The Beauty of Human Figures.

Once given, just as he had his Venus (which, according to myths, must be the most beautiful), he placed her from behind so that everyone could apply their conception of beauty to her. At the very least, they believed that if she were to turn or change her stance, she would surely be more beautiful than others. Thus, leaving the observer with the desire to agree with the Judgment of Paris, as the viewer's imagination achieved what was doubted as being able to be effectively executed in art.

But as many of the Old Master craftsmen primarily dedicated themselves to achieving beauty in their sculptures, some among them have also excelled in carving marble statues, casting bronze ornamental statues, and painting portraits to such a high degree that they began to measure beauty against natural life itself. Certainly, we should not look for another origin for the expressions like 'as beautiful as a statue' or 'it's as if painted from life' other than the endeavors of these ancient masters. Yet we should not claim that art surpasses nature; rather, we acknowledge that art, when wisely directed, habitually places all praise in beauty and selects and combines everything that nature makes beautiful.

Therefore, casters, molders, and sculptors also used to form and cast numerous faces, arms, and legs, and even entire trunks of human bodies, selling them with common approval.

Translation Notes:

- "Konst" translates as "Art" referring to artistic skill and practice.

- "Natuur" translates as "Nature," referring to the natural world and its inherent beauty.

- "Oordeel van Paris" refers to the mythological "Judgment of Paris," a tale in Greek mythology.