Sculptura: or, the history and art of chalcography, and engraving in copper: with an ample enumeration of the most renowned masters and their works. To which is annexed, a new manner of engraving, or mezzotinto, communicated by his Highness Prince Rupert to the author of this treatise / John Evelyn.

  • John Evelyn
Date:
1755
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sculptura: or, the history and art of chalcography, and engraving in copper: with an ample enumeration of the most renowned masters and their works. To which is annexed, a new manner of engraving, or mezzotinto, communicated by his Highness Prince Rupert to the author of this treatise / John Evelyn. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    83/198 (page 33)
    CHAP. Ill, Of the reput at i on and progrefs 0/Sculpture amongft the Greeks and Romans, down to the middle ages ; with fome pretenfions to the invention of copper cuts, and their irnprefiens. TLTE have now done with the original* and will # * * next endeavour to inveftigate what progrefs it has made amongft thole glorious and univerfal monarchs, when Sculpture and all other noble arts were in their afeendent and higheft reputation, I mean the Greeks and the Romans: for to the firft does Herodotus appropriate the perfe&ion of this art, not admitting it to have arrived at the latter till about the time of Spurius CassiIjs, when Baptist a Alberti aferibes it to his country¬ men the Tulcans. I hofe who have well furveyed the natural hif- tory of Pliny, will eafiiy commute for the ornif- fion, if, out of pure indulgence to their eyes only, we forbear the tranferibing of at leaft three or four entire chapters, induftrioully baulking thofe ample and luxurious fields of ftatuesy as under thefufile ana plaftic head ; becaufe it luits not with our pre- fent defign and inftitution : lor to pal's over the figures in met a4, thole oi gypfum and other materials, the [fculptores marmoris] “ ftatuaries in marble” were lb many, and the Greeks fo extravagantly * A 33> 34^ 3-C o 8, iz, 6. D fond