On the Old Road Vol. 1 (of 2): A Collection of Miscellaneous Essays and Articles on Art and LiteratureRuskin, John
General
On the Old Road Vol. 1 (of 2): A Collection of Miscellaneous Essays and Articles on Art and Literature
Ruskin, John
Art; Essays; Literature
130. But there is a farther and more essential ground of difference in
system of shadow between the Flemish and Italian colorists. It is a
well-known optical fact that the color of shadow is complemental to that
of light: and that therefore, in general terms, warm light has cool
shadow, and cool light hot shadow. The noblest masters of the northern
and southern schools respectively adopted these contrary keys; and while
the Flemings raised their lights in frosty white and pearly grays out of
a glowing shadow, the Italians opposed the deep and burning rays of
their golden heaven to masses of solemn gray and majestic blue. Either,
therefore, their preparation must have been different, or they were
able, when they chose, to conquer the warmth of the ground by
superimposed color. We believe, accordingly, that Correggio will be
found--as stated in the notes of Reynolds quoted at p. 495--to have
habitually grounded with black, white, and ultramarine, then glazing
with golden transparent colors; while Titian used the most vigorous
browns, and conquered them with cool color in mass above. The remarkable
sketch of Leonardo in the Uffizii of Florence is commenced in
brown--over the brown is laid an olive green, on which the highest
lights are struck with white.
Now it is well known to even the merely decorative painter that no color
can be brilliant which is laid over one of a corresponding key, and that
the best ground for any given opaque color will be a comparatively
subdued tint of the complemental one; of green under red, of violet
under yellow, and of _orange_ or _brown_ therefore under _blue_. We
apprehend accordingly that the real value of the brown ground with
Titian was far greater than even with Rubens; it was to support and give
preciousness to cool color above, while it remained itself untouched as
the representative of warm reflexes and extreme depth of transparent
gloom. We believe this employment of the brown ground to be the only
means of uniting majesty of hue with profundity of shade. But its value
to the Fleming is connected with the management of the lights, which we
have next to consider. As we here venture for the first time to disagree
in some measure with Mr. Eastlake, let us be sure that we state his
opinion fairly. He says:--
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