. : Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018 with funding from Getty Research Institute https://archive.org/details/treatiseonancienOOnatt r :- 1 ' -•< . ■ A TREATISE ON THE ANCIENT METHOD OF ENGRAVING on Precious Stones, COMPARED WITH THE MODERN. ILLUSTRATED WITH COPPER-PLATES. B V LAURENTIUS NATTER, Engraver on Gems . LONDON, Printed for the AUTHOR, in Vine-Street , Piccadilly . 1 7 5 4- 'm, 3 l T H . . T * ;i i T o O. 3 -1 \ -v La \ A A 1 u Va i a ) r i) M I V A : ..3 •; ; o r o 3 u :> i'b s :i 1 vl o . . ; • i:./ . ’ - :> .VL l A 0 U . . V ;i i [a „• ..O v.} •;/;*£.ViI. o a .. i • • c - ' ,9 c .r 'j'li'U-A i .... (T PREFACE. Ever A l Admirers of the Art of En¬ graving on precious Stones having often asked me, if the Method of Engraving ufed by the Ancients could not be found out and clear¬ ly explained, (they having left us no fufficient Information about it, nor have the Moderns been at any Pains to difcover it in a fatisfa&ory Man¬ ner,) I have written the following fmall Treatife for their Satisfaction; and I hope that theConnoif- feurs will find in it fome Things fuitable to their Tafte; having proved, and taken Notice, myfelf, of a the IV PREFACE. the different Strokes and Effects of all the Tools proper for Engraving, whilft I copied with the greateftExactnefs the Works of the ancient Engra¬ vers : which Operation convinced me of the Reality of what has hitherto been regarded only as a Sup- pofition and mere Preemption, namely, that their Method was precifely the fame with ours. My principal View is to oblige the Curious by furnifliing them with the Means of acquiring a more extended Knowledge of this Matter. I write properly for Virtuofos, who are already acquainted with ancient Hiftory and Mythology, to enable them to form a proper Judgement of the different Manners of Engraving on pre¬ cious Stones, and the Difficulties attending it* I have avoided long Difcuffions, that I might not tire my Readers,and have given in the plaineft Drefs the Obfervations that I made from Time to Time when I was at Work. In order to make the following Treatife more eafily underftood I have prefixed to it a Defcrip- tion of the Tools employed in Engraving; and lhewn the Ufe of them in beginning and finifhing a Head, which is drawn in three different Man¬ ners, PREFACE. V ners, and explained in its proper Place. I alfo fhew how the Ancients employed our Tools in dif¬ ferent Engravings, as Bouterolles of feveral Sizes, in Plate i v and v, the cutting Tool in Plate v 11, the half-round Tool in Plate xm, and the Borer in Plate xiv, 6 ?c. Whilft I was at Work on this Head, I ob- ferved that the firft Strokes of my Tools made it greatly refemble a bad antique Engraving of which I have an Impreflion. Hence I perceived with much Pleafure that the ancient Engraver, who lived about two thoufand Years ago, made ufe of the fame Sort of Tools as I did. And this Difco- very animated me to exert all Abilities to reach the Perfection of the ancient Artifts. The fame Thing has happened to me after¬ wards in engraving whole Figures: for I always obferved that the firft Strokes of my Tools made exactly a bad antique Engraving. One Day, in particular, that I had begun to copy a Mercury from a pretty good Greek Origi¬ nal, I happened to find among my Sulphen and antique Engravings (of which I brought a pretty b mime- VI PREFACE. numerous ColleiHon from Italy) an Anubis of a bad Engraving, which I take to be Egyptian, on a yellow Egyptian-Jafper (fee Plate v.), the Strokes whereof greatly refembled my Mercury when half- finifhed; but it was inferior to mine with regard to the Regularity of the Defign. Hence I con¬ cluded that it had been done by a very ordinairy Artift; but that the Greeks and other Nations had borrowed from the Egyptians, their Method of Engraving which they afterwards improved; as hath been fliewn already by many learned Men * As to the reft: the Pofition of this Anubis is much the fame as that of my Mercury ; excepting only that whereas the latter bears a Ram’s Head in a Plate , Anubis holds a Harpocrates upon his Hand. As * Pun. lib. 35. c. 3. p. m. 346. Anaglypbo opere gemmis infculpere populis illis (Egyptis) mos erat , &c. Baron Stosch Pier. ant. Grav. Preface pag. V. Que ce bel Art ait pajfe des Egyptiens aux Grecs , deft ce que nous aprenons des anciens Monumens qui nous reftent de cette premiere Nation, &c, Mariette in his Traite des Pierr. grav. Tom. I. pag. 11. Ce furent encore les Egyptien , qui mirent les Inftrumens des Arts entre les mains des Grec , &c. PREFACE. Vll As the Progrefs of every Art is flow in the Beginning, we ought to excufe the Egyptians for having given us fo few good Pieces. Their Gods and Animals are generally very hard and dry, with regard to the Defign, tho’ the Execution of fome be done with extreme Care. The beft that I have met with is a Cameo, reprefenting the Head of 7 /£f, which for ExaCt- nefs of Engraving is equal to any Thing that the Greeks have left us of the Kind. This fine Piece is in the Marquis Capon Ts Collection at Rome; and there is another, fomewhat larger, in the late Dr. Mead’s Collection. The good Egyptian Engravings are fo like the ordinary ones of Greece, that the Difference can be diftinguifhed only by the fymbolical Reprefen- tations. Many of the Greek Engravings are in faCt fo imperfedlly polilhed, and the Traits and Mufcles fo coarfely marked, and ill foftened, that they feemed to be rather the Work of Prentices, than of Matters. I have preferved feveral Impreflions of En¬ gravings that reprefent the Events of the Trojan War, P RE FAC E, • • • Vlll War, that are very curious, and remarkable for their Merit and Smallnefs. To fome of them I have given a Place in this Work (fee Plate X.), re¬ garding them as very ancient, and pretty good of their Kind. The Art of engraving in Gems is too difficult for a young Man to be able to produce a perfect Piece; and when he arrives at a proper Age to excel in it, his Sight begins to fail. It is therefore highly probable that the Ancients made ufe of Glaffes, or Microfcopes, to fupply this Defeat. We may eafily judge by the great Number of antique Engravings on Stone, that this Art was in high Repute in ancient Times, and much valued by the Great, who fpared no Expence for the fcarceft and moft valuable Stones. Alexander the Great ffiewed the high Efteem in which he held this Art, by permitting none but the celebra¬ ted Pvrgoteles, to engrave his Portrait in Re¬ lievo, which is faid to be now in the PolTeffion of his Pruffian Majefty. This Antique, and feveral others of the fame Date, are convincing Proofs of the Perfection to which PREFACE. IX which this Art was arrived at that Time in Greece. In the Sequel the Greeks carried Lythographie to Italy, where they met with the fame Encourage¬ ment as they had found at home. This is evident from the fine Portraits of the Emperor Augujius , his Imperial Family, and the many whole Figures admirably engraved by Dioscorides, and other Grecian Artifts, who brought t\\\sArt to fuch Per¬ fection, that they reprefented on Stone Sacrifices, Hiftories, and remarkable Exploits in the Wars of Troy, and of Rome: which Pieces adorn at this Day the Cabinets of the Curious; fome of themoffc remarkable for their Beauty and Perfection we fhall exhibit in the following Work. It would be fuperfluous to place here the Names of all the Roman Emperors who have pro¬ tected, fuported, and encouraged this Art, and tranfmitted to us their Portraits exceflively well cut on precious Stones,fince they are mentioned by many Writers, who have alfo publiflied Prints of thofe Engravings. c Two X P RE FAC E. Two Impreffions of Engravings furrounded with a Border which are very well done in low Bas-relief, and none at all inferior to the beft of Greeks, and generally taken to be Etrujcan , I pre- ferve with great Care becaufe they are very fcarce. Thefe Pieces fhew in what high Efteem this Art was alfo held by the Etrufcans. We meet with few good Engravings after the Times of the Emperors Antoninus Pius , and Mar¬ cus Aurelius ; for there is fcarce a Gar dianus, a Maximinus , or a Philip to be found ; whereas there are many Augustus s, Tiberiuss, and Neros: hence we may conclude that this Art periflied with the Greeks. Certainly it is the moft painful and difcou- raging of all others : For befides the Knowledge of Drawing, which is as neceffary to an Engraver in Stone as to a Statuary or Painter ; he is obliged, when he does whole Figures or Hiftories, to re¬ gulate his Defign, or Compofition, according to the Method of Engraving; he muft avoid, for example, Perfpedtive, which is of fo much Ad¬ vantage to a Painter, and the fhortening of the Parts P RE FAC E. xi Parts of a Body; but muft always ftrive to give his Figures a light and eafy Polition, The Ancients when they would reprefent per- fpcctive, and Ihortenings, made their Figures ap¬ pear as it were detached from the Earth, and lofing themfelves in the Air: as may be feen in the Otriades, Plate xi. where one of the Figures is topfy turvy behind a Buckler; and again in the Vulcan on his Knees forging the Arms of yJ/jicas. This, however, has a bad Effect; and it is better to avoid, than to imitate, thefe Poftures and Atti¬ tudes. Another Difficulty attending this Art is, that the Engravings are commonly done on fuch fmall Stones, (fee Plate viii.) that it is fcarce poffible to draw the juft Proportions with the Dia¬ mond-point , which greatly fatigues the Sight: nor can they be cut afterwards without excellent Eyes, and a very good Light. Farther, you can¬ not have the Affiftance of another to forward your "Work; and the lead Miftake in executing the De- fign, is very difficult, if not impoffible, to be amended. You muft alfo form your Idea of the Defign for the Reverfe of the Engraving, and en¬ grave deep what is to appear in high Relief. Add to Xll PREFACE. to this, that the Stone is liable to be fpoilt by many Accidents. All thefe Reafons difcourage People from cultivating an Art that requires fo much Precaution and Labour; and which is at the fame Time without Protection of the Rich and Great, Another Thing which contributes to render good Engravings dear, is the Difference in the Hardnefs of the Stones that are employed. The Oriental Stones, fuch as a Diamond , a Saphire, a Ruby , a Vermillion , an Onyx, a Beryl , a Grenat , &c. are much harder than a Hyacinth , a Chryfolite , a Topaz, an Amethift , or a Cornelian , and confe- quently more difficult to engrave, efpecially when an Artift is ambitious to arrive at the Delicacy and exceffive line Polilh of the Ancients . But this Ambition is feldom to be found in the Engravers of our Age, who feem to look upon this fine Polilh as ufelefs, or fuperfluous, probably on account of its Difficulty, or becaufe they never obferved how perfectly the true Grecian antique Engravings are finilhed, or becaufe they look on their own Pro¬ ductions as fufficiently perfedt, and what they learned of their Matters to be all that is neceffary P RE FAC E. Xlll to be known, in order to excel in this dirt. Be- fides, they find their Account better in working in this ordinary Manner, and on common Stones, that require little Time and Labour, than in ftriving to attain to the Perfection, or even to the fecond Clafs of the Grecian Artifts. The extreme Hardnefs of the Stones is a great Obftacle in the Working, becaufe the Tools are fooner blunted and worn out, notwithftanding the Diamond-powder, which muft be conftantly applied. The Cafe is the fame with regard to the Polifh: the Porofity of Grenates , Hyacinths , and Chryjolites , render the Polilhing of them extreme¬ ly difficult, and therefore they are often left un- poliffied. The beft ancient Engravers made choice of the fineft and moft tranfparent Stones both for Rings and Ornaments ; not barely becaufe they were to be ufed as Seals, (where the fine Polifh is not ufeful, or neceflary, tho’ it renders the Work more finiffied), but, as I imagine, that they might be able to view them through the Light. d It XIV PREFACE. It is highly probable that the Ancients judged Engraving on precious Stones to be the beft, and moft certain Method of eternifing their own Por¬ traits, and thofe of their Favourites, becaufe fuch Stones refift Fire and Steel, and all the Injuries of Time: of which there are many Examples. The Gladiator , Plate xxv, and the Dog Sirius , Plate xvi, two excellent Engravings, are fo well preferved that they feem to be juft come out of the Artift’s Hands. Thefe are fine Models for our Age, when good Engraving is fo vifibly on the Decline, for want of Encouragement from the Great, and of Genius, Application, and Emulation in thofe that profefs it. I faw at Rome , in the Pofleflion of the Prior Vain i, a Head of Nero engraved en creux on a Diamond. Whether it was antique, or modern, is not material: it at leaft ferves to fliew that the Artift had the Curiofity to try, whether a Dia¬ mond could be engraved. The Chevalier Od a m told me that it was a true Antique: but Mr. Ma- riette affirms * that it was done by Cost a n- zr, In his Sr ait e des Pierres gravies pag. 90. & 141. P RE FAC E. xv Zy, an eminent Artift now alive at Rome: which is not very probable, for he fcarce knows how to engrave a Sardonyx. But whoever did it, there is nothing miraculous, nor even extraordinary in it, for the Engraving is fo bad, that it only fhews the Curiolity of the Artift who loft his Time and Labour in making the Experiment. If Cost a n- Zy tile Son cut it, why did he not finilh it as highly, as he hath done his other Works? I know by Experience that this is very poflible, having engraved myfelf at London a Vafe on a fmall Diamond for Lord James CaveMdisch. So I am perfuaded that I could engrave a Portrait on one, equally well ; but not without great Pa¬ tience, and as much Labour as a Dozen of Orien¬ tal Stones Ihould require. But fuch a Work would amount to fo high a Price, that no Artift will undertake it from mere Curiofity, and with¬ out an exprefs Order from fome Nobleman. It is well known that the Art of Engraving owes its Revival, in thefe later Ages, to the Houfes of Farneje and Medicis . In the celebrated Galle¬ ry at Florence are to be feen a Multitude of mo¬ dern Cameos , reprefenting public Entries and Triumphs, XVI PREFACE . Triumphs, engraved with the utmoft Care and Exadtnefs: but they want that Solidity and noble Simplicity which chara£terife the Compofitions of the Greeks. Valerio Vicentino has filled the World with his Engravings both in Relievo and en creux , the greateft Part on Rock-Chryftal; but none of them, that I know, are equal, or even come near to the Perfection of thofe of D i o s c o- RIDES, ONESES, SOSTRATES, &c. I might fay the fame of the laborious Christo¬ pher Dorsch of Nurenberg , whofe numerous Engravings are ftill inferior to thofe of Vicen- t i n o. With thefe I fliall join Mr. Shaup, of Biberach in Suabia , who after copying all the Prints he found in Books, has at laft betaken him- felf to engrave Playing-Cards and other Trifles on Rock-Chryftal; with a View to get fooner rich : in which he will fucceed much better than thofe who apply themfelves to make perfect Works. It is very apparent that the Engravers of Arms and Seals, and other falhionable Toys make their P RE FAC E. xvii their Fortunes more ealily than fuch as ftudy the ancient Method, and feek to excel in it. Who can blame them for it ? I have been often asked Why the modern Engravers do not make as good Work as the ancient ? and Why we fee no modern Pieces equal to the Antiques? I anfwer: That a P if rgoteles requires an Alexander, and a Dioscorides an Augustus. Without Encou¬ ragement and Recompence, an Artift will not exert himfelf: he languifhes, and grows negligent. Let fome great Protedtor of Engraving a rife, and foon will it revive, and fhine forth in all its Glo¬ ry: For the low Price, that is given at prefent even for Antiques, fliews that if the admired Greek Artifts fliould return to the World, they could hardly get Bread by their Work: their Pieces being generally found by ignorant Vil¬ lagers , and bought up occafionally as a Per- fon happens to meet with them, inftead of being fought after, and purchafed at any Price for their Merit. I fliould think it would afford a much higher Pleafure to contemplate at one’s Eafe, and at all Times, a fine Figure engraved on a Ring, than e to xviii P R E FA C E. to look on a fimple Brilliant. It would difcover more Underftanding and Tafte. Nature fur- nifhes a fufficient Quantity of Diamonds to make them as common as other precious Stones, if the Jewellers and Dealers in them did not take care to keep them up, to make them fcarce: and it requires little more Genius or Skill to cut them, than to cut any other Gem ; accordingly a whole Army might be formed of Diamond‘Cutters in a very Ihort Time: but half a Century fcarce pro¬ duces one able Engraver on precious Stones , tho’ a Multitude profefs the Art. However no Per- fon doth himfelf Honour by wearing a bad En¬ graving fet in Gold, or perhaps enriched with Diamonds; of which there are feveral Examples : But if they do it for want of knowing good En¬ gravings, they are excufable ; as in faft the good original Engravings of Greece are very fcarce, particularly in the Northern States . A large Gold Cup is preferved at Copenhagen , fet round with antique Cameos ; and at Petersburgh there is fuch another: but in both the Good and the Bad are jumbled together , and yet they are highly efteemed. At Dresden there is a Gold Cup, fet with PREFACE. xix with fome large plain Onyxes and feveral Cameos > but none that are really good. Near the Temple of Apis, in the fame Gallery where the Cup (lands, I obferved a large Cameo of pretty good Workmanfhip, fet in Gold, about two Inches and a half in Length, which I took to be the Head of the Emperor 7 iberius. This is all I found worth remarking, in relation to this Art, in my Tour to Petersburgh, and my Return from it. I cannot forbear mentioning in this Place the Tafte and Efteem which His late Majefty, Chri- stian VI, had for this Art. He not only em¬ ployed me to cut a Medal (a Branch of the Art I was little ufed to) and his Arms, of different Sizes, for a Ring, (the fmalleft of which, with the Supporters and the Orders, the whole blazoned, did not exceed a Quarter of an Inch) but I alfo did his Portrait from the Life in different Man¬ ners ; and an Elephant in Relievo on an Oriental Jasper, or Bloodftone, of different Colours. The Tower on his Back was red, his Covering green, incrufted with five fmall Brilliants in Form of a Crofs, agreeably to the Order. The Elephant and the XX PREFACE. the Man on his Back were white, the two Feet of a Claro-obfcuro: the Ground was a fine Green, intermixed with fome Spots of Red. This Variety of the Colours, fo well adapted to the different Parts of the Figure, made the Piece mod curious. As to its Size, it was about an Inch and a half in Diameter. His Majefty did me the Honour to afiign me an Apartment in his Palace, where I worked near a Year: and my Affairs recalling me farther I quitted this Prince with great Re¬ gret, which has fince increafed almoft every Day. This generous Monarch not only paid me nobly for my Work, but alfo made me a Prefent of a Gold Medal reprefenting the back Front of his Palace, which weighed near twelve Ounces. A Behaviour very uncommon in our Age, and which ought to be delivered down to Pofterity with the Liberalities of an Alexander and an Augujlus. The late Prince of Orange, William IV, and Madame the Princefs Royal his Confort alfo favoured this Art , of which the Prince was an ex¬ cellent Judge. He purchafed the large and va¬ luable Collection of engraved Stones of Count Toms P RE FACE. xxi Toms at TLeiden. He encouraged modern En¬ gravers ; and I had the Honour to engrave the Portraits of his Highnefs and the Princefs Royal, and thofe of their two Children, both in Relievo and en creux. The moft remarkable is the Por¬ trait of her Royal Highnefs; being a full Face, on a very beautiful Onyx-ylgate, white and black, and three Inches long in the Oval. It is fuch a high Relievo, that the Head has almoft its due Pro¬ portion in Relievo; that is to fay, about half an Inch. This was the firft full Face that I did from the Life ; and I do not know that any mo¬ dern Engraver has done another. That illuftrious Prince employed me alfo to engrave a Medal, with his Serene Highnefs and his Princefs on one Side, and on the Reverfe the young Prince and Princefs. What Pity that Death deprived Europe fo foon of Vrinces who promifed to be fuch Encou- ragers of Arts and Sciences. But to return to our Subject. If I have in- ferted in my Work fome Prints that were pu- blifhed before, and are well known; it was be- caufe they fuited my Plan, and to enable fuch as f may PREFACE. xxii may have Impreflions of them to examine them more particularly than they have done hitherto. I have alfo given the Profils of fome of the Fi¬ gures, in order to point out more diftin&ly fuch Parts as are moft remarkable for their extreme Heighth; a Profil being generally belt adapted to fhew the Intention and Work of the En¬ graver. All the Defigns are done large, that the Strokes of the Tools might be perceived with lefs Trouble: and I have ranged them in a Grada¬ tion conformable to the Progrefs of the Art, be¬ ginning with the worft, and ending with the moft perfect. Some of the Plates are not fo well done as I could have wifhed, partly becaufe the Engravers were not ufed to this Kind of Work, and partly becaufe the beft Hands had too much other Bufi- nels. Befides, I could not venture to be at a very great Expence on this Occafion, confidering the fmall Number of Admirers and Protestors of this Art, on whom I could depend for the Sale of a Work of this Nature. However PREFACE. xxiii However the Plates are fufficient to explain my Defign and my Obfervations: and if they lliew not the Convexity of the Stones, it is be- caufe the Engraver found it too difficult; and the Account we give of them renders it ufelefi. It is obfervable in moft Authors who have publilhed Prints, that their Defign differ confide- rably from their Originals: fo as to make a bad Engraving be taken for a good one, and a good one for a bad one. They like wife embellifli their Prints with a thoufand fuperfluous Ornaments; which ferve rather to pleafe the Eye, than to IheW the Truth of the original Engraving on the Stone; for the Locks of the Hair and the Drapery are generally fo faint and confufed, that it is impof- fible to form any certain Judgment of the Engra¬ ving. But in the Plates of this Work we have been attentive to give true Reprefentations of the Originals. I have taken Notice, en paffant , of fbme Miftakes which certain able Men have fallen into, I know not how : fuch, for Example, is that of the Antiquary Ficoro ni # , who takes thofe of * * J ' > * . . _ ' ' _ & * Mafcbere fcenecbe di Ficorqni, cap. 34. Fig. XXXIV. xxiv PREFACE . fmall round Balls, which fome ancient Engravers placed at the Joints, for little Bells ; whereas they are only the Strokes of the Bouterolle: fuch too is the Blunder of the celebrated Mr. Gori, who took the imperfect Form of one of Jupiter s Feet for a Slipper and thePedeftal for a Cujhion . To conclude: I have one Advice to give to the Lovers of Engraving, which is, Not to exa¬ mine or look at a Cameo , or the Impreflion of an Engraving, in a bright Sun-lhine; becaufe there is not, at fuch a Time, Shade enough to fliew all the Beauties of thofe Works, which are fo clean and fo finely polifhed,and often fo extremely fmall. It often happens that the Merit and Value of En¬ gravings are determined by Jewellers, who know little of the Matter, and yet have more Influence with the Great than Engravers by Profeflion: hence fo many bad Engravings are difpofed of, and the good ones neglected. This is all that to me feems neceflary to ar¬ rive at the true Knowledge of Engraving on precious Stones , • Tab. XXXII. le Gemme antiche de Ant. Mar. Zaneti: Giove Sera- pide fopra bellijfimo trono colle pianelle , o crepide in piedi , &c PREFACE. XXV Stones , and to judge of their different Merits, from the word to the moft perfect* * % * T Should here have finiffied this Preface , had I ^ not thought myfelf obliged to make fome Re-¬ marks on Mr. Mariette’s Treatife on engraved Stones , publifhed fome Years ago. We are highly obliged to this Gentleman for his curious and learned Enquiries into' the Antiquity , the Value , and Merit of Engravings on precious Stones , and the EJieem in which excellent Engravers have been held at all Times by Princes, and by the Rich and Great He fhews that Caesar and Pompey fet fuch Value on them, that Pompey was de- firous of making the Capitol the Repofitory of his Collection of engraved Stones, and Caesar placed his Collection in the Temple of Venus Genetrix . Mr, Mariette gives the Preference to Engravings that are fhallow : But I queftion whether every body will fubfcribe to his Opinion. For my Part, I find that as a deep Engraving en creux is unqueftionably more difficult in the Exe¬ cution, and the Impreflion approaches nearer to g Nature, XXVI PREFACE. Nature, than a fihallow one, its Merit is on thefe Accounts fuperior, fuppofing the Defigns to be equally good in both. He reproaches modern Engravers with having done nothing new, nothing of their own Compofition. But he does not re¬ flet, that every Artift is obliged to conform to the Tafte of the Country where he lives. Of which Ufe would the moft excellent modern Engraving be to the Artift, if it were not befpoke, or if he could not find an Opportunity to difpofe of it? Moft Lovers of this Art prefer a good Copy of an Engraving which they like, to an Engraving newly defigned, however perfedt. But farther: it is probable, that if Mr. Mariette had given himfelf the Trouble to enquire for the beft modern Engravings , he would have found fuch as would have yielded him Satisfadtion. I would advife every one who is ambitious to excel in Engraving, to copy, with the utmoft Exadtnefs, the beft antique Engravings; for other- wife he will never be fully fenfible of their true Merit. I own that a Connoifleur may, by Dent of Study, qualify himfelf to perceive the extraor¬ dinary Beauty and Excellency of an Engraving: But P R E FA C E. xxvii But a judicious Artift will difcover ill them a thoufand Strokes, a thoufand little Beauties, that are imperceptible to every other Eye. He will diftinguifh the Progrefs andEffedl of all theTools that were employed, not only thofe that are known to us, but even thofe of which we are ignorant of the Conftru&ion and Form. Had Mr. Guay, Engraver to the King of France, co¬ pied with Attention the Hair of fome good an¬ tique Head, I imagine, that inftead of being at the Trouble to invent a Machine for making pa¬ rallel Lines, (fee Mariette, Tom. I. p.429.) he would foon have difcovered the proper Utenfil for that Purpofe, which is very common in Ger¬ many and England for cutting Coats of Arms, and of which I frankly fliewed him the Ufe when I had the Pleafure of feeing him at London . Cer¬ tainly the more one employes himfelf in making good Copies, the more capable will he be of pro¬ ducing fomething of his own Compofition. Some perhaps will fay, that it is fufficient for this Pur¬ pofe to know how to draw or model: but this is a grofs Miftake. They might as well fay, that one mull engrave well en creux , becaufe he xxviii PREFACE. he has taken one of Raphael’s Delign for his Model. As to the Letters , or antique Injcriptions on Stones, I do not know of any general Rule by which to judge of them. We find fome, where the Letters are well done, and very equal: but there are others juft the contrary, though the Engra¬ ving be very good: our modern Engravers may eafily imitate both. Mr. M ariette is much offended with thofe who put Greek Names or Injcriptions to mo¬ dern Engravings. But he that fells a modern Co¬ py of an Antique for an Original, not he that makes it, is to be blamed. Immediately on my Arrival at Rome, I was employed by the Chevalier O dam to copy the Venus of Mr. Vettori, to make a Danae of it, and put the Name Aulus to it. I afterwards fold this Piece (which I look upon as a Trifle) to Mr. Shwanau, Governor to a young Prince of Dieterichjiein , who knew that it was my Work, and valued it greatly. I am not afliamed to own that I continue (till to make fuch Copies as often as I am ordered. But I challenge PREFACE. XXIX challenge any Man to prove that I ever fold one of them for an Antique. I rnuft beg Leave to re¬ mark in this Place, that Mr. Mariette difco- vers great Partiality for certain Engravers Speak¬ ing of a Copy of the famous Medufa of Strozzi by Mr. Costa n Z i , he commends highly the Greek Letters of the Name solonos, though they be badiy done ; as are alfo feveral others to which Costanzi has put the Name of fome Greek Engraver. I faw lately at Dresden a Head of Hercules when a Youth, done by him, with the Name of r n a i o c to it. Can Mr. Mariette approve in his Friend what he finds fo inexcufable in other modern Engravers ? I muft alfo take the Liberty to corredt a Miftake he has made in relation to me. He was misinformed with regard to my Country and Situa¬ tion. I was not born at Nuremberg, (nor have I ever been in that City) but at Biberach in Suabia , where for fix Years I learned the Bufinefs of a Jeweller , and going from thence to Switzerland , to vifit my Relations, I worked there fix Years more. Afterwards I made a Tour to Italy. At Venice I dropt my former Profeflion, and applied h myfelf XXX P RE FA C E. myfelf wholly to Engraving on precious Stones. Hence all the Works which Mr. Mariette afcribes me are the Predictions of the firft five or fix Years, which I may call my Apprenticefhip in this Kind of Engraving. From Italy I came to England; and went from hence with Mr. Mark Tuscher to Denmark , Sweden and Petersburg}^. But never was at the Court of Thomas Kouli -Kan> where Mr. Mariette has left me to feek my Fortune. Since my Return to England , I have made many Engravings, the Merit whereof it doth not belong to me to decide. Mr. Mariette is alfo miftaken with re¬ gard to Mr. Mark Tuscher of Nuremberg ,, who never engraved on precious Stones. He was a Painter, who had the Weaknefs to want to pafs too for an Engraver. He modelled his own Por¬ trait in Wax, very frnall: and took an Imprefiion of it in Plaifter, and afterwards in Pafte of diffe¬ rent Colours, particularly one of the Colour of an Aopua-marina, of which Mr. Ghinghi, who was at that Time Engraver to the Great-Duke ofTufca- ny , retouched the Hair, and polilhed the Face. He engraved, indeed, a Head of Minerva on a Paragon PREFACE. XXXI Paragon Stone: which, on fuch a Stone, might be done with a common Needle and a Knife; but not on a Gem. As to Mr. Godefrid Krafft of Dantzic , it was with me that he learnt to engrave on pre¬ cious Stones: but as we parted foon after, I know nothing of him lince. At that Time he gave many Marks of a good Genius. There is one Queftion, which I fliould be glad to ask Mr. Mariette, which is, How he can he certain that the modern Engravings >, the Impreffions whereof are fent or fhewn to him , were really done hy the Artijis to whom they are afcrihed? We have often feen Engravers fhew, good Pieces of others, for their own, in order to get a Name, or raife their Credit. With regard to myfelf, I do not remember that I ever engraved a Head of a young Man on an Amethyft, as he fays, in fpeaking of my Works. I know very well that feveral Engravings, and fuch as I have never feen, have been fold for mine. I do not pretend to fay that my tirft Pieces were much to be praifed, having engraved fcarce any Thing at Venice but Coats xxxii PREFACE. Coats of Arms ; nor did I copy any Antiques till after my Arrival at Florence , where Baron Stosch, being ft ruck with my Tafte and Application to Engraving, did every Thing to make me apply wholly to it. Neverthelels I will venture to affirm, and I can bring Proof of it, that the Portrait of Mr . Luders, a Painter, which Mr. Guay engraved at Rome , is much inferior to all that I have done from the Life. I know that he has improved greatly fince that Time; for I have feen fome very fine Things which I am certain that he did. But cannot a Man lliew his Love to his Country and to his Countrymen, and do Juftice at the fame Time to other Nations? I am perluaded that Mr. Guay himfelf has too much Modefty to fpeak with fo little Management, as Air. M a- r i e t t e has done, of very able foreign Engra¬ vers. There are feveral who can lliew excellent Engravings done without the Afliftance of Mr. Bouchardon, who contributed fo much, by Mr. Mariette’s own Confeffion, to the Suc- cels of thofe of Mr. Guay. Mr. P R E FA C E. xxxiii Mr. Mariette commends highly too Co ldore', an Engraver in the Time of Hen- r y IV. of France. But neither he, nor any one elfe can fay for certain, that they ever faw any one whole Figure engraved by him. There is a great Difference between doing a Head, and com- pofing and engraving entire Figures. Mr. Mariette mentions likewife another of his Countrymen, who is fettled at Florence , Mr. L. S i R i e s. I know him particularly well; but he had done nothing, nor did, in my Time, which was remarkable. He has fet large Stones in Snuff- Boxes: a Piece of Skill which is common every where; and made fome curious Scijfars, He fliewed me one Day, in the Room where he was at Work in the Gallery at Florence , a gold SnufF- Box with a Lapis Lazuli in the Lid, that was crackt in the Middle. I took Notice of the Ac¬ cident it had met with; but he allured me that it would not be obfervable next Day, and in fa6t he had mended it fo that the Crack could not be perceived. I grant, therefore, that he has the Secret of making very curious Works, particularly 1 m xxxiv P R E FA C E. in Lapis Lazuli , which is a foft and porous Stone, and may be worked even with a File. The Cafe is much the fame with regard to his Secret of tem¬ pering Gold and Silver. There is nothing very marvellous in it. I have feen the fame Thing done by a Goldfmith from Ncufchatel in Switzer¬ land , when I was at Mr. Hug’s, a Jeweller and eminent Engraver on precious Stones at Berne . It is true that thefe Sciflars would cut Copper, but when they were put into the Fire to deftroy the Tempering, the Gold or Silver ceafed to be malle¬ able: from whence it is evident that there was fome Compofition mixed with the Metals. Mr. Hug prefented to the Goldfmith a Piece of pure Silver of the fame Quality as the Sciflars, deliring him to temper it: but the Goldfmith would not touch it, faying he muft prepare the Silver himfelf. Mr. Hug eafily difcovered this Secret, and fucceeded in doing the Thing himfelf Mr. Siries’s Me¬ thod is probably the fame. For the reft: I have an Impreflion in Wax of a Stone which Mr. Sl¬ it i es cut, and to which he put his Name. It is a large Vafe engraved very lhallow, with fome fmall Figures at the Side, like fo many Scratches (if PREFACE. XXXV (if I may be allowed the Expreflion), and a per- fpedtive View of part of the City of Florence . If his Cameo on an Onyx is not better done, I would not undertake to copy it for double the Price he offers. I would much rather copy the Meleagre and Athalanta of the celebrated Cameo of the Lord Carlisle, than be obliged to copy his Zodiac, or rather his Swarm of Figures, which are not unlike to Darius’s whole Army againft Alexander’s, engraved on an Oflogone Stone. In fhort, none of his Pieces difcover any Tafte. My Readers will excufe this Digreffion, to which I was compelled by the prefumptuous De- cilions of Mr. Mariette. It feemed to me to be extremely unjuft to pronounce peremptorily, as he hath done more than once, that fuch and fuch a modern Production has nothing equal to it. To return to the ancient Artifls : It may not be improper to take fome Notice of their Paftes . We find feveral very curious and excellent ones, both en creux and in Cameo : moft of the latter, however, have been retouched by an Engraver: and xxxvi PREFACE. and accordingly we often fee the Artifts Name on them ? as apxionoc, aeykonoc, &c. in Count Toms’s Collection. Baron S tosch has a Pafte en creux with the Name of solo nos, befides feveral others. Neverthelefs I will not affirm that the Impreffions which are taken of them are fo clean as thofe of our modern Paftes . I have a very curious antique Pafte: it is green with a Streak of White dividing it equally into two ; as we fee in fome Onyxes, where the Regula¬ rity of the White has not been changed by the ACtion of the Fire. I met with one of another S ort ? which very much refembled the Onyx, called in Italian Nicolo. The Surface was blue , and the Bottom black: the Whole fo like Nature that for a long Time I took this Pafte for a real Stone ; till one Day viewing it fideways, I perceived that the blue Sur¬ face was confiderably thicker than the Depth of the Engraving, the fineft Strokes whereof ap¬ peared black , and which was wholly done with the Wheel. This raifed a Sufpicion in me; and on applying a File to it, I found that in fad it Was only P R E FACE. xxxvi only a Pajie. There are others of the fame Sort, wherein the Engraving doth not appear black: from thence I conclude that fome had a Secret of making their Engraving in Pajtes black which the others had not. I am alfo of Opinion that fome ancient En¬ gravers poffefTed the Secret of refining or clarify¬ ing the Cornelians and Onyxes 3 conlidering the great Number of fine Cornelians badly engraved which have been tranfmitted to us by the An¬ cients ; whilft we fcarce find one among a thou- fand at prefent that has the fame Fire. This Conjecture is fupported by feveral other Reafons more ftrong and convincing ; but I lhall leave the SubjeCt to the Confideration of the Curious, till I have another Opportunity of communicating thofe Reafons. If this Work meets with Encouragement, I lhall in a little Time publifh a Mufeum or Collection of thofe antique Engravings which are now in London . It will contain many curious Pieces not much known at prefent. k THE . V I fl ' ■ * . •I ■ • ■ ' »" i>> ■■ ; -».r•' > ) irilMMhfcl ■ . i • '..i 'n . £ . . ; . Ji. i.J - .. Y’.' ■ _ . r. •1 jxf; ft : < %-#\ A ji ' • ■ ■ l'.( e ill. . . . . ... ) ; . t I • 1 f THE ANCIENT METHOD OF Engraving in precious Stones, COMPARED WITH THE MODERN. I. A Defcription of the Tools ufed in En¬ graving in precious Stones. A IS the Engine, or Out-cafe, which is fixed to the Table B. C is a fmall Wheel on an Axis, into one End of which is fitted the Tool D. E is the large Wheel underneath, which communicates with the fmall one C by the String F, and is turned by the Foot. The Tools are generally made of Iron, and mull be per¬ fectly round, for which reafon they ought to be turned, after being made as round as poflible by the File. N°. i. and 2. are half-round Tools which (as any other) produce the fame Shape or Figure in Stone. N°. 3 . A 2 The Method of Engraving N°. 3. is a Tool of a perfe• ■" - • ... . ■■ V : & i XXXIII xxxiv cf-J Jtulbrjc xxxv XXXVf JCXX VII miMwm . ■ warn ' : :