Leon Battista Alberti, Om Billedkunsten

Overs., ind l. og komm. v/ Lise Bek

Jan Bcklund
a+-:-e
Review published in Albertiana, vol. V, 2002, pp. 299306.
Lcea Buisa XIiru, O 0ile/o. OvrsucIs, iadIcdaiag eg kmcaurr vd
LisBck ,uaasatcd iate Laaisl etbIaIaa vrsea Iua Piuaa, witl aiaats aad
cmcadaueas e tb Laua I Pieaa, Itl e eI. Opee /oga, cd. Gmysea,
eI. III, Br q1{, Cepalaga, Ny Nerdis FerLg XraeId Base ao, g. ,-6{
-1.q ,+ Haaks{, iu. ia tbtet.
h|1, XIiru lad eepIctcd a rs vrsea ia Laua e lis uae O Iaitig: n Icto-a.
her imr1Iy |16 blad aIse deac a uaasauea aad rsea iate IaIaa, dditcd te
FiIge Braacucsi. I is dIauHc wbtbr it is tlis IaIaa adapuuea er tb erginI
Laua vrsea tlat mrms tbIass e aa aaobr rsea, dauag etbLtc 3s. I is
le=vr ea tlis tlird vrsea, dditcd te Geaaaaecsee Geaza e Maataa tlat tb
Laua cdiuea e , piatcd ia Bsc, is Iasd. 1is cdiuea, le=vr, sats ae
smu mcasac e diecat radiags e a eepIe eerps e t=aty M88. Wba CceI
Gmysea pIIslcd lis cdiuea aad LagIsl uaasauea e n Icto-a ia q., Iasd ea
a eerps e sx M88, b aocd ia lis Praec tlat tb IaIaa vrsea las aadsrvdIy
cqeycd tb grate cditeraI mrtaac, ia itc e it iiag Ics au aad Ics es ia
esiea tlaa tbLaua vrsea. vrtbIcs, tlis cditeraI ucad las eeauacd ia tb
recat 8eaadinaa uaasaueas e tbuae, rs ia 8eIvOIseas O I-/oe
qq6, aad aew ia Lis Bcks werk. Bck Iass br uaasauea ea Gmyseas cdiuea e
tbIaIaa vrsea (etbLaua-IaIaa paaucI-cdiuea IPieaaIua Piuaa ia
Opee /oga, eI. 1, Br q1). Xpat e caIe uaasaueas Iasd ea tb IaIaa
vrsea, Bck is ao eaIy iaeIadiag tbar aoaHc aIteaueas etbLaua tet (e tb
samc cdiuea), Ia aIse naer aiaats e rmrmaLueas aad cmcadaueas ac iaeIadd ia
tbLaaisl tet witlia pacatbss.
WliIc tb8=disl uaasauea is pIIslcd witl eaIy a slert Praec, Bcks uaasauea
is ar, mauar, tlaa jastbrsLaaisl uaasauea e XIirus uae. 1c uaasauea

itsI eevrs g. .|-3q, aad is ecdd Iy a Icagtly csay ea XIiru aad lis pLec ia
tbIaIaa 8cnisaaec. Be=vr iauedaeery ia pLa aad eepesuea, tbseep e tlis
huedaeiea is eIesr te tlat e a aaegmpl, mtbr, it is a IiegmpliI, lisereaI aad
iatcuceaaI savy e XIiru, tb FIerauac 8cnisaaec, aad tb lamais idaIs e tb
umc, Ia witl scady aad eeauaeas recaec te XIirus uae.
XIiru, lis Ic aad idas ia gaeaI, aad lis nla Iuo-a ia paueaIa, ac tb m-
eaIziag peiats tlat miag tb umcs, idas aad at werks ia ea cw. 1is is Lid ea
as a srcs e eeaecauie ereIcs, nrrwiag ia widtl wliIc epaadiag ia dptl. 8auag
witl 1c LaIy 8cnisaaec ia IaIy, aag e tbr tlragl tb FIerauac nica
(Xrt, CaItac aad Basacs ia tb FIerauac City-satc) te XIiru aad lis 1cery e
Xrt aad XIiru aad lis uae Oa Piauag rceivIy, =nuy arv at tbuae it-
sI. Bcks iauedaeery csay is aa imsiv aeeepIslmcat, wruca ea tep e sadics
ia tb cId saec q6, aad eeasqacatIy witl cas aad eLrty, tb typiI laumrks e
eadiuea-sapIas.
Lva tleagl Bck meass ea isacs asaauy ea tb agada ia eeaaceuea witl XIiru
aad lis nla Iuo-ai.c. lis tbery e at, tbace-PLteaie iaacaecs, tbco-o:ioo
egiuicte.it is, I iIcv, ao witlea rasea tlat Bcks iauedaeiea miags ea tles
isacs witl ar tlaa easeay cmplass aad sragtl. Wba XIiru eLims tlat b
waats te mkc aa caurIy acw at ea e paiauag ( .6, p. .68), Bck ao eaIy aeaewI-
cdgs lis eLim, Ia aIse daasmtcs lew aad Iy wliumcaas tlis was auicvd. Bcks
daasmuea e XIirus eLim is earcd ea witl a eLrty aad dptl tlat iacuHy,
Ia aIways impIetIy, raucs te tb vry eer e tb (ada) aoiea e at. I is tlas
ao witlea iateetlat XIirus tcaueas eLim e amiuag aa caurIy acw at decs
ao lav tb samc =lt ia tb Laua vrseo h nla Iuo-a = rad m di aee
amiuiaaan atc di piuaa , wbras n Icto-a, ia Gmyseas uaasauea rads
Ia ucauag e tb at ia aa caurIy acw way (se a-te ooissie cseaa).
1is diecaec, it=ca ea tb eac laad erauag aa caurIy acw at e paiauag, aad ea
tb obr radiag (its piaepIcs er tbery) ia a vry acw way, is sgaieaat. PrI-
aHy, it is pasags Ikc tlis eac wliu peptcd Bck te Ias br uaasauea, aad tlas
br iauedaeiea, ea tb IaIaa mtbr tlaa tb Laua vrseo Bck acs tlat XIirus
acw tbery e at is ccatIy sat ia n Icto-a, Ia tlat it is ao aauI nla Iuo-a
tlat it raucs au Iaisie dvIepmcat (p. 8). Xt aay mtc, Bck etcs aaobr pas-
sag wbr XIiru is Iaisiuy ar epIet ia tb IaIaa vrsea tlaa ia tb Laua
eac. I scms epaagmpl ., wbr XIiru ass tbIaIaa tem gee iascad e i-
im, as ia tb Laua vrseo O eeas, tlis eeaId i a sip e tb pa, as Bck aocs,
Ia, sbeeauacs, cta was tbtem asd ia tbeeatcmpemry Iteay dIatc te daoc
sectliag eratcd Iy imginuea (aad ao inutcd, eascd er eepicd eraIty). 1is
imginuea, er erauv pe=r, was a ecauaI eeaecpt aad it was e paaaaat imperuaec
mr XIiru te Iak it rmIy te lis acw at e paiauaga aeaIty e tb aus wliu b
Lte uaaeeisd as a seead Ged.
I weaId eary as tee wid e tb seep e tlis rcw te aoc au tb maecars
diseascd Iy Bck, aad asd Iy XIiru te peoc paiauag as a IimI at (er cva tb
.
IimI at). 1c idas aad iaimueas iliad tlis eIeiv mkc ap tb=luepat
e Bcks iauedaeiea (Lcea Buisa XIiru aad lis tbery e at, g. 1q-.3). Be
diseasiea e tb iaacaecs e rbtere, tb seaLr lamais ideIegy, ace-PLteaie
gecuy aad lis tbery e eeIea (aaeecd e its Iads te eId-aslieacd ems-
maslip aad te naeaI er eaaie saIsaaecs, p. q) as adIs aad mies ia XIirus
tberueaI IaiIdiag ac au eeaaeagIy daasmtcd witl ecmpLry eLrty. 1c as
imperuat isac is, e eeas, tb prceiv, er tb co-o:ioo egiui. Ba wbras
tb eeasraeueas e prceiv, ia tb prIy tcuaiI sas e tb tem, ac tb eaIy
pats eemcatcd Iy Gmysea, Bcks meas is ao ea prceiv as a dec ia itsI mr
tb erauea e tb Le peiHc cce e dptl er aec, Ia as a aaeiea e tb
gecuy e tbsaaec. Lva tleagl Bck mcueaIeasy eanacs XIirus eeasraeueas
as eepacd te tles e lis eeatcmpemry eeucacs (ia pat . e br iauedaeiea), br
ecauaI amcat is tlat XIirus gecuy las its tberueaI maadauea ia ace-PLteaie
mcuplyses ia gaeaI aad ia PLtes 1iios ia paueaIa (tbeaIy PLteaie tet kaewa
at tbumc, eisiag eaIy as a agmcat). Bck saces tlat XIirus epuea mr tbuiaa-
gIc as erd adaIc mr tbeeasraeuea e tberdcd aaivrs is Iasd ea its rIc ia
PLtes 1iios (p. e).
Lva tleagl Bcks epIet prpes as =u as tb mctled aadIyiag tb uaasauea
aad tbiauedaeiea ac sreIy lisereaI, br srag cmplass ea XIiru as pieace e a
tbery e at iacuHyIasiu impIetIyaadIacs tbLsiag saec aad rIcaaec
e XIirus uae mr tb aet v ecataics e ada at. h sau a prceiv, it
is dieaIt mr tb rad te disrrd rnaisecaecs e, mr iasaaec, WiaecImms
cia Kaas ds Ceateas (e. 3-1|), Ldmaad Bakcs plyseIegiI tbercs e tb
impae ea tbnad eaasd Iy tbmys e lt ea tbceaters eeraca ( .), er cva
e 1espl Kesals (ns)as e XagIe-saxea Iaisie pliIeseply te peeLim aa at
ate pliIeseply, aIeag tbsamc Iacs as XIirus (ns)as e e-pLteaie pliIeseply
a lamaisie at e paiauag aad tbaus as lamais, as Bck LiIs eac e XIirus
eIeivs.
Mer sapisag aad iauaiag ac Bcks eeaieaeasy ameeas recaecs te pes-
sHc iaacaecs ea XIirus tbery e Nertbra at ia gaeaI, aad tlat e aa Lye ia
paueaIa. 1c qaeiea e iaacaecs etbIaIaa 8cnisaaec ea tbat e tbNertl
las eca aad eeauaeasy ica diseascd Iy seLrs e Nertbra at. Nataauy, wba
=ac cakiag e saucaIy umcs as FIeraec ia tb|3s, qaeieas e iaacaecs e
aertl te seal ac mrIy diseascd. 1cs rmrks ac se mau ar satIag tlat tbr
is ae ccaec tlat aay Nertbra paacI was te isca ia IaIy imrat tbcaIetb
|s. Bcks liat, le=vr, scms etbae tlat XIiru aeeepaaicd eadinI ^eeI
XIiau ea lis uavIs te Nertbra Laep a cw ycas imr b wrtc lis uae. 1c
eadinI was peruaycd Iy aa Lye ia |1-1., aad ea tlis eeeasea, Bck eeqceacs,
XIiru eeaId lavlad tbegertaaity te sady tbGbat-XIurpicec, er sec obr werks
Iy aa Lye er obr eeatcmpemry FIcnsl auss. Mer imperuatIy, tb isac is aIse
misd ia Iy XIiru limsI ia lis uae. Bck aocs tlat lis diseasiea e lt aad sladew
ia |6 eeaId iiaird Iy tbway aa Lyelas radcd tbrceuea e lt ia wate,
1
mcuIs, paIs aad eeas seacs ia tbGbat-XIurpicec (p. q6). Oa tbobr laad,
=lav te eIe, XIirus iassaaec tlat tlis radiag sleaId i auicvd tlragl ap-
pIeauea e Haeaad wlitc eeIeas, decs aodiseIesaay aniaity witl tbaa Lyeiaa
tcuaiqac e saeecsivagIeaueas e tlia aad uaasaecat Lyes e paiat. 1at is, aaIcs
iI Iiaaue c I aee sleaId ao br i aadseed as rerag te pmcats, Ia mtbr
as laag a tberueaI, aad tlas ar idaIsd, eemoauea, sectliag Ikc tb dgrc
e lt ia mue. ImcdiatcIy, tlis decs ao scm te itbeas, Ia ukiag iate aeeeaat
Bcks iateuuea e tbdcpr uivs e XIirus as e gecuy, lis agIeauea e
rbteres ia a pieeraI syaux aad lis tbery e eeIeas, it is ao at au iaeeaeciaHc. 1c
aet paagmpl ( |) eeaId givtbimssea tlat XIiru lad bad e aa Lyes tcu-
aiqac. h Bcks uaasauea, eac eeaId iadcd gt tb imssea tlat XIiru is cakiag
e agIyiag tlia, uaaacat Lyes e eeIea. 1c pasag, ia wliu XIiru dseris
lew te eIuia lt aad slads ea acas te mkc tbm agca tlrc-dimcasenI, rads ia
Bcks Laaisl uaasauea (br, e eeas, aia uaasatcd)
(it. I sleaId i deac tlas) Firs yea lav te eevr (Lt. uaag), as
witl a vry lt Lye e dw, tbpaiat ea tbsaaec caurIy te its eaIac
(Lt. IrdIac) witl as mau wlitc er Hae as accdd. 1ecate
aaobr Lye (Lt. e dw se te cak) is agIcd ea tep e tbrs, tba aa
a1iuenI (Lt. aad aaobr, saeecsivIy atbr away etbIrdIac)
,{.
hteeiag br ac tbvry lttlia Lyes e dw (eoissio oai -o ia Laua,
egieissi -ogiaa ia IaIaa) aad aaobr Lye. X tem Ikc Lye is ao asd ia
tbLaua er IaIaa vrseas. 1c Laua vrsea ass tbtem i--o-aioos, raHiags,
ia Gmyseas uaasauea, wliu, as aas I eaa jadg, eeaId iiatetcd ia tems e aa
Lyeiaa uaasaecat bltcaiags, wliu pecueauy cakiag eeaId iadcd i Ikcacd te
dw. 1e mc, tbpasags scmte dseria tcuaiqac e sladiag Iy prIy gmplie mcaas,
ar Ikc latuiag ia dawiags. 1c qaeiea is iauitc aad iateeiag, Ia le=vr
it my i, ia its evmu dsga aoliag eeaId i ar disaat e XIirus tbery e
paiauag tlaa Nertbra at. XIirus meas ea rmtbr tlaa graad, aad lis disrrd
e Ladseap ia aea e auitceaaI suiags, lis reemcadauea te Int tb amir
e rs, lis idas e eepesuea aad e eIcaacs saad ia srag eeauasao te say
dire egesueate Nertbra at.
1is nglt aIse i tb rasea wly Nertbra at acvr latucd aay tbery, aad at tb
samc umc it aadIacs aad tlis is tbpimc auicvmcat e Bcks eecucat uaasauea
aad iauedaeieatb imperuaec e XIirus tet, ao eaIy ia tb prceiv e tb
FIerauac 8cnisaaec, Ia ia tb eageiag diseasiea e at lisery aad at tbery saec
tbo Lva tleagl muewiag tb IaIaa tet vry eIesIy, Bcks uaasauea is, eac eeaId
say, eeasqacatIy ia Iac witl br iateuuea e tbtet, aad ia tlat sasit is saprer
aad araIet tlaa tb8=disl uaasaueo Be=vr, tbcditeraI piaepIc e XIirus
uae is, emy peiat e cw, aamrtantc. Oa tbeac laad, eac eeaId uees te rad
tb IaIaa tet as it is (tlis is tb eas witl tb eeueqaiaI 8=disl uaasauea),
|
er eac eeaId aucmpt te eaHsl aa idaI tet witl au tlat it impIcs witl rrd te
agaatas aad eepeisd radaIiIty. Xs aIrady said, tbIaIaa tet is dacd as tb
Iass, tleagl witlea eeIadiag slis te tb Laua vrsea wbr tlis tet is erd.
Wba aiaats eeea, wbtbr Laua er IaIaa, tby ac iasrtcd ia a pinuv syscm
e pacatbss witl (Lt. ) er (it. ) rceivIy, wliu mkcs tb radiag
tlragl aad evr tb may pacatbssmtbr ameyiag. h tlis eas, I sace tlat
tlis way e iaeIadiag tb aiaat radiags rsats aa aucmpt te sausj rqairmcats
e eepIctcacs, wliIc disnsiag tb Iadas e a saecat agaatas mr tb sakc e
radaIiIty.
1c eeasqacaec is tlat =ac seIdIy pLatcd it=ca twe cditeraI piaepIcs, auic-
iag tbadaaugs e aeac aad tbdisadaaugs e Itl. Wlatcvr tbsatas e tbIaIaa
tet nglt i(te mc it givs tbimssea e a slertcacd, IaaIse rsd aad impevd,
vrsea), I weaId e laag tb uaasauea e tb IaIaa tet as it is, sagIcmcatcd
witl erginI tems, aiaats aad cmcadaueas ia moaocs. Xpat e tlis rsrauea,
Bcks auicvmcat is aa aItegtle Iaed, adnmHy Icaacd aad cagd iauedaeiea te
Lcea Buisa XIiru aad tbIaIaa 8cnisaaec, tlat iadaIiuHy wiu eees its iaa-
caec ea Laaisl seLrslip ia tlis aca aad, myicva ar imperuatIy, tlat wiu lav
a Lsiag iaacaec apea tbgaeaI pHe as =u.