A Treatise On Ancient Painting, Containing Observations On The Rise, Progress, and Decline of that Art amongst the Greeks and Romans; The High Opinion which the Great Men of Antiquity had of it; its Connexion with Poetry and Philosophy; and the Use that may be made of it in Education: To which are added Some Remarks on the peculiar Genius, Character, and Talents of Raphael, Michael Angelo, Nicholas Poussin, and other Celebrated Modern Masters; and the commendable Use they made of the exquisite Remains of Antiquity in Painting as well as Sculpture. The Whole illustrated and adorned with Fifty Pieces of Ancient Painting; Discovered at different times in the Ruins of Old Rome, accurately engraved from Drawings of Camillo Paderni a Roman, lately done from the Originals with great Exactness and Elegance. By George Turnbull Ll. D.
London:: Printed for the Author; and sold by A. Millar, at Buchanan's Head, over-against St. Clement's Church, in the Strand., M.DCC.XL.
Physical Description
vi, [v-]xl, 183, [1] p., pl. 1-50, A-D (1 fold., 5 double); 457 mm. (Folio).
General Note
Second copies of the title-page and dedication have been inserted betweeen pages 8 and 9.
Contents
[T.p., dedic.] - Subscribers Names - An Epistle To The Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Lonsdale - A Preface - The Principal Contents ... Digested Into A Regular Connected Summary - [Text] - Books lately published ... by A. Millar - [Plates].
Responsibility Note
Plates 1-50 are all signed by Camillo Paderni as draughtsman, and all except pl. 32, 34, 35 by J. Mynde as engraver. Plates A-D are unsigned.
The work is dedicated by the author to Henry, Lord Viscount Lonsdale.
References
For Turnbull see P.B. Wood, The Aberdeen enlightenment (1993); C. Gibson-Wood, 'Painting as philosophy: George Turnbull's "Treatise on ancient painting"', in Aberdeen and the Enlightenment, ed. J.J. Carter and J.H. Pittock (1987), p. 189-98; and more generally E. Cassirer, The philosophy of the Enlightenment (1951). A study of Paderni was M. De Vos, 'Camillo Paderni, la tradizione antiquaria romana e i collezionisti inglesi', in Ercolano 1738-1988 (1993), p.99-116.
ESTC, T114745
Summary Note
In 1727 Turnbull gave up teaching moral philosophy at the Marischal College, Aberdeen, and for some years tutored Britons touring Europe. Besides this treatise he also published his Principles of moral philosophy (1740), a Curious Collection of Ancient Paintings (1741) and Observations upon liberal education (1742).
The present work has been described as 'homework for the potential grand-tourist', but Turnbull is concerned not so much to provide a historical survey of art as to stress its potential for 'impressing on the mind some useful rules and maxims for our conduct'.
Provenance
Acquired by 1802. Recorded in Catalogue Of The Library In The Royal Academy, London (1802).
Binding Note
19th-century brown cloth-covered boards; 20th-century half mottled calf; brown morocco spine-label lettered 'Turnbull's Treatise On Ancient Painting'.
Subject
Painting, Greek - Painting, Roman - Mural painting and decoration, Roman - Painting, European - Paintings, Roman - Paintings, European - Greece - Rome - History
Art and morals - Theory
Treatises - Great Britain - 18th century
Pictorial works - Great Britain - 18th century