Clair obscure, or chiaro-scuro, is the art of distributing the lights and darks in a picture, in such a manner as to give at once proper relief to the figures, the best effect to the whole composition, and the greatest delight to the eye. We have said the lights and darks in a picture, be cause the word chiaro-scuro, properly speaking, denotes not only light and shade, but light and dark of what kind soever, and in this sense it is nearly al lied to colouring, if not indeed insepara ble from it. A thorough conception and knowledge of thechiaro-scuro is of the .r4V 4 V greatest importance to a painter, as it is very chiefly by the proper application of this branch of the art, that he is enabled to make the various objects in his picture appear to project or recede, according to their relative situations or distances ; and thus far, indeed, the principles of it are necessary to the artist, ere he can hope to render his imitation just or intel ligible. But it is required in works of fine art, not only that truth should be told, or that beauty should be represent ed, but likewise that the one and the other should be made appear to every possible advantage ; it has, therefore, ever been the study of great painters, not only to give the due appearance of roundness or projection to the objects in their pictures, by proper lights and sha dows ; but likewise to unite or con trast the masses of light and dark in such a manner as to give at once the most forcible impression to the imagi nation, and the most pleasing effect to the eye.
Leonardo da Vinci was the first artist of modern times who treated the subject of chiaro-scuro scientifically ; but al though lie gave great force and softness to his pictures, yet the system which he recommended, and generally adopted, of relieving the dark side of his figures by a light back ground, and the light parts by a dark one, prevented that expansion and breadth of effect, which Coreggio S0011 after discovered could only be at tamed by a contrary mode of conduct, that of relieving one shadow by ano ther still darker, and of uniting several light objects into one great mass. The figures, as well as the other objects in the pictures of Coreggio, are at all times so 'disposed, as naturally to receive the light exactly in those parts where it is most wanted, and best suits the ef fect of the whole, and yet this is done so skilfully, that neither propriety nor grace of action seems in any respect to be sacrificed in the astonishing combi nation.
The principal painters of the Venetian school, Giorgione, Titian, Bassan, Tin torit, and Paulo Veronese, were masters of effect ; but with them this effect is more frequently the result of accordance, or opposition of the local colours of the different objects composing their pic tures, than of any very studied or skilful disposition of the masses of light and sha dow. Rubens, the great genius of the Flemish school, united the wide expan sive effect of Corregio, the richly con trusted tints of the 'Venetians, and the force of Caravaggio, and has only left us to regret that his magnificent and bold inventions were not designed with the purity Of Raffaele, or the correctness of Buonaroti. From the scanty introduc tion of light in the works of Rembrant, we might be led to suppose that this su r prizing artist considered the illumined parts of his pictures as gems, acquiring increased lustre from their rarity ; whilst the striking effects he has thereby pro duced, happily teaches us, bow vain the attempt to limit or restrain by rules the workings of genius in the human mind.
From an attentive study of the works of these great masters, the student will de rive the true principles of chiaro-scuro, and be the better qualified to seize and avail himself of those transcient, but beau tiful effects, which nature, the great mas ter of all, every day presents to his eyes. It remains for us to say a few words on colouring.
Colouring is the art of giving to every object in a picture its true and proper hue, as it appears under all the various circumstances or combinations of light, middletint, and shadow ; and of so blend ing and contrasting the colours, as to make each appear with the greatest ad vantage and beauty, at the same time that it contributes to the richness, the brillian cy, and the harmony of the whole "Should the most able master in design," says Mr. Webbe, "attempt, by that alone, a rose or grape, we should have but a faint and imperfect image ; let him add to each its proper colours, we no longer doubt, we smell the rose, we touch the grape." Colouring, like chiaro-scuro, (arid the same observation applies to the other parts of the art) may be divided into two kinds ; that which is necessary for ren dering the imitation just and intelligible, and that which is expedient or orna mental, as contributing to render the work more impressive to the imagina tion, and more harmonious and delightful to the eye. In the first kind truth in the local tints is alone required ; the se cond demands choice in their selection and distribution.
The Bellini's, of Venice, towards the close of the fifteenth century, first began to discover the beautiful effects resulting from a skilful combination, or opposition, of colours, at the same time that they at tained a richness and truth in their local tints, far exceeding any thing hitherto practised. In both these qualities, how ever, they were soon far surpassed by their scholars, Giorgione da Castel Fran co, and Titian, who, superadding to .the most astonishing richness of colour the powerful light and shade of da Vinci, produced works which, in their way, have baffled all future attempts at im provement. The tone of colour of their pictures is not that of nature in her every-day garb ; it is in some respects ideal, like the chiaroscuro of Corregio and Rubens, or the design of Michael Angelo ; that which may be supposed, but which is seldom found in nature : the depth and mellowness of their tints seem the effect of a tranquil, but vigorous light, shining through the heated atmos phere of a summer's evening. And here it may not be foreign to our purpose to observe, that there seems to be no thing in the colouring of Titian and Giorgione incompatible with the greatest purity of design, sublimity of concep tion, or propriety of expression ; Where as the splendid extravagances, the bro caded stuffs, the gaudy trappings of the greater part of the more modern Vene tians, although they were perhaps all masters of the theory of colours, are wholly inconsistent with genuine expres sion and true grandeur : in short, the sober senatorial dignity of Titian was soon changed for show, for glitter, and for ornament ; invention, composition, de sign, and expression, were all made sub servient to the inordinate desire of effect of colour.