Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 1.djvu/23



Origin of the Arts of Design, first known among the Chaldeans— The Arts among the Egyptians and Hebrews—Among the Greeks and Romans—Among the Etruscans—Of the decline of the Arts among the Romans—The decline of' Architecture less rapid— The decline of Architecture accelerated by the departure of the Emperors from Rome—The invasion of the Roman Empire by Barbarians reduces the Arts of Design to ruin—The Arts suffered injury, from the indiscreet zeal of the early Christians — Still heavier injuries inflicted by the Emperor Constans II, and by the Saracens—Of the Arts under the Lombards, and of the Architecture called Gothic—Of some better buildings erected in Florence, Venice, and elsewhere—Architecture revives to a certain extent in Tuscany, and more especially at Pisa—In Lucca—Sculpture, Painting, and Mosaic, ceasing to imitate the Greeks, begin to revive by means of the Italians—Ancient Art as distinguished from the old— Conclusion. It is without doubt a fixed opinion, common to almost all writers, that the arts of sculpture and painting were first discovered by the nations of Egypt, although there are some who attribute the first rude attempts in marble, and the first statues and relievi, to the Chaldeans, while they accord the invention of the pencil, and of colouring, to the Greeks. But I am myself convinced, that design, which is the foundation of both these arts, nay, rather the very soul of each, comprising and nourishing within itself all the essential parts of both, existed in its highest perfection from the first moment of creation, when the Most High having formed the great body of the world, and adorned the heavens with their resplendent lights, descended by his spirit, through the limpidity of the air, and penetrating the solid mass of earth, created man; and thus unveiled, with the beauties of creation, the first form of sculpture and of painting. For from this man, as from a true model, were copied by slow degrees (we may not venture to affirm the contrary), statues and sculptures: the difficulties of varied attitude,—the flowing lines