Previous Page Close Next Page
fol. 12v ?
[Slip inserted: Mod. Painters Vol. I / Pt. 1. Sec. 1 Chap III / Page 12. Text. / Ideas of Power]
Nay - it is not merely {of} the vulgar and unfeeling - but {even} of men of educated
minds - who have paid no right attention to art. And how many
there are of such - it needs but little reading to prove. Does Pliny
5
10
15
20
fol. 13r Chapter II in Part I, Section I: 'Definition of Greatness in Art' (3.92) and
Chapter III in Part I, Section I: 'Of Ideas of Power' (3.93)
21
<That is>
That is the greatest picture which conveys to the mind of the spectator
the greatest number of the greatest ideas in the clearest language .
#39#Our first point of investigation must be . therefore . Which are the greatest
5 ideas . What constitutes greatness in ideas . & what ideas we can. receive {from
pictures}
I call an idea great. in proportion as it pleases . elevates . or in any way
benefits . the Mind . But I call an idea which elevates. greater than
one that <p> only pleases - as for <an> instance - <a> {<an> idea of} colour which
leads the mind
to reflection & emotion . greater than {an} idea of simple beauty of blue or red .
10 and an idea which instructs . greater than one that elevates .
We can receive kinds of Ideas from <pictures> works of art
1st. Ideas of Power . The contemplation of the powers mental or
bodily necessary to the production of the work of art.
15 <2>4th . Ideas of Beauty . Either in the thing produced . or thing imitated
2. Ideas of Imitation . That the thing produced resembles something else
3. Ideas of Truth . When we receive from the thing produced .
information of certain facts of which we were
ignorant or incognizant .
20 4th. Ideas of Relation .*
Previous Page Close Next Page
MW