The short limits of this article will not permit us to mention the numerous artists who have excelled in chiaroscuro and colouring. These parts of the art, being more especially calculated to give plea sure to the sight, have been more gene rally and more successfully practised, than the arduous and less flattering task of rational and expressive composition, and correct design.
In the present enquiry it has been our chief aim to entiwce such arguments as are calculated to draw the attention of the reader to the legitimate end of the art ; that, whilst the eye is charmed with beautiful forms, the magic of chiaro scuro, and the richness and harmony of colours, the due expression of the sub ject of a piece may be attained, it were folly to deny : this union, indetd, consti tutes the perfection of painting, which should convey, like fine writing, truths to the mind in language at once the most forcible and beautiful; but an attempt to point out the means by which this delight may be conveyed to the sight, would tic. cessarily require a minute investigation of' all the different modes which it is in the power of the painter to adopt in the exe cutive departments of his art; and con sequently lead us, with perhaps, after all, little prospect of success, far beyond the limits we are obliged to prescribe to our selves.
Simplicity with variety, inequality of parts, with union in the whole, are, per haps, the basis of all those effects in painting which give pleasure to the sight. As in a composition one group, or one figure, should strike the eye with supe riority over the secondary groups, or other objects in the picture; so there should be in a picture one principal mass of light, which, however connected with others, should still predominate ; and for the same reason no two colours should have equal sway in the same picture ; as we are at liberty to give the chief group or figure of the composition that situation which we judge most appropriate ; so there is no rule by which we are obliged to place the principal light in any one given part of the picture. In clair-ob
scure, an inequality of parts, a subordina tion of several small masses to one large one, never fails to produce richness and beauty of effect ; and thus, in composi tion, a similar richness and beauty are the result of an opposition of several small bo dies or parts to one large and simple; and in the same manner, from an arrange ment of several small masses of colour in the vicinity of one large mass, the lat ter seems enriched, and to acquire addi tional consequence and beauty.
As by the addition of smaller masses of light, connected with the principal mass, that mass acquires at once greater breadth and influence, so the unity of ac. tion in a composition is in many cases powerfully augmented by a repetition of nearly the same action in two or three of the accessorial figures arranged together, one nevertheless being principal : this was the frequent custom of Raffaele, has its foundation in nature, where similar sentiments most frequently excite similar outward demonstrations, and never fails, if judiciously managed, to produce its ef fect.
The doctrine of contrasts is equally ap plicable to composition, to claw-obscure, and to colouring. As in composition die too frequent contrast of lines, or of back to front figures, is destructive of simplici ty and force of expression ; so the inordi. nate and frequent introduction of oppositions of lights and shadows, or of colours, produces a spotty and confused appearance, wholly subversit a of breadth and grandeur of effect ; the mode rate and judicious use of contrasts is of the greatest use ; it gives a zest to the picture, and is like the discord in music, which sheds additional sweetness on the full harmony which succeeds it.