Chronology Entry
Year
1755
Text
The world ; no 117, March 27 (1755).
http://books.google.ch/books?id=B1m8Bq4nu7kC&pg=PA81&lpg=PA81&dq=The+applause+which+is+so+fondly++given+to+Chinese+decorations+or+to+the+barbarous+productions+of+a+Gothic+genius.&source=bl&ots=PPD4adpWNN&sig=A3YGxkB6eYTe1Po_3y4tUrzYkPg&hl=de&sa=X&ei=CAysUsbPFsSq7QbZwIHYDg&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=The%20applause%20which%20is%20so%20fondly%20%20given%20to%20Chinese%20decorations%20or%20to%20the%20barbarous%20productions%20of%20a%20Gothic%20genius.&f=false.
"The applause which is so fondly given to Chinese decorations or to the barbarous productions of a Gothic genius, which seems once more to threaten the ruin of the simplicity which distinguished the Greek and Roman arts as eternally superior to those of every other nation… The present vogue of Chinese and Gothic architecture has, besides its novelty, another cause of its good reception ; which is, that there is no difficulty in being merely whimsical. A spirit capable of entering into all the beauties of antique simplicity, is the portion of minds used to reflection, and the result of a corrected judgment : but here all men are equal. A manner confined to no rules cannot fail of having the crowd of imitators in its party, where novelty is the sole criterion of elegance. It is no objection, that the very end of all, building is forgot ; that all reference to use and climate, all relation of one proportion to another, of the thing supporting to the thing supported, of the accessory to the principal, and of the part to the whole, is often entirely subverted. The paintings, which, like the architecture, continually revolt against the truth of things, as little surely deserve the name of elegant. False lights, false shadows, false perspective and proportions, gay colours, without that gradation of tints, that mutual variety of englihtened and darkened objects which relieve and give force to each other, at the same time that they give repose to the eye, in short, every incoherent combination of forms in nature, without expression and without meaning , are the essentials of Chinese painting. As this Chinese and Gothic spirit has begun to deform some of the finest streets in this capital, whenever an academy shall be founded for the promoting the arts of sculpture, painting and architecture, some scheme should be thought of at the same time to discourage the encroachment of this pretended elegance ; and an anti-Chinese society will be as much more important institution in the world of arts, than an anti-Gallican in that of politics."
http://books.google.ch/books?id=B1m8Bq4nu7kC&pg=PA81&lpg=PA81&dq=The+applause+which+is+so+fondly++given+to+Chinese+decorations+or+to+the+barbarous+productions+of+a+Gothic+genius.&source=bl&ots=PPD4adpWNN&sig=A3YGxkB6eYTe1Po_3y4tUrzYkPg&hl=de&sa=X&ei=CAysUsbPFsSq7QbZwIHYDg&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=The%20applause%20which%20is%20so%20fondly%20%20given%20to%20Chinese%20decorations%20or%20to%20the%20barbarous%20productions%20of%20a%20Gothic%20genius.&f=false.
"The applause which is so fondly given to Chinese decorations or to the barbarous productions of a Gothic genius, which seems once more to threaten the ruin of the simplicity which distinguished the Greek and Roman arts as eternally superior to those of every other nation… The present vogue of Chinese and Gothic architecture has, besides its novelty, another cause of its good reception ; which is, that there is no difficulty in being merely whimsical. A spirit capable of entering into all the beauties of antique simplicity, is the portion of minds used to reflection, and the result of a corrected judgment : but here all men are equal. A manner confined to no rules cannot fail of having the crowd of imitators in its party, where novelty is the sole criterion of elegance. It is no objection, that the very end of all, building is forgot ; that all reference to use and climate, all relation of one proportion to another, of the thing supporting to the thing supported, of the accessory to the principal, and of the part to the whole, is often entirely subverted. The paintings, which, like the architecture, continually revolt against the truth of things, as little surely deserve the name of elegant. False lights, false shadows, false perspective and proportions, gay colours, without that gradation of tints, that mutual variety of englihtened and darkened objects which relieve and give force to each other, at the same time that they give repose to the eye, in short, every incoherent combination of forms in nature, without expression and without meaning , are the essentials of Chinese painting. As this Chinese and Gothic spirit has begun to deform some of the finest streets in this capital, whenever an academy shall be founded for the promoting the arts of sculpture, painting and architecture, some scheme should be thought of at the same time to discourage the encroachment of this pretended elegance ; and an anti-Chinese society will be as much more important institution in the world of arts, than an anti-Gallican in that of politics."
Subjects
Art : General