The text discusses the nature of drawing, emphasizing the importance of understanding proportions and the intelligent arrangement of lines to depict reality. Drawing is described as both a mental and practical skill, requiring extensive practice to master. It highlights the significance of anatomy, particularly osteology (study of bones) and myology (study of muscles), to accurately render the human form, the most perfect creation of nature.
Method for Learning
It explains through the various alterations of the face, the different passions with which the soul is internally agitated; finally, it can represent all objects of nature without the help of a variety of colors. Before diving into the subject, it is appropriate to first explain what Drawing is; then we will try to provide the easiest means to perfect it. Drawing is the proportion of lines and their arrangement to represent visible things as they are or as they should be in their greatest perfection; thus Drawing can be considered primarily as a faculty of understanding, which consists in the intelligence of beautiful proportion; secondly, as a practical science that guides the operations of the hand when it aims to imitate various objects of nature in their proportions. This science is acquired only through much practice and long application; and as it would be impossible for a painter to learn in detail the proportions of all visible bodies, whose variety is infinite, it is sufficient to practice on the most accomplished, because by knowing their beauty, he will easily understand that of all others. The human body, being the most perfect work of nature and what is most difficult to faithfully imitate, must begin his studies by learning its proportions. For this purpose, it is necessary to have a general knowledge of Anatomy, which is divided into Osteology and Myology. Osteology exposes the structure of the bones that support this moving and animated machine, and Myology accounts for