Studies in pictures; an introduction to the famous galleries . elasquez tohave a copy made from a former portrait that hadproved acceptable. Velasquez in turn probably or-dered Mazo or Carreno or some other pupil to makethe copy, merely satisfying himself that the workwas well done, and putting his ofhcial stamp of ap-proval upon it. The recipient of the portrait wasno doubt told that Velasquez did it; and in thatway the picture was handed down in its royal galleryas a Velasquez, Presented by the King of Spain. Xow the copy when done by an inferior pupil orcommon copyist is rather easily detec
Studies in pictures; an introduction to the famous galleries . elasquez tohave a copy made from a former portrait that hadproved acceptable. Velasquez in turn probably or-dered Mazo or Carreno or some other pupil to makethe copy, merely satisfying himself that the workwas well done, and putting his ofhcial stamp of ap-proval upon it. The recipient of the portrait wasno doubt told that Velasquez did it; and in thatway the picture was handed down in its royal galleryas a Velasquez, Presented by the King of Spain. Xow the copy when done by an inferior pupil orcommon copyist is rather easily detected. The origi-nal is perhaps painted freely and boldly by a manwho is not afraid of making a blunder. In his draw-ing he knows that if he slips over a line or pushesa light too hard, or deepens a sliadow or a lone toomuch he can easily rub it out, do it over again,mend it quickly enough with a few strokes of thebrush. People like Kubens, Hals, and A^elasquezdrew swiftly and handled surely; but the poor copy-ist who comes after Ihcni trica to reproduce their. XL—BOTTICELLI (?), Madonna, Child and SL John. Louvre, Paris. FALSE ATTRIBUTIONS, COPIES, FORGERIES 37 work a sixteenth of an inch at a time, and is alwaysfearful that his brush will go astray and producea false light, or give an abnormal modelling. Theresult is, the copy shows, timidity, especially in theoutline drawing and the handling of the brush. Thepicture is weak, spiritless, wanting in individuality;and, above all, wanting in the qualities of body,bulk, and substance which distinguish a genuine ar-ticle from an imitation. If the picture is a portrait,the sitter in the copy will want the live look of theoriginal, and will appear as though done from aphotograph after death; if the original is a landscapeby Corot, the trees in the copy will lack in branch-drawing, the leaves will look heavy, and the skywoolly; if the original is a blaze of color by Eubens,the copy will have flesh notes that arc hectic andapoplectic,
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublish, booksubjectpainting
