ANNALS OF THE FINE ARTS. "I am no prophet, nor the son of a prophet; but I will venture to predict, that if ever the ancient, great and beautiful taste in painting revives, it will be in England."- RICHARDSON. måtxed ART. I. Some Experiments and Observations on the Colours used in Painting by the Ancients. By SIR HUMPHRY Davy, L.L.D., F.R.S. TO THE EDITOR OF ANNALS OF THE FINE ARTS. MR. EDITOR, I have accidentally met with the following most admirable paper in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society for 1815. It appears calculated to be of the greatest use to artists; and the name of the celebrated author must give additional weight to the result of his experiments. It will be well if the painters will attend to his sound advice about ochres, dark reds, and earths. The great Greek painters, says Sir Humphry Davy, like the most illustrious artists of the Roman and Venetian school, were probably, however, sparing in their use of florid tints in historical and moral painting, and produced their effects rather by the contrast of colouring, &c. &c. than brilliant drapery. But I ought not to anticipate, Mr. Editor, and must conclude by hoping Sir Humphry Davy |