The text discusses the principles for studying and depicting facial expressions in art. It emphasizes distinguishing between natural and accidental positions of the head and face. General observations are suggested for accurately representing human heads in various forms in painting.
THE SIXTH CHAPTER.
From the Artistic Study of Faces according to Natural and Accidental positions, called by us Tronie Perspective.
To come to the principles of the Artistic Study of Facial Depiction, necessary considerations must be made about all the ways a head can move according to natural and accidental observations. We must first explore all the different genders and conditions in which faces can be seen and moved, acknowledging the differences between natural and accidental positions of heads and faces. In the following chapter, when we define the precise distribution of the facial parts in their simple, that is, natural proportional position, we find the means at hand to apply this to accidental faces, according to all kinds of positions of observation and movement, through a fixed rule. For this purpose, we will establish some general observations here; that should constantly be kept in mind for subsequent arguments and some draft proposals.
Therefore, we first propose that a human head can be represented in many different forms and integrated into the art of painting.
How many different ways a head can be moved and seen.