fine themselves to the studying of these particulars; although, with time and labour, they may execute works similar to those they admire, yet they never attain, by these means alone, to the perfection of their art, since it is obvious that he rarely presses forward who is content to follow behind.[1] And the imitation of Nature herself is at an end for that artist whom long practice has confirmed in the manner he has adopted: for as imitation is the fixed art of representing exactly what you desire to copy, so it is a very fine thing, provided that you take pure Nature only for your guide, without the intervention of your master’s manner, or that of others, who have also reduced to a manner what they first took from Nature: seeing that, however truthful and natural the works of any master may appear, it is not possible that with all his diligence, he can make it such as that it shall be equal to Nature herself, nay, even though he select the best parts, he can never set them together into a body of such perfection as to make Art outstrip Nature. Then, if this be so, it follows, that objects taken directly from Nature are alone calculated to make painting and sculpture perfect, and that he who studies artists only, and not bodies and things natural, must of necessity have his works inferior to the reality, nay, less excellent than those of the master from whom he takes his manner,[2] Accordingly, it has happened to many of our artists, that not having studied anything but the manner of their masters, and having thus left Nature out of view, they have failed to acquire any knowledge of her, neither have they got beyond the master they have imitated, but have done great wrong to their own genius.[3] Whereas, if they had studied the manner of their masters and natural objects at the same time, they would have produced more effectual fruits than they have now done. An instance of this may be seen in the works of the sculptor, Mino daFiesole, who, possessing genius whereby he might have accomplished whatever he had chosen to attempt, was yet so enamoured of the manner of his master,
- ↑ A saying of Michael Angelo’s.
- ↑ In this exordium Vasari inculcates excellent principles, and proves his good faith as a writer, his own practice having been iir a totally opposite direction.—Ed. Flor., 1838.
- ↑ A result experienced by Vasari himself, as it was by all who, like him, too closely pursued the footsteps of Michael Angelo. — Ibid.
