"
And Michael Angelo having stopped, I proceeded:
"It is also a great thing that a great master, although he may wish and
work hard to do so, cannot so change or injure his hand as to paint
something appearing to have been done by an apprentice, for whoever
carefully examines such a thing, will find in it some sign by which he
will know that it was done by the hand of a skilful person. And on the
contrary, one who knows little, although he may endeavour to do the
smallest thing so that it may appear to have been done by a great man,
will have his trouble in vain, because immediately, when placed beside the
work of a great man, it will be recognised as having been done by a
prentice hand. But I should like now to know something more from Senhor
Michael Angelo, to see whether he agrees with my opinion, and that is that
he should tell me whether it is better to paint a work quickly or slowly?"
And he answered:
"I will tell you: to do anything quickly and swiftly is very profitable
and good, and it is a gift received from the immortal God to do in a few
hours what another is painting during many days; for if it were not so
Pausias of Sicyon would not work so hard in order to paint in one day the
perfection of a child in a picture. If he who paints quickly does not on
that account paint worse than one who paints slowly, he deserves therefore
much greater praise. But should he through the hurry of his hand pass the
limits which it is not right to pass in art, he ought rather to paint more
slowly and studiously; for an excellent and skilful man is not entitled to
allow his taste to err through his haste when thereby some part is
forgotten or neglected of the great object perfection, which is what must
be always sought; hence it is not a vice to work a little slowly or even
to be very slow, nor to spend much time and care on works, if this be done
for more perfection; only the want of knowledge is a defect.
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