ents of man and other
animals, and of good architecture; that is to say, as far as the forms
of buildings and other objects which are on the earth are concerned,
and these are infinite in number. The more of them that thou knowest,
the more praiseworthy will be thy work; and in cases where thou hast no
experience do not refuse to draw them from nature.

[Sidenote: Advice to the Painter]

65.

Certainly while a man is painting he should not be loth to hear every
opinion: since we know well that a man, although he be not a painter,
is cognizant of the forms of another man, and will be able to judge
them, whether he is hump-backed or has a shoulder too high or too low,
or whether he has a large mouth or nose, or other defects. And if we
know that men are capable of giving a correct judgement on the works of
nature, much more ought we to acknowledge their competence to judge our
faults, since we know how greatly a man may be deceived in {114} his
own work; and if thou art not conscious of this in thyself, study it in
others and thou wilt profit by their faults. Therefore be desirous to
bear with patience the opinions of others, and consider and reflect
well whether he who blames has good ground or not to blame thee, and if
thou thinkest that he has, amend thy work; and if not, act as though
thou hadst not heard him, and if he should be a man thou esteemest show
him by reasoning where his mistake lies.

66.

There is a certain generation of painters who, owing to the scantiness
of their studies, must needs live up to the beauty of gold and azure,
and with supreme folly declare that they will not give good work for
poor payment, and that they could do as well as others if they were
well paid. Now consider, foolish people! Cannot such men reserve some
good work and say, "This is costly; this is moderate, and this is cheap
work," and show that they have work at every price?

[Sidenote: The Painter and the Mirror]

67.

When thou wishest to see whether thy picture corresponds entirely with
the objects thou hast drawn from nature, take a mirror and let the
living reality be reflected in it, and compare the reflection with thy
picture, and consider well {115} whether the subject of the two images
are in harmony one with another.

And above all thou shouldst take the mirror for thy master,--a flat
mirror, since on its surface the objects in many respects have the same
appearance as in painting. For thou sees