The text discusses the principles of drawing, emphasizing harmony between parts and the whole. It provides guidance on using proportions in human figures, advising beginners to observe proportions by eye rather than relying solely on measurements. It also highlights differences between proportions of men and women, noting specific variations in anatomy.
DRAWING.
Born of Greek style and following the Antique. Finally, there must be a complete harmony of the parts with the whole, so that the figures are perfectly united. One might add that the outer outlines must be flowing, and the details of the forms within should be more squared and flattened, to use a specific term from the Art of Drawing.
Notes on the proportions given in this Chapter.
We will conclude this Chapter on proportions by advising beginners that they are not presented with all these measurements of the human body, to encourage them to use the compass to comply at every moment. On the contrary, they must become accustomed to drawing by eye, and they should carefully consider the general shape and size of each limb, according to a fixed proportion that should guide them. It has even been previously noted that this fixed proportion does not always suit all people equally, as one must still distinguish between sexes, ages, and even various conditions; there is a significant difference between a man and a woman, between a child and a grown man, and between a hero and an ordinary person.
Alternate translation of the previous paragraph:
We will end this Chapter on proportions by making an observation for beginners: they should not be strictly bound to carry out all these measurements of the human body, requiring them to constantly have a compass in hand to conform to them; on the contrary, they should become accustomed to determining by eye, and to considering with attention the general form and size of each limb, according to a fixed proportion which should serve as their guide. We have already noted previously that this proportion does not always exactly suit all men, as one must still distinguish between sexes, ages, and even different conditions; there being a great difference between a man and a woman, between a child and an adult, and between a fine person and an ordinary person.
The difference in proportion between a woman and a man consists in the woman's smaller head and longer neck, lower breasts and abdomen, making the distance from the under-bust to the navel smaller by half a nose, and her thigh is about a third of a nose shorter. The woman also has the shoulders and the