BNF MS. 640 Full recipes in French (tc) and in English translation (tl)
Experimental Protocol for Recreating BNF.640 Recipes on “Perspective”
Contents:
List of Materials Needed
Procedures:
- 1.« Persepctives » (p062r_1)
English Translation
French Original
Procedural Steps
- 2.« Persepctive » (p062v_2)
English Translation
French Original
Procedural Steps
Version A
Version B
List of Materials Needed:
Distemper (“destrempe”) mixture of glue and water – unknown what the glue consists of
10 simple wooden 12” rulers @ $.050 each, 1- 1.5” wide
2 simple wooden 18” rulers, 1-1.5” wide
4 long pins, 1” long
4 thin nails, 1” long
Hammer
Pliers
Paper to draw on
Backboard as large as the paper, or slightly larger
Panel to paint on with oil paint
Oil paint, several colors, any colors, small amounts
WORKFLOW:
Procedure 1: Perspectives (p062r_1)
(English Translation)
Perspectives
Painting perspectives in <m>oil</m> takes a long time because of the many lines that need to be drawn with a ruler, and for that reason one generally paints them in distemper. One chooses the <sup>vanishing</sup> points at will. The main thing is to know <sup>where</sup> the point is. One commonly sets two or three, sometimes <sup>up to</sup> five.
Steps 1:
Research glues used in making distemper during the 16th century.
Make distemper (mixture of glue and water).
Select 16th c. drawings to draw or paint over.
Practice first on tracing paper with pencil (checking types of paper and pencil used in 16th c.)
On paper, “choose the vanishing points at will”, using 2, 3, and 5 points.
Try locating them along a horizontal line chosen to be a horizon.
For comparison, and to test the precision of the recipe, also try locating them “at will”, not necessarily along a horizon.
Repeat all steps on blank paper, and construct a composition of shapes.
Repeat all steps on blank paper, using paintbrush and distemper, rather than pencil.
Repeat all steps on blank paper, using paintbrush and oil.
(French Original)
Perspectives
Les perspectives sont longues a <m>huile</m> a cause de plusieurs<lb/> traicts quil fault faire avecq la reigle Et pour ceste<lb/>
cause on les faict communem{ent} a destrempe On prend les poincts<lb/>
a discretion Le principal de ce gist <add>a</add> avoyr la cognoissance<lb/> du poinct On en faict communem{ent} deulx ou trois quelques<lb/>
fois cinq</ab>
Procedure 2: Perspective (p062v_2)
(English Translation)
<ab>In order to tell where the <sup>vanishing</sup> point is one must lay a ruler over the lines, and the point will be where the lines meet [a]. Some make a hole at the end of their rulers in order to fix the point by that hole while moving the ruler about. Others lay a ruler across the panel,, then on this ruler they place the tip of another ruler which, being attached to the former by a screw, will move about and reach as far as necessary without losing the point. The ruler and compass without discernment of the eye will cause errors. Perspective is very difficult.</ab>
<figure>
<id>fig_p062v_1</id> <link>https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9-oNrvWdlO5ZkRNOG9hZmpMT2M</link>
</figure>
<ab>
<margin>left-middle</margin>
To paint a perspective in oil, you should not use a ruler, for you would smudge everything. Instead, in applying your colors you must keep and follow the lines of your first drawing.</ab>
</div>
Steps 2:
Version A:
Use two or more rulers, paper, and a backboard.
Make a tiny notch at one end of both (all) rulers.
Press a pin or thin nail into the vanishing point on the paper affixed to the backboard.
Lay the rulers on top of each other with their notches against the pin or nail.
Version B:
Use two or more rulers, panel or paper on a backboard.
Devise a means of attaching a screw to one end of both (all) rulers.
Put the screw onto the vanishing point on the paper.
For both Version A and B:
Pivot the rulers around the pin, nail, or screw to draw vanishing lines to the vanishing point.
Draw on paper various shapes in perspective, using the vanishing point.
On a panel, transfer the lines of a drawing on paper made with the method with Version A or B.
(French Original)
<head>Perspective</head>
<ab>Pour cognoistre le poinct il fault coucher une regle<lb/> sur les lignes & a la desmenee dicelles le poinct sera<lb/> Aucuns font un pertuis au bout de leurs regles pour assurer<lb/> le poinct par ce pertuis & faire jouer la regle Aultres<lb/> couchent une regle au travers du tableau puys sur icelle<lb/> regle couchee posent la poincte dune aultre regle laquelle<lb/> fichee sur laultre par le moyen dune vis joue & sestend<lb/>
la ou il est besoing sans perdre le point<lb/>
La regle et compas sans le jugem{ent} de loeil font errer<lb/> perspective est tres difficille</ab>
<figure>
<id>fig_p062v_1</id> <link>https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9-oNrvWdlO5ZkRNOG9hZmpMT2M</link> </figure>
<ab>Pour faire aussy les lignes a <m>plomb</m> qui sont du hault<lb/>
du tableau <del>pour faire</del><del>vif</del> venant en bas il te fault<lb/> avoyr un fil ou quelque <m>plomb</m> soict attache par un bout<lb/>
& par laultre un petit crochet pour pendre ledict filet<lb/>
au hault du tableau</ab>
<figure>
<id>fig_p062v_1</id> <link>https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9-oNrvWdlO5X0hKa0FueWdjMFk</link> <margin>left-bottom</margin>
</figure>
<ab> <margin>left-middle</margin> Pour paindre perspective<lb/>
a <m>huile</m> il ne fault pas<lb/> que tu serves de regle<lb/>
car tu brouilleras<lb/>
tout Mays il fault<lb/>
quen couchant tes<lb/>
couleurs tu gardes<lb/>
<del>les</del>& suives les lignes<lb/> de ton premier desseing</ab>
What done so far:
List of Materials
Workflow
Syllabus readings on perspective
Planning recipe reconstruction
Historical question (as best possible at this stage):
Why did the Author-Practitioner include recipes on perspective in the Ms.?
Why are the recipes so few and so brief, given the complexity of using perspective in drawing geometrical shapes in the 16th century?
How you imagine that you could answer that question:
Historical based research:
Object based research:
Hands-on research: