Dissertalion on the Paintings of the middle Age. 351 



and rich speculators, do not cease to boast in the very 

 same language of the myriads of pictures of all tastes, all 

 styles, and all manners; it is not surprismg that amid this 

 confusion which astounds artists more and more, the 

 paintings of antiquiiv have lost their credit ; and those 

 who praise them, only do it when forced to it, and without 

 endeavouring to be acquainted with them. In this state of 

 thini>s we must successi%'tlv go back to the fundamental 

 principles of the art. If we only derived from the com- 

 positions of the middle age, the advantage of better appre- 

 ciatmg the fine paintings of the ancients, a considerable 

 profit would l)e the result, and perhaps some docifle artists 

 would he more easilv brought back to the true path, wheu 

 this same painting of recent times, which is less removed 

 from our present schools, would appear to them more esti- 

 mable than they had hitherto imagined. 



I shall now exhibit a succinct analysis of the qualities of 

 the composiiinns of the iiiiddle aije, and compare merely 

 the following parts; the arrangement, expressioUj draperies, 

 concluding with a few viords on colouring. 



Of the Arrangement or Disposition. 



When we attempt to study the disposition in the v/orks 

 of the middle age, we always recognise an emulation of 

 the ancients, and we cannot doubt the respect which they 

 have maintained for the most famous models. Whatever 

 certain amateurs of pictures of trenii grouped and ai ranged 

 academically may say, tlie noble, simi)le, and vnijonn dis- 

 position of these paintings is owing to the study of bas- 

 reliefs, cameos, and engraved stones, which so many 

 routine authors interdict painters frimi imitating, as well as 

 from the study of ancient monuments, almost a'l of wiiich 

 excel in the order of the arrangement, and by delicate cal- 

 culations which are incomprehensible to vulgar ortrans. 

 Raphael, as well as other painters of his time, has fre- 

 (juently imitated this fine method ; but subsequcntlv the 

 influence of the Florentine style, the obstinate love of no- 

 velty, and of extreme variety, which was gradually intro- 

 duced, altered the exquisitely simple taste of this great 

 man. We see him collecting and sometimes crowding 

 his figures with a dillicull art in given spaces : he seemed 

 to think of multiplving his plans more and more by com- 

 posing witli richness; and hence that taste for arrangement 

 which at preseut deserves the blame of unprejudiced ama- 

 teurs when they examine some of his paintings ; so true it 

 is that simplicity pleases at: all seasons^ and is always young 



and 



