t that a painting done on a
flat surface reveals objects which appear to be in relief, and the
mirror consisting of a flat surface produces the same effect; the
painting consists of one plane surface and the mirror likewise; the
picture is impalpable, in so far as that which appears to be round and
prominent cannot be grasped by the hands, and it is the same with the
mirror; the mirror and the painting reveal the semblance of objects
surrounded by light and shade; each of them appears to be at a distance
from its surface.

And if thou dost recognize that the mirror by means of outlines, lights
and shadows gives relief to objects, and since thou hast in thy colours
lights and shadows stronger than those of the mirror, there is no doubt
that if thou composest thy picture well, it will also have the
appearance of nature when it is reflected in a large mirror.

[Sidenote: The Painter's Mind]

68.

The mind of the painter should continually transmute the figure of the
notable objects which come before him into so many discourses; and
imprint them in his memory and classify them {116} and deduce rules
from them, taking the place, the circumstances, the light and the shade
into consideration.

[Sidenote: The Variety of Nature]

69.

I say that the universal proportions must be observed in the height of
figures and not in their size, because in the admirable and marvellous
things which appear in the works of nature there is no work of
whatsoever character in which one detail is exactly similar to another;
therefore, O thou imitator of nature, pay heed to the variety of
features.

70.

Radically wrong is the procedure of some masters who are in the habit
of repeating the same themes in the same episodes, and whose types of
beauty are likewise the same, for in nature they are never repeated, so
that if all the beauties of equal excellence were to come to life again
they would compose a larger population than that now existing in our
century, and since in the present century no one person is precisely
similar to another, so would it be among the beauties mentioned above.

71.

You must depict your figures with gestures which will show what the
figure has in his mind, otherwise your art will not be praiseworthy.

{117}

[Sidenote: Mind and Expression]

72.

No figure will be admirable if the gesture which expresses the passion
of the soul is not visible in it. The most admirable figure is that
whic