[ 302 J 
XIN. A Differtation on Painting in Oil ina Manner fimilar 
to that praétifed in the Ancient Venetian School. By 
Mr. TimotuHy SHELDRAKE*. From Tranfactions of 
the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Vol. XVI. 
1798. 
Tue method of painting praétifed in the Venetian 
School, I conceive to have been as follows : 
The cloth was primed with colours in diftemper, of a 
brownith hue, fuch as.would properly enter into the darkeft 
parts of the picture. The moft tranfparent colours are the 
propereft. I believe umber was moft generally ufed, broken 
with red, yellow, or blue, according to the tint intended to 
be produced, and diluted with chalk or whiting to the proper 
degree of ftrength. Upon the ground fo prepared the fub- 
ject was correctly drawn with umber, pure, or mixed with 
lake, blue, or black; and, with the fame colours, thofe 
fhadows that were darker than the ground were then painted 
in. abit 
The artift then painted the lights with pure white, in a 
folid body, where the light was brighteft, or where the full 
effe&t of colour was to be produced; and, where the demi- 
tints were afterwards to be, feumbling it thinner by degrees, 
till it united with the fhadows. 
In this manner the chiaro-ofcuro was finifhed as much 
as poffible, and the local colour of every object in the pitture 
glazed over it. All the colours ufed in this part of the 
work were ground in oil, which was abforbed into the 
ground, the picture remaining flat, fomething like a picture 
in. water colours or crayons; it was then varnifhed, till 
faturated with varnifh, and the full of every colour brought 
‘out: the picture was then complete. 
* The Great Silyer Pallet was voted to Mr. Sheldrake for this ingenious 
performance, 
Upon 
ee Se ee ee 
