In diffused light, rather feeble than strong, and at the first aspect, the effect of No. 1 was more sombre than that of No. 2, and it presented more harmony of analogy; viewed more attentively, an effect of contrast was perceived much more marked in No. 2 than in No. 1, resulting from the black juxtaposed with light violet, which bordered the depth of the fold, rendering this violet lighter, redder, or less blue than the light violet corresponding to No. 1 appeared: the black of No. 2 also, by the influence of the complementary, greenish-yellow, with the contiguous light violet, contrasted more than the deep violet-brown of No. 1; I say more; for this latter received from the proximity of its bright tone a light tint of greenish-yellow. In an intense diffused light, the effect of contrast was greatly increased. Thus, as might have been expected, there was greater difference of contrast between the light and the shadow in No. 2 than in No. 1, and the different parts of the latter, viewed as dependencies of one whole, presented an effect more harmonious than that presented by No. 2. Two pieces of tapestry representing the same pattern, the one with the tones of the blue scale, and the other with the same tones and black, gave rise to analogous remarks; but the differences were less marked than those observed between the two violet pieces. The preceding examples induce me to believe that there are cases in working tapestry, especially with the blue and violet scales, where it appears advantageous to employ the deepest tones of these scales in preference to black; and that if we would have more contrast than we had in the preceding examples, we must juxtapose with the deep tones lighter tones of the same scales than would have been employed if we had used black. In a word, the rule which appears to me must guide us, will be, to produce between the brown and the light of the same scale, the same contrast of tone which would have been produced by the juxtaposition of black. (387.) The facts stated in this Chapter demonstrate superabundantly, I think, that, whenever the weaver is uncertain about the true appreciation of a colour he wishes to imitate, he must circumscribe this part of his pattern with a paper cut out by which he can exactly compare it with the colour of the threads he proposes to employ. (388.) I shall terminate this Chapter by affirming that finely coloured models, painted on the system of chiar'oscuro, and combining the qualities of perfect colouring, (298.), can be represented in tapestry by employing only the local colour, its nearest hues, white, and normal grey. In fact, every part where the local colour appears with the single modification of its hues, being contiguous to other parts, which, in the original model, present to the painter modifications due to an excess or enfeebling of white light, it necessarily happens, that when these latter parts have been reproduced by the weaver with white and normal grey, they will receive, from the proximity of the first parts (seat of the local colour), the same modifications that the corresponding parts of the model present to the painter. M. Deyrolle, whom I have many times quoted, has executed, according to this mode of seeing, a very effective piece of tapestry representing flowers. This is, then, another example of the harmony of theory with the practice of art. CHAPTER IV. QUALITIES WHICH PATTERNS FOR GOBELINS TAPESTRY MUST POSSESS. (389.) In order to fully comprehend what are the qualities which model-pictures for Gobelins tapestry must possess, it is indispensable to decide upon the speciality in the imitation peculiar to this kind of work. (390.) The weaver imitates objects with coloured threads of a certain diameter. These threads are applied round the threads of the warp. The surface produced by them is not uniform, but hollowed in furrows, those which are parallel to the threads of the warp being lower than the others which are perpendicular to it; the effect of these furrows is the same as a series of dark parallel lines would produce upon a picture which would be cut at right angles by another series of finer parallel lines, less dark than the preceding. There is this difference, then, between a tapestry and a painting: 1o. That the first never presents those blended colours which the painter obtains so easily, by mixing or dividing his pigments to an infinite degree by means of a more or less viscid vehicle. 2o. That the symmetry and uniformity of the furrows of tapestry are opposed to the lights being as vivid and the shadows as vigorous as they are in a painting; for if the furrows obscure the lights. the salient parts of the threads which are in the shades have the inconvenience of enfeebling the latter by the light they reflect. 3°. That the lines which circumscribe the different objects in a painting, although straight or curved in every direction, may be of an extreme fineness without ceasing to be perfectly distinct; while the threads of the weft and the warp, always crossing at right angles, are an obstacle to a similar result whenever the lines of the pattern do not exactly coincide with these threads. 4°. Let us add, that the painter has other resources, to increase the brilliancy of the lights and the vigour of the shadows which are denied to the weaver. For instance, he opposes opaque bodycolours to glazing-colours (pigments); he modifies an object of a single colour by varying the thickness of the layer of paint he places on the canvas; also, up to a certain point, he can produce modifications by changing the direction of the strokes of his pencil. (391.) From this state of things, I conclude that, to raise the effects of tapestry as nearly as possible to those of painting, it is requisite: 1°. That the objects be represented of such a size that the point where the spectator must be placed to see them properly, does not permit of his distin con guishing the coloured elements from each other, nor the furrows which separate them, so that not only the threads of two mixed scales (377.), and the hatchings of different scales more or less distant, interwoven together (378.), are founded in a colour homogeneous to the eye, notwithstanding the definite dimensions of the variously coloured elements constituting this colour, but also that the cavities and salient parts appear as a uniform surface; 2o. That the colours be as vivid and as contrasted as possible, so that the lines which circumscribe the different objects be more distinct, and that the lights and shadows be as different as possible. (392.) It is now evident that patterns for tapestry must not only recommend themselves by correct outline, and elegant forms, but they must represent large objects, figures draped rather than nude, vestments decorated with ornaments rather than simple and uniform; lastly, by colours varying and contrasting as much as possible ;-consequently everything relating to miniature by minuteness or by finish in details is foreign to the special object of tapestry. |