II. ENTRIENS sur les Vies et sur les Ouvrages Des plus excellens Peintres, Anciens et Modernes, par Monsieur FELIBIEN.
This Author, having first discoursed of that Royal Pallace the Louvre, and the Designs of finishing it; passes on to the Art of Picturing, and treats of the three principal things, wherein a good Master of the Art must excel, vid. the Composition, Designing, and Laying on of Colours, which done, he ravels into the Origine, and deduces the Progress of Painting, and relates what is most remarkable in the Lives of the Antient Painters: And among many particulars, he observes in the Life of Andreas de Sarte, how difficult it is, to judge well of a Picture; relating, that a Duke of Mantua, having obtained of Clement VII. a Pourtrait of Leo X. which had been done by Raphael Urbin, and was at Florence, those of that Town being unwilling to lose so excellent a
piece, caused a Copy thereof to be made by the said Andreas de Sarte, which they sent instead of the Original. This Copy was so perfect, that Julio Romano, who had been bred and taught by Raphael, and was one of the best Painters of Italy, took it for an Original; and would never have been undeceived, if one Vasari had not assured him, that it was but a Copy, which himself had seen made, and had not shew'd him certain marks, that were there put to discriminate it from the Original.
In the Second Part, the Author has set down all that is requisite to judge and discourse well of Painting. But, to add Examples to Precepts, he discourses of the Modern Painters, and making a Description of their best Works, he takes occasion to observe, what is there found most excellent, and to shew, how they have put in practice the Rules of Art. He treats also of the declining of Painting, and affirms, that nothing considerable hath been done in it from the time of Constantine, till An. 1240. when one, Cimabue, began to raise this Art again. After this, he give a List of the Painters, that since have been famous for their Works, preferring before all others, Raphael Urbin. The last of all is the above-mention'd Andrè de Sartes, who died, An. 1530. and whom the liberality of Francis I. had drawn into France.
The Printing of these Tracts is now return'd to the first Printer thereof, as being somewhat re-setled after the late sad Fire of London.
FINIS.
In the SAVOY, Printed by T. N. for John Martyn, Printer to the Royal Society, and are to be sold at his Shop a little without Temple-Bar, 1667.