T RAV

:;A:PPENDJX.cascertained, it next followsto examine and see if the painter treated 1t judiciously or,not; that is, if he disposed the figures in the manner, order, and arrangement mostadvantageous. Ifhe did not,.Ît may.be said .that the artist took abad likeness; but ifihe selected it happily, this one perfectionl!(', rarely duly 3:ppreciated by many pretendecl,(;ognoscenti, and never by the 'ignorant, places him beyond aIl censure with those wh@-tmly understand the rules of the art. Tintoreto il? the mostdefective in this particu­~lar ; .he seems to have studiously seized the moment the most imprope1' that was pos­'sible; his heads are always mean and sordid, hisattitudes vulga1', and generally 1'idi;.culous. Ai) the principal part of .his works ·proves this, it is necessary to cite but&ll'eof them, and that is the washing of the feetin the' sacristia of the Escurial;În which,among other absurdities, he representsone o~the disciplesstpetchedout U}'Jntheground, whilst anotherdiseiple pulls off 'bis stocking. .In the composition dfapicture three tliings are prinCipally to be attended taPirst, thltt the main design 'Of it 5hould be the most conspicuous object in it; thatis;thatthe figures 5hould be sodisposed tha! the'eye 'may distinguish, at the tirst glance,who are the persons interested ln the transaction representecl, and who a1'enot.Otherwise theeomposition will be confused,and the eye, embarrassed, willtemâinin doubtful suspense: for, as each figure or group attracts it equally, it cannât -filldany p1'edomllfating objectwhereon to fix itself and l'est. Few artists have composedCOFFeCtly-; even Rafael has his fauIts; for in his famous pictu1'e of the T1'ànstigurationh~representstwo actionswhich eqmilly attract theattention,in'so muclt that ifdoesnbtknow where te fix: itself, whether on the miracleabove, :or,oa the disciplesàsdthe lumrtic·at the·foot 6f the -mountain.The·second p6intwhichis to be attended to·în a pictureis, f1lat fnere beapérfec'tiproprietY'ln the 'CODtlrast : ,that is to say, that the figures or groups have'little resetnblancetoeaéh·other, 'either in attitude or countenance, posture or dress. The ceiJinrrt!I,oftheprineipal choir of the Escurial is a proofof whati say; for, from wantof this due~nvast, there ratlier appears to b~ represented a regiment of m!1itia drawn up inrank.andfile, than a-chorus of angèls andIDIessed spiritssingiag the praisesof thêir'Creator.'Finany, :it;is neceS'saJ'y that all'the figures or grouI?sbe duly poized'one against the.other; ·-else one side·of the'picttlre willpreponderate, which must offendthe eyè. ThisFUie extendsitself equally to portraits; for equilibrium,is as necessary,in a singlefigure as in a·group. Count Duke' C9livarez on horseback is a 'modelof this speCies ofperfection, and appear:5 to me ·prefcrabletoanywork[eyer saw6f thekindt."*' The judicious selection of the point of time.t A famous. picture of Velas9.ue~1 in the.possessi~~,'~f .the kin.B1 and ..npw,Jupntl 9ftbehalIs.of JlJepace-of Madrit.