Our business is to imitate the beauties of nature, as the ancients have done before us, and as the object and nature of the thing require from us. And for {185.} this reason, we must be careful in the search of ancient medals, statues, gems, vases, paintings, and basso relievos: [*†183.] And of all other things which discover to us the thoughts and inventions of the Grecians; because they furnish us with great ideas, and make our productions wholly beautiful. And {190.} in truth, after having well examined them, we shall therein find so many charms, that we shall pity the destiny of our present age, without hope of ever arriving at so high a point of perfection. [Sidenote: XXI. A single figure how to be treated.] [*†193.] If you have but one single figure to work upon, you ought to make it perfectly finished, and diversified with many colours. [Sidenote: XXII. Of the draperies.] [*†195.] Let the draperies be nobly spread upon the body; let the folds be large, [*†196.] and let them follow {195.} the order of the parts, that they may be seen underneath, by means of the lights and shadows; notwithstanding that the parts should be often traversed (or crossed) by the flowing of the folds, which loosely encompass them, [*†200.] without sitting too straight upon them; but let them mark the {200.} parts which are under them, so as in some manner to distinguish them, by the judicious ordering of the lights and shadows. [*†202.] And if the parts be too much distant from each other, so that there be void spaces, which are deeply shadowed, we are then to take occasion to place in those voids some fold to make a joining of the parts. {205.} “[*†204.] And as those limbs and members which are expressed by few and large muscles, excel in majesty and beauty,” in the same manner the beauty of the draperies consists not in the multitude of the folds, but in their natural order, and plain simplicity. The quality of the persons is also to be considered in the drapery. [*†210.] As supposing them to be magistrates, their draperies ought to be large and ample; if country clowns, or slaves, they ought to be coarse and short; [*†211.] if ladies, or damsels, light and {210.} soft. It is sometimes requisite to draw out, as it were from the hollows and deep shadows, some fold, and give it a swelling, that so receiving the light, it may contribute to extend the clearness to those places where the body requires it; and by this means we shall disburthen the piece of those hard shadowings, which are always ungraceful. [Sidenote: XXIII. What things contribute to adorn the picture.] [*†215.] The marks or ensigns of virtues contribute not {215.} little, by their nobleness, to the ornament of the figures. Such, for example, as are the decorations belonging to the liberal arts, to war, or sacrifices. [Sidenote: XXIV. Of precious stones and pearl for ornaments.]