Giorgio Vasari

“ Fostered by the power of his art, and cultivated by his labours, the beautiful and fruitful plant has already put forth many and most noble branches, which have not only filled the world with the most delicious fruits, in unwonted profusion, but have also brought these three noble arts to so admirable a degree of perfection, that we may safely affirm the statues of this master to be, in all their parts, more beautiful than the antique. ”

“ The Laocoon namely, the Hercules, the mighty Torso of the Belvedere, with the Venus, the Cleopatra, the Apollo, and many others, in which softness and power are alike visible, which display roundness and fulness justly restrained, and which, reproducing the most perfect beauty of nature, with attitudes and movements wholly free from distortion, but turning or bending gracefully in certain parts, exhibit everywhere the flexibility and ease of nature, with the most attractive grace. ”

“ Had these masters attained to that minuteness of finish which constitutes the perfection and bloom of art, they would also have displayed power and boldness in their works, when the result would have been a lightness, beauty, and grace which are not now to be found, although we perceive proofs of diligent endeavour, but which are, nevertheless, always secured to beautiful figures by the highest efforts of art, whether in sculpture or painting. ”

“ If the heads, hands, arms, or feet of the one be placed in comparison with those of the other, there will be found in those of the modern a more exact rectitude of principle, a grace more entirely graceful, a much more absolute perfection, in short, while there is also in the manner, a certain facility in the conquering of difficulties, than which it is impossible even to imagine any thing better ”

“ But he who bears the palm from all, whether of the living or the dead; he who transcends and eclipses every other, is the divine Michelagnolo Buonarotti, who takes the first place, not in one of these arts only, but in all three. ”

“ But whoever shall examine the mural paintings of Polidoro and Maturino, will see figures in such attitudes as it would seem almost impossible to represent, and will inquire, with amazement, how they have found means, not to describe in discourse, which might easily be done, but to depict with the pencil, all the extraordinary circumstances exhibited by them with so much facility; nor can we sufficiently marvel at the skill and dexterity with which they have represented the deeds of the Romans, as they really happened. ”

“ Eule, order, proportion, design, and manner, have all been added by them to the characteristics exhibited by those of the first period, if not in the utmost perfection, yet making so near an approach to the truth, that the masters of the third period, of which we are henceforward to treat, have been enabled, by the light thus afibrded them, to reach that summit which the best and most renowned of modern works prove them to have attained. ”

“ But since artists have now rather to combat with, and struggle against poverty, than to strive after, and labour for fame, so is their genius miserably crushed and buried, nor does this state of things permit them (reproach and shame to those who could bring the remedy, but who give themselves no trouble concerning the matter) , to make their true value adequately known. But we have said enough on that subject, and it is time that we return to the Lives, proposing to treat circumstantially of all those who have performed celebrated works in the third manner ”

“ But if the most renowned masters of old times, who, stimulated as they were by excessive rewards, produced their works amidst all the delights that fortune can bestow, obtain so large a share of our admiration, how much more highly should we not celebrate and extol even to the heavens, those most wonderful artists, who not only without reward, but iu miserable poverty, bring forth fruits so precious? ”

“ Nor could this last perfection—this certain somewhat thus wanting—be readily obtained, seeing that, from much study, the manner derives a sort of dryness, when it is from study alone that men are labouring to force that highest finish. ”

“ Truly important was the progress towards perfection which was secured to the arts of painting, sculpture, and architecture, by means of the excellent masters whose works we have described in the second part of these Lives. ”

“ These masters had laboured by unremitting effort to produce the impossible in art, more especially in foreshortenings or in objects displeasing to the sight, and which, as they were difficult in the execution, so are they unattractive to those who behold them. ”

“ Among the high qualities which render the sculptured works of Michael Angelo so admirable, Ave have to remark the softness of the flesh, which is such, that one cannot but fancy the muscles of his figures ready to yield to the pressure of the hand. For this, for his knowledge of anatomy, for his energetic treatment, &c., the statues of Michael Angelo may be preferred to many of the antique: but Vasari declares them to be superior to all, and in all respects ”

“ It is therefore to be believed and may be affirmed, that if, in this our day, the due remuneration were accorded to upright effort, there would be still greater and much better works executed than were ever produced by the ancients. ”