The following little piece has been constantly annexed to M. DU FRESNOY'S Poem. It is here given from the former Editions: but the liberty has been taken of making some alterations in the Version, which, when compared with the original in French, appeared either to be done very carelessly by Mr. DRYDEN, or (what is more probable) to be the work of some inferior hand which he employed on the occasion. M. THE SENTIMENTS OF CHARLES ALPHONSE DU FRESNOY, ON THE WORKS OF THE PRINCIPAL AND BEST PAINTERS OF THE TWO LAST AGES; 1600 AND 1700. THE SENTIMENTS OF CHARLES ALPHONSE DU FRESNOY, ON THE WORKS OF THE PRINCIPAL AND BEST PAINTERS OF THE TWO LAST AGES. PAINTING was in its perfection amongst the Greeks. The principal schools were at Sycion, afterwards at Rhodes, at Athens, and at Corinth, and at last in Rome. Wars and Luxury having overthrown the Roman Empire, it was totally extinguished, together with all the noble Arts, the studies of Humanity, and other Sciences. It began to appear again in the year 1450, amongst some Painters of Florence, of which Domenico Ghirlandaio was one, who was Master to Michael Angelo, and had some kind of reputation, though his manner was Gothick, and very dry. |