POLITE ARTS. The GREATER SILVER PALLET was this Seffion voted to Mr. TIMOTHY SHELDRAKE, for the following Differtation on PAINTING IN OIL, in a manner fimilar to that practifed in the ancient Venetian School. TH HE method of painting practifed in the Venetian School, I conceive to have been as follows: The cloth was primed with colours in distemper, of a brownish hue, fuch as would properly enter into the darkest parts of the picture. The moft tranfparent colours are the propereft. I believe umber was most generally used, broken with red, yellow, or blue, according to the tint intended to be produced, and diluted with chalk or whiting to the proper degree of ftrength. Upon the ground fo prepared, the fubject was correctly drawn with umber, pure, or mixed with lake, blue, or black; and, with the fame colours, thofe fhadows that were darker than the ground were then painted in. The artist then painted the lights with pure white, in a folid body, where the light was brighteft, or where the full effect of colour was to be produced; and, where the demi-tints were afterwards to be, fcumbling it thinner by degrees, till it united with the fhadows. In this manner the chiaro-ofcuro was finished as much as poffible, and the local colour of every object in the picture glazed over it. All the colours used in this part of the work were ground in oil, which was absorbed into the ground, the picture remaining flat, fomething like a picture in water-colours or crayons; it was then varnifhed, till faturated with varnish, and the full of every colour brought out: the picture was then complete. Upon |