PAINTING, the art of representing objects in nature, or scenes in human life, with fidelity and passion. It was coeval with civilization, and practised, with suc cess by the Greeks and Romans ; obscured for many centuries, but revived in Italy in the 15th century, where it produced the Roman, Venetian, and Tuscan schools ; afterwards, the German, Dutch, Flemish, French and Spanish schools ; and, finally, the English school, which equals, and bids fair to transcend them all, in correct ness of drawing, effect of coloring, and taste of design. It is distinguished into historical painting, portrait painting, landscape painting, animal painting, ma rine painting, &c. ; and as regards the form and the materials, into painting in oil, water colors, fresco, miniature, dis temper, mosaic, Ize. Historical paint ing is the noblest and most compre hensive of all branches of the art; for in that the painter vies with the poet, embodying ideas, and representing them to the spectator. lie must have technical skill, a practised eye and hand, and must understand how to group his skilfully executed parts so as to produce a beauti ful composition ; and all this is insuf ficient without a poetic spirit which can form a striking conception of an histori cal event, or create imaginary scenes of beauty. The following rules of criticism in painting have been laid down The subject must be well imagined, and, if possible, improved in the painter's hands ; he must think well as an historian, poet, or philosopher ; and more especially as a painter, in making a wise use of all the advantages of his art, and in finding expedients to supply its defects. 2. The
expression must be proper to the sub ject, and the characters of the persons ; it must be strong, so that the dumb show may be perfectly and readily un derstood; every part of the picture must contribute to this end ; colors, animals, draperies, and especially the attitudes of the figures. 3. There must be one prin cipal light, and this and all the subor dinate ones, with the shadows and re poses, mast make one entire and harmo nious mass ; while the several parts must be well connected and contrasted, so so as to make the whole as grateful to the eye as a good piece of music is to the ear. 4. The drawing must be just ; nothing must be out of place, or ill-pro portioned; and the proportions should vary according to the characters of the persons drawn. 5. The coloring, whether gay or solid, most be natural, and such as delights the eye, in shadows as well as in lights and in middle tints ; and the colors, whether they are laid on thick, or finely wrought, must appear to have been applied by a light and accurate hand. 6. Nature must be the obvious foundation of the piece ; but nature must be raised and improved, not only from what is common ly seen to what is rarely met with, but even yet higher, from a judicious and beautiful idea in the painter's mind.