1st. Acquire no practical knowledge whatever of painting: otherwise• you
will become sensible of the difficulty of producing anything like effect ; and that once felt, the free flow of criticism is obstructed for ever after—unless in those cases where envy steps in and clears the channel. .
2d. Be careful never to say anything about " hreadth"—itis stale, and would raise suspicion. Clever" is a very taking and half tech nical word. Rather a clever picture of very spirited and clever sketch Of ARQUOZZI. 3d. On detecting old retouches, you may regret that, with all its merits, it is not a "virgin picture." To do this, if you can take the picture down, is quite easy : any painter will show you how to slant it from the light in a way that discovers such blemishes at once. Repairs of the kind prove the painting to be old, so that the possessor is not likely to be much exasperated. at the discovery ; for you are to keep in mind that-septet:2s 5carcely e.,more. irritable animal than a collector of paintings. 4th. It is not quite safe to contemn the modern school of painting. You should even profess to have two or three favourites among ling British 'artists. Do not let WILKIE be of the' number ; because all Europe adinires him, and you cannot transcend the praise he has already obtained. There is a degree of presumption, too, in lauding the familiarly known works of an acknowledged genius ; and the success of our plan entirely depends upon an invariable air of modesty. You will easily become acquainted with what is received as to the artists of the day, and it is proper to be au courant of this ; but, generally speaking, it will be better to confine both your strictures and admiration to the old masters. The French school of all periods, unless you like to except WATTEAU, (N. POTJSSIN, and CLAUDE de I ,RRAIN are to be considered as Italians) may be condemned without a show of mercy; though you can remark, that the young French artists draw very prettily—this will be like recalling a too powerful tint.
5th. FUZELI'S enormities being acknowledged as very learned, profess to admire their vigour. 6th. The attempt to distinguish copies from originals would be too rash, and even the expression of an opinion on that point is full of peril ; for traps are often laid, and imitations have been so perfect as to deceive real judges. The safest guides are the wealth of the individual whose collection your are viewing, and the character which you have previously heard of the collection itself. 'With a person of lfmited means, who thinks he has made one or two "lucky hits," you may be mudh more confident. Say there is certainly a good deal of the supposed master about one,—that another is a very pleasing or striking performance, whether original or not,—adding, that you have never fallen into the too prevailing weakness of indiscriminately despising copies. Avoid, if possible, giving any positive opinion upon this question ; or suggest that it may be an early picture, which, in any case, will induce people to suppose that you have seen better works by the same master, or that you suspect it of being a copy, if they are conscious that it is so.
7th. Before you make an observation which you believe to be profound or specious (which latter is preferable, as being less pedantic), always premise that you are no connoisseur. This will secure you from deteetion, and you will have the merit of telling a truth which not one in fifty will believe. A person who says he "knows the moves," is always suspected to be a great chess-player; and ROMBERG says he can play a little on the violoncello.
8th. Read a few hooks about painters rather than painting. Select those in any other language you know, in preference to the English works of that class. Avoid all such heletating twaddle as WALPOLE'S Anecdotes, &c.
9th. It is needful to be tolerably conversant with sacred history, and also with mythology, to meet inquiries which a catalogue does not always furnish materials for answering. A very little of the histories of Rome, Greece, and Modern Europe, (the book which bears that title suffices to the latter object) will go a great way; for eminent painters have scarcely treated more than forty or fifty incidents taken from all these. The only actual study requisite for you is that of the costumes, both general and distinctive, of the different nations and periods represented ;band this will occupy three or four months. Address yourself for authorities on the subject (or on whatever other you may wish to investigate seriously and consecutively) to any scientific institution except the British Museum—unless you happen to be in Parliament. 10th. To learn the divisions of the Italian schools, can hardly be called a study. Retain the names of four or five of the heads of each of these, and of as many Flemish and Dutch painters. If you can remember the names of some of their scholars, so much the better; for it would enable you, if asked, for instance, whether you thought a portrait offered for sale was really by REMBRANDT ? to answer, that you "should rather have ascribed it to GOUVART FLINCK." Of course you apply the converse of this if asked by the owner or purchaser himself. Nothing is so important in our line as conciliation ; and the habit of it polishes the manners incredibly. th. It has been fashionable among connoisseurs of late, to appreciate the old German masters. They are few in number, and it is doubtful whether sonic among them ever painted at all. The properest favourite to choose is LUCAS KRANACH, whose works are not very generally known here. You may describe the grace blended with Gothic quaintness that distinguishes his productions. As he was a very learned man, take no part (unless you are a scholar) in investigations or conjectures as to such of his subjects as are not quite obvious, for he often took them front the Greek anthology and other recondite sources.
121h. Be very careful how you commend the figures or cattle in a landscape. Many of the great paysugistes either (like CLAUDE, when he attempted it, as he occasionally did) painted such accessories abominably ill, or (like RUYSDAAL always) could not paint them at all, and employed some one else to do them.
13111. In a fitting society, observe that TITIAN was certainly the greatest landscape painter that ever lived. So few have been taught to consider him in that point of view, that your hearers will be startled at the moment ; and when they inquire, it will appear that your account of that master's secondary talent was correct. This must only be played off once.
14th. Whenever you can, introduce the proper name of an old master instead of the soubriquet by which he is generally known. Speak of some celebrated altar-piece at Rome or Florence; describe its subject; and blame, for instance, the g-reyish tone of ZAMPIERI'S fleshcolour :—twenty to one, some coxcomb thinks to set you right by saying the picture you allude to is by DOMINICHINO : you then mildly, and ‘vit limit the least air of triumph, answer that it is the same person. A table, of which the following is a sketch, will enable you to do this frequently. You can fill it up by degrees.
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