DUFIIESNOY, CHARLES ALPHONSE, was born at Paris in 1611. His father, who was an apothecary, gave him a classical educa tion, with a view to bringing him op as a physician; but he gave way to his strong inclination for painting, and he devoted himself to the study of the art, first under Perier, and afterwards with Vomit. At the age of one•and-twenty he went to Rome, where he supported him self with difficulty by taking views of ruins and buildiugs. Subse quently he was employed with his fellow-student, Miguard, to copy pictures lu the Farnese gallery. Dufresnoy afterwards visited Venice, where he remained there engaged In copying and examining the works of the great Venetian painters. He returned to France in 1656, whither he was followed by ltlignard in 1:302, and they again lodged together. lie died paralytic in 1605, in the house of his brother, at Villiers-le-Bel, near Paris. He was never married, and left no pupils. Ho executed very few pictures, and they are not remarkable for any thing beyond correctness. He is best known as the author of a didactic
poem, ' De Arte Graphics,' in Latin verse, which has been translated into several languages. There are three English translations : by Dryden, In prose; by Wills, a painter, in very poor verse ; and by Mason, iu rhyme. The last is accompanied by annotations written by Sir Joshua Reynolds. The work is rather a critical treatise on the practice of painting, with general advice to the student, than a manual for the art. It is dry, and not remarkable for elegance, imagination, or originality. Had it been in prose, it would probably not have survived the author; but the eireumatanco of its being in verso, and in Latin, perhaps added a zest to its perusal in the shape of a little difficulty, and gave it an extrinsic importance. Sir Joshua's notes are pertinent and useful, but not so instructive as his lectures.