The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1856-04-03

lrresa ths ioaaea A,hssssrul

! This Is . small work on artistic al Antiquarian
ism, as curious ~ IL 10 original. II In tbs aAr
on Of the proportions Of the human frame. har
dea down 10 us by yirtavios. In the ihir
book Of his Treatise on Architecture. Frot
some obscnriiy In that writer's text, and fro,
! the poor illustrations that accompany the oh
editions. this canon has hitherto been disregard
ed. In the Library Of the Academy Of ves,
Ice, however. there has btea discoversla draw
Ing by ieouario da Vinoc, and tranxlatiot
OF Nlrta,iuss rmarks into italian, 70 lucid
and 50 intelligiblc. that Il Is probable tie ltal
Ian artist must have possesscd q morc pcrtect
copy 81 the author than now cxists.
The Importance O. this new rvadiug 10, that
u probably hands down 10 US the great canon
of Pe'ycletas. 90 Il agrees with the bcst 0rcck
statues. aai is understood by Comparison with
the succcciiag csnons used by the Egyptians.
Man ~ found 10 bc constructed on purely
gcometfic laws, though tho bcau,y of his bmly
and tho harmony of its parts arc now forever
We suppose. hidden by tho aborr of the tailor,
A grcat miracle u n hoaAo that wi,icns and
widcns without any reconstruction, AMI s,lapts
itrf 10 the ffe~h wants Of every year. that
widens and still preserves liz relative propor.
tious--thai wldcns and preserves It's original
shape aud form. The original text Il too ca.
rious 10 escape quotation
Nature. In the composition of the human
frame, has 80 oriaincd that tho iacc, itum the
chin to thu highest point Of tho ioruhcad,
whence the hair bcgins, II = tenth part oi the
whole stature; the sn,ne proportion Obtains IN
the hand mcasarvd nom tho wrist 10 the es
tfcimfy df tas nIade finsaf ns q i;ca.' from u m
tho chin 10 tho top Of the scalp, 10 an eighth.
Ernt, ek., tas. ~ ~. .kn.s A. a
Of tho forehead h ~ypnth. From tho min
pics TO Tho top ot Tho scalp 10 Tho fourth Of tkc
whole siatarc. II Tho length II tho fAee, from
Tue chin TO tho roots Of the hair. bo divided
into thrce equal parts, The first division deter.
m'pes the place OF the nostrils the second.
The point where tho eyebrows meet, The loot
u the seventh part oi the height Of tho cntirc
lrame Tho cab't OF tho chest are each fourth.
The other members have certain afllnitics which
were always observed by the most celebrated
OF ancisnt paistsrs aud sculpto~. and we must
look Tor them Ia thosc productions which have
excited universal admiration.
The navel is, naturally. the central point OF
the human body; for u q man should lis on ha
back. with bis arms and legs extended. tho Pc.
riphery OF the circle which may he desorilesl
about him, with the navel for IL center wosld
touch tho cstremities Of bis hands and fret. ..--
The same aflinilics obtain. Il W. apply square
10 The human figure ior like the utiguous
sides, the height, be the samc M tho distance
from the extremity u one band 10 tho Other
when tho arms arc cxtcadcd. Tho standards
according 10 which All admcasurcncnis ere
won, 10 bc made. are likewise delucci from
The members Of the body such ~ the digit,
,Ie palm. tho foot, and the cubi, oil of which
tho Grrks c;aIl 1elsios." I
The book Ia valuable ono 10 artists and
persons interested IN Grcek art and w ars
very grateful TO Mr. Bonomi for the easy no.
rrss which hc has given us--this curious trns- |
nry Of artistic speculation.