Pictor in fabula

Now because it seemeth a matter of great difficulty, and almost impossible for one man to attain to the full perfection of all this knowledge, we may propose unto us the example of the most judicious Apelles, who when he undertook any special piece of work, wherein he meant to shew the utmost of his skill, he used to hand it forth to publique view, hiding himself behind, to the end he might hearken what every mans judgment was, concerning the proportion and workman-ship thereof, and according to each mans censure of such things as appertained to their professions. He still corrected his work, as on the contrary side, he did confute and reprehend the censures of such as would take upon them to give their judgments of such things as appertained not to their professions (as did the shoemaker, who not content to find fault with the shooe of one of his pictures, would needs censure the other parts) unto whom, he answered, ne sutor ultra crepidam.

As also of Aristides the Thebane, who (in the person of a wounded woman giving her child suck) expressed pain, and fear so lively, that it is hard to say whether she were more pained with the sense of her wound, then afraid, least her child lacking milk, should suck bloud ; who also is reported to have been the first that began to represent these perturbations of the mind, and was afterwards followed of the other painters, as a guide therein, as it was once by chance found upon a small earthen head of Christ in his child-hood, made by Leonard Vincent himself ; wherein you might evidently perceive, the simplicity and innocency of a child, accompanyed with understanding, wisdome, and majesty : and although it were the countenance of but a young and tender child, yet it seemed to shew forth a kind of sage antiquity, much to be admired.

Hence then the painter may learn how to express not only the proper and natural motions, but also the accidental, wherein consisteth no small part of the difficulty of the art, namely in representing diversities of affections and passions in one body or face : a thing much practized, by the antient painters (though with great difficulty) whoever endeavoured to leave no part of the life unexpressed. It is recorded that Euphranor gave such a touch to the counterfeit of Paris, that therein the beholder might at once collect, that he was empire of the three goddesses, the courter of Helena, and the slayer  of Achilles, and of Parasius the Ephesian, that he painted the idol of the Athenians in such sort, that he seemed angry, unjust, inconstant, implacable, gentle, merciful, etc.

But if we shall enter into a farther consideration of this beauty, it will appear most evidently in things apertaining to civil discipline ; for it is strange to consider what effects of piety, reverence and religion, are stirred up in mens minds, by means of this suitable comeliness of apt proportion. A pregnant example whereof we have in the Jupiter carved by Phidias at Elis, which whrought an extraordinary sense of religion in the people.

A most pregnant example whereof we have in that antient painter Euphranor ; who being to draw the Twelve Gods in Athens, he began whith the picture of Neptune, which he wrought so exquisitely both for proportion, colour, and all other points ; that purposing afterwards to make Jupiter ; the like disgrace happened to Zeuxes by the naturaleness of his grapes, and the imperfection of the boy, not unlike unto which was that of Leon Vincent of late dayes, who being to paing Christ at his last supper in the middst of his disciples in the refectory of St. Maria de Gratia in Milane, and having finished all the other apostles, he represented the two James’s with such perfection, of grace and majesty, that endeavouring afterwards to express Christ, he was not able to perfect and accomplish that sacred countenance, notwithstanding his incomparable skill in the art.