ... 135 Landscape, etc, ... ... ... ... 135 GENBBAL INDEX ... ... ... ... ... 157 APPENDIX I. Manuscripts of Leonardo da Vinci ... ... 178 II. Classified Catalogue of Ms principal Paintings Holy families, Madonnas, etc. ... ... 170 Sacred Historical Subjects ... .. 197 Classical Subjects ... ... ... ... 204 Historical Subjects .. ... ... 209 Portraits ... ... ... ... ... J10 Pictures Lost or Missing ..., , S g III...