57© On the Art of Tainting 



There is one other breach of the coutume 

 however common among painters, more grofs 

 and ofFenfive than any of the inftances hitherto 

 alledged, I mean the perpetual and unnecelTary 

 difplay of the naked figure. I fhall not ftay to 

 inquire whether more fl'iill can be fhewn in 

 painting the human body clothed or un- 

 clothed. If the perfonages introduced in any 

 piAure are nloTe naked in the reprefentation 

 than can be juftified by the probability of times, 

 perfons, places, and circumftances, it is a breach 

 of the coutume proportionate to the deviation. 

 ^his fault however is fo common, as hardly to 

 be noticed : fo flight indeed, when compared 

 with that general tafte for voluptuous imagery 

 and obfcene reprefentation, which has fo long 

 difgraced the art of painting in every ftage of 

 its progrefs, that fcience and morality are cal- 

 lous to the flight offence. 



This depravity of imagination — this profti- 

 tution of the pencil, to the bafe purpofes of 

 lafcivious inclination, was a fubjeft of much 

 complaint among the ancients.* Nor is there 



lefs 



* To what purpofe (hall we ereft temples to chaftity, 

 fays Proper tins ? 



Qus manus obfcoenas depinxit prima Tabellas, 

 Et pofait carta turpia vifa domo; 

 Ilia, puellarum Ingenuos corrupit ocellos, 

 Nequitisq^ue fure, noluit efle rudes ! 



Ah ! gemat, &c. 



Propert. El. L. II. E. V. ver. 219. 



Fuit 



