1804: ] 
conceived the great projet of eftablifhing 
the different epochs of the art, conform- 
ably to the paffages of the claffical au- 
thors, and the ftudy of the monuments. 
Winckelmann was born, in 1717, at 
Stendal, in Germany. Although his fa- 
ther was nothing more than a poor fhoe- 
maker, he furthered, by all the means in 
his power, the propenfity of the fon for 
ftudy. His refources would, however, 
have been infufficient, if feveral men of 
letters, who faw the rifling talents of 
Winckelmann, had not encouraged the 
earlier efforts of his youth. A taie for 
antiquities neceflarily led him to a paffion 
for travels. He {pent fome time at Ber- 
lin, whence he returned to. profecute his 
ftudies under his eftimable preceptor, 
Toppert, rector of the college of Stendal. 
He now became the chief of one cf thofe 
bands of poor {cholars, who chant pfalms 
in proccffion in the ftreets; and the {mall 
fum which this wretched occupation pro. 
duced, fupplied his own wants and thofe 
of his aged father, whofe infirmities had 
obliged him to feek refuge in an hofpital, 
but whom this good fon never abandoned. 
He afterwards exifted for fome time at 
Drefden and at Halle, on the produce of 
a few leffons he gave; and {pent the ret 
of his time in the libraries. He was re- 
called from his beloved ftudies by his fa- 
ther, whofe eyes he had juft time to clofe. 
Being deftitute of every vefource, he ad- 
dreffed himfelf to Count Bunau, the hif- 
torian, a zealous protector of lcaning, 
and found employment in the immenfe 
library which the count had formed. He 
was honoured by his friendfhip, and by 
that of the karned Franck, the principal 
librarian; at the fame time, that his vi- 
cinity to Drefden enabled him to profe- 
cute his ftudies ftill more fuccefsfully, by 
introducing him to the notice of Hage- 
dorn, Oefer, Lippert, and more efpecially 
ef Profeflor Heyne. 
Amid thefe philofophic treafures, and 
in fo interefting a fociety, Wicckeimann 
might have been happy, if he could have 
been fo without having paid a vifit to 
Italy, the objeét of all his withes. As 
his favourite worfhip was that of the arts, 
he readily abjured the Proteftant religion, 
to enjoy at Rome the privileges which are 
denied to all but Catholics. He repaired 
thither, after having publifhed two fmall 
works, by which his reputation was in 
fome degree eftablifhed ; the firft entitled, 
Refle&tions on the Imitation of Greek 
Performances in Painting and in Sculp- 
ture ; and the fecond, Iluftrations of the 
Reflections on the Imitation, &c, with a 
Introduftion to the Study of Archeology. 
1135 
Reply to the Critique on thefe Reflec- 
tions. 
Winckelmann fpent feveral years at 
Rome in feeing and examining, but with- 
cut any fettled plan. It was not until a 
confiderable time after, that he publithed 
his Defcription of the Engraved Stones of 
Stofch ; his Hittory of the Art; his Ex~ 
planation of Unpublifhed Monuments ; 
and feveral diftinét treatifes, which will 
be pointed out in the fequel. 
He returned to Germany ; and, in de- 
{pight of the remonttrances of his friends, 
once more fet out for Italy. Near Triefte 
ke met with an Italian, named Archan- 
geli, who acquired his confidence by af- 
fecting a great paflion for the arts, 
Winckelmann made a parade of the gold 
m-dals which had been prefented to him 
by the court of Vienna, and fhewed him 
a purfe filled with them. This mifcreant 
had been cook to Count Cataldo, at Vi- 
enna; had been fentenced to death for 
feveral crimes, and had juf obtained his 
pardon and his liberty at the commence. 
ment of June, 1767. Winckelmann was 
employed in his apartment, at the inn, at 
Triefte, in drawing up feveral notes for 
a new edition of the Hiftory of the Art, 
when he was interrupted by the monfer, 
who requefted him to fhew him a few of 
his medals. While he was in the aét of 
opening his trunk, the treacherous Italian 
threw a cord about his neck to ftrangle 
him, Winckelman defended himfelf, but 
Archangeli gave him feveral fabs with a 
knife, until, at length, an alarm being 
given, he fled, leaving our philofopher 
bathed in his blood. He was brought 
back to Triefte three days after, and re-~ 
ceived ihe chaftifement due to his crimes ; 
but his punifhment could not reftore the 
unfortunate Winckelman to life and to 
the arts. 
Although the opinions of this archeo- 
logift were marked by a certain degree of 
afperity, he had a confiderable number of 
profelytes. With the exception of Klots, 
in Germany ; of Howe, in England; of 
Bracci, in Italy ; and of Falconet, in 
France; his adverfaries were but few in 
in number. His name even became the 
object of a defcription of worfhip to feve- 
ral antiquaries, who were fonder of think- 
ing that he had faid every thing, than of 
feeking whether others bad {poken ina » 
different way, and whether any thing was 
ftill left tobe faid. The authority of nis 
name, in the eftimation of a certain ynum- > 
ber of his admirers, was fuch, that his 
opinions were confidered by them as fo 
many decifions, ‘his prejudice in fa 
your 
