The Analysis of Beauty: Written with a view of fixing the fluctuating ideas of tasteHogarth, William
Philosophy
The Analysis of Beauty: Written with a view of fixing the fluctuating ideas of taste
Hogarth, William
Aesthetics -- Early works to 1800
To be somewhat more explicit. As to the first part, I shall begin
with shewing what practicable sort of measuring may be used in order
to produce the most proper variety in the proportions of the parts of
any body. I say, _practicable_, because the vast variety of intricately
situated parts, belonging to the human form, will not admit of
measuring the distances of one part by another, by lines or points,
beyond a certain degree or number, without great perplexity in the
operation itself, or confusion to the imagination. For instance, say, a
line representing one breadth and an half of the wrist, would be equal
to the true breadth of the thickest part of the arm above the elbow;
may it not then be ask'd, what part of the wrist is meant? for if you
place a pair of calipers a little nearer or further from the hand, the
distance of the points will differ, and so they will if they are moved
close to the wrist all round, because it is flatter one way than the
other; but suppose, for argument sake, one certain diameter should be
fix'd upon; may it not again be ask'd, how is it to be apply'd, if to
the flattest side of the arm or the roundest, and how far from the
elbow, and must it be when the arm is extended or when it is bent?
for this also will make a sensible difference, because in the latter
position, the muscle, call'd the biceps, in the front of that part of
the arm, swells up like a ball one way, and narrows itself another; nay
all the muscles shift their appearances in different movements, so that
whatever may have been pretended by some authors, no exact mathematical
measurements by lines, can be given for the true proportion of a human
body.
[Illustration: Figs. 68 and 55]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account