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 1851.] BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN ART-UNION. 69
op the down-hill view
BULLETIN If a descending plane
OF THE AMERICAN ART-UNION be visible to the eye of
the spectator, it is clear
that it can be represent
ed upon paper ; and the
ultimate depths of the
view will have in that
representation a higher
place on the picture
than the highest sites of
the actual view ; this is
shown in the following
diagram.
Let the learner place
on the table, at a short
distance from him, a
New-York, August 1, 1851. drawing-board, a port
folio, or any other plane,
THE ILLUSTRATIONS. having the nearer end
supported, so as to in
The sketch in outline which accompanies the cline it at any angle at
present number, is an etching on stone, exe which the plane is yet
cuted by Mr. Ehninger, representing Old Die Fig. 8. visible; and let a-by
stander hold a straight
drich Knickerbocker, telling stories to children.
ruler, vertically, at a
Mr. Ehninger is known to many of our readers
small distance from the
by his two series of designs, illustrating respec nearer ede-e, itwill then
tively Hood's Bridge of Sighs, and Irving's be found Slat the lower
Dolph Heyliger, and also by a drawing of Peter and more remote edge
and the Cobbler, which accompanied will appear higher on
Stuyvesant
the ruler that the nearer
a number of this Journal last year. He is an
one. Merely, however,
American Artist of promise, and has been for to draw two horizontal
some time past a pupil of Couture, in Paris, and parallel lines across
where the present production was executed. the paper and to repre
The woodcut which we give this 'I I senta descendingplane
principal
tU I by the space between
month, isjjy BoBBETTand Edmonds3 from a paint the as
alone, without
ing by Wenderoth, representing a scene at the sistance of other lines
Battle of Trenton, inwhich a British prisoner is in contrast with them
who is on horseback would be ;
brought before Washington, impossible
This picture is to be in but the plane being visi
attended by his aids.
of the ArUJnion in ble, the effect of descent
cluded in the Distribution can be readily described
December next.
by the aid of auxiliary
lines and a judicious use
THE ABT OF SKETCHINGFROMNATURE. of light and shade.
Fig. 9. the sketcher suppose him
(Continued from the last Number.) Again?let
self on a hill descending directly from
OF THE UP-HILL VIEW. or two in advance
him, and that a yard
All horizontal lines or planes going into the of him a line is drawn across the road
picture, whether ascending or descending, ap parallel to his position, and another a
pear to vanish at the horizontal line. In paint few yards further down parallel to the
ing, the sea and the sky are considered horizon first ; it would be found, that on holding
tal planes, and we have already instanced their a pencil upright at a little distance so as
apparent meeting in the horizontal line. So to cut both lines, and looking at them
again, in representing the interior of a room? with one eye closed, the lower line would
the floor and the ceiling (if flat) appear to ap rise higher on the pencil than the upper
proach each other, and would, if indefinitely and nearer line.
produced, meet or vanish on the horizontal In this example the student is sup
line of the spectator, as their common vanishing Fig. 10. posed to be on such a
line. hill, having his vanish
Now let the sketcher, referring to Fig. 1, ing line L L, and his
suppose the ground before his position at Ei to horizontal line HU, in
form an inclined plane instead of a horizontal their proper positions.
one ; a plane inclining upwards at some known Then all lines on the de
or supposed angle. In this case, such an incline scending plane, or paral
will meet the plane of the picture in a line above lel with it, as the tim
the horizontal line, and hence there will be two ber and the marks of
vanishing lines on his paper, one whereby to the wagon-wheels, &c,
delineate objects on the horizontal surface ; the would tend towards the
other by which to draw those situated on the in vanishing line L L, while
clined plane. The following diagram will make the horizontal lines of
this clear. the house and wall would
In this figure, Dis the base line ;H H the tend in the direction of
horizontal or vanishing line; C the centre of the horizontal line, and
that vanishing line ; L L the vanishing line of ifproduced to that limit,
the ascent ; and C1 the centre ofthat vanishing would there be lost. In
line. this example, the lower
It is obvious, that in proportion to the incli extremity of the descent
nation of the plane, the line L L will be nearer is shown to be higher on
to, or more distant from, the horizontal vanish the plane of the paper
ing line. Towards some point or points in this than the upper part.
line L L, the representations of all. right lines
to the surface of the ascent must be But the lines of the brick wall, and the hori ON THE REPRESENTATION OP HORIZONTAL LINES?
parallel
drawn ; as for instance?the felled trees, the zontal lines of the house, which are horizontal
WHETHER PARALLEL, PERPENDICULAR, OR OB
ruts in the road, the upper and lower lines of and perpendicular to the plane of the picture, LIQUE TO THE PLANE OP THE PICTURE.
the wooden palings, &c. are drawn towards the horizontal line H H. A horizontal right line has, with respect to the

SERIES FOR 1851.?No. 6.

 70 BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN ART-UNION. [August,
It But if on the right or left of the eye and on a finite siile, a C, at d ; then e, d, e, b will be the
plane of the picture, one of three positions.
is parallel to it, oblique to it, or perpendicular to perfect level, either oblique or perpendicular to representation of the leaf lying on the table, and
it. The following supposition will explain what is the eye or the picture, itwill fall into the hori a d, the apparent length of that side of the folio.
meant by these three relations of a horizontal line. zontal line. The student should bear inmind that if the point
Let the student suppose himself sitting with Fig. 15. E were transposed to the other side the centre C,
bis back against one of the walls of a room. c the measure of the shorter side b g, instead of
The wall opposite to him is parallel with that being marked towards the right hand from b,
behind him, and consequently to the plane of This is explained more fully by placing on a must be set off from towards the left hand,
his picture in that position. The two remaining table, an empty portfolio, into the upper leaf of and the result will be the same.
walls being at right angles with that opposite to which is fixed a long pencil stick. Let the
OF LINES OBLIQUE TO THE PLANE OF THE PICTURE.
him, are evidently perpendicular to the plane of lower edge of the folio be even with the edges
the drawing, and all horizontal right lines on of the table, as the line a b in the diagram. The third relation remains to be explained.
those two walls are also perpendicular to it, and Fig. 16 If the folio, remainine; flat, be moved ever so
will appear to tend towards a point immediately slightly, but obliquely,
from the position inwhich
opposite to his eye.
H H is the horizontal line or level of his sight, we have considered it, the
C the point opposite his eye, and that towards lines ad, be, and the stick
no longer tend to
which all horizontal right lines on the walls A / will
and appear to slant ; though in reality they wards the centre of view
are perpendicular to the wall at C. C, but become oblique
to the plane of the pic
Fig. 11. ture, and having vanishing
points in the horizontal
Let the spectator seat himself a little to the line according to their angles or 3obliquity, as
left of the folio, parallel to the edge ab ; and already explained at Fig. 2.
let C on the horizontal line H H, represent the The method of drawing these lines will be un
point immediately opposite the eye ; then the derstood from the following illustration, which
sides a d and b e of the folio will appear to tend of a figure, represent
explains the construction
towards the point C, the centre of view ; the .
ing a rectangular block of stone, (Fig. 19), placed
pencil-stick/appearing, as it really is, perpendic under the conditions of the third case.
ular to the table. The base line, the horizontal line, the centre
Now let the upper leaf of the folio be raised of view, and the place of the eye, are all given
until its plane be perpendicular to the plane of as before. Let a b be the near vertical edge of
the table. The relations of the lines a d and b e the block, similar to that inNo. 2 of cut 3, where
The lines 1 and 2, where the ceiling and walls with the horizontal line are now changed, and the vanishing points for the horizontal lines are
the stick/, still perpendicular to the leaf of the inaccessible, an inconvenience which may be
meet, and 3 and 4, the lower limit of the walls,
as well as the horizontal lines of the door and folio, becomes by the change of position perpen avoided by proceeding as follows :
its panels, are, in that position of the spectator, dicular to the plane of the picture, and like all Let CE be equal to one-third the true height
all perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. lines similarly disposed, tends towards the cen of the point E from C, and let L be equal to
It has been observed that right lines, when tre of view C, while the sides a d> and b e1 are one-third the true distance of the vanishing
seen perpendicular to the plane of the picture, become perpendicular to the table, and appear point from C on that side of the centre ; join E
never appear in their real position. This is easily much longer then when seen in the original L, and from E draw E M perpendicular to E
position. L, making the same angle join E L, and draw
shown, if a line be placed immediately before the *E M
(from E) perpen
sight; but a little above or below the level of dicular to E L, making
the eye, itwill appear as if perpendicular to the This dia
gram exem the same angle at the eye
ground. the ho as the sides of the object
,Thus C is the point opposite the eye ; 1 and 2 plifies make with each other, in
rizontal right
represent a line held above the level or below this case a right angle.
the level of the sight, but immediately opposite line as seen
parallel and C M will be equal to one
third of the distance of
Fig. 12. perpendicu
lar to the the true vanishing point
on that side of C.
plane of the
nir.tnrp. ? two As the whole of the 3
of the three relations ascribed to it. The par object is here below the horizon, draw down
allel lines are a b and de; the perpendicular wards from L and M lines parallel to C E, as
1 here shown ; also produce E C to the base line,
lines are ad,b e, and the stick f.
The apparent increase of dimension of a d\ and bisect the angle L E M to . Take any
when raised from its horizontal position, having small opening of the compass, and mark it off
c
been shown, it will be well to exemplify the repeatedly from C to the base line) remember
mannfir nf drawing this side of the folio when ing that if any part of the object be above the
Fig. 18. horizontal line, those lines at L and M must be
lying flat.
continued
Having drawn upward also),
2 the horizontal and number those divi
the sions as in the figure. Take
line, and
in the compass as many of
edgr of the ta
ble and folio pa these divisions as make
rallel to it, and one less than the number
marked the cen of times C E is contained
to it. If it be placed above the level, and re
tre of view C in the true distance of the
moved to the right or left, it will appear thus :
on the right, as eye. In this example it
Fig. 13. airead shown. is contained three times.
the student will mark E on the therefore, take two divisions from C E, and 3
horizontal line, at a distance mark them off downwards (and if required up
from C equal to the supposed wards also) on.the lines at L and M, and sub
distance of the eye from the point divide each of those divisions into as many parts
C. It has been laid down as a as C E is contained in the true distance (3), and
rule that the distance of the eye number them as in the figure.
from the centre C should he Now from any point a, a line drawn in the
equal to the width of the picture, but in drawing direction of the, two corresponding points on the
And if below the level of the sight, itwill take a single object, a shorter distance will suffice to divided lines will tend towards the true but in
this direction. show the principle of construction. accessible vanishing points. Thus a line drawn
Fig 14. First from b on the line a b.make bg equal to from b in the direction of the two corresponding
3
one of the shorter sides of figures 2 and 2, will tend towards the point re
the folio ; then draw a fine quired, and a line drawn from the point a, pass
line from g towards E to ing between 4 and 3, at a properly proportioned
meet the indefinite side b C distance from each, on the lines through C and
at e, and draw e d parallel to L, will tend towards the same point. If the ut
b g meeting the other inde most nicety be required, the several divisions

3
 3

In order to Fig. 20. tablished with the vanishing points, if requi

may be again subdivided.
determine the proper length of the line site.
Fi g 20 The structure represented in Fig. 22, may be
from a, let & be equal to thet rue mea
sure of the side. Make L D on the hori drawn according to instruction given in refer
ence to diagram No. 19.
zontal line equal to L E and from C and
V draw any two convenient lines parallel Then, as before, let C ? equal one-third of
the true distance of the eye, and L and M re
to each other, and make D e equal to S.
the distance of the
Then draw eL, cutting C fat f and make spectively equal one-third of
a f and a g on the base line each equal to true vanishing points from the centre of view C.
Through the corresponding numbers 3 and 3,
or 2 and 2 (see Fig 22), draw a line, tending to
From / and g draw lines towards C,
a h at A, and a i at i; on these the true vanishing point of the horizontal lines
meeting of the wall, inwhich three openings or windows,
points raise perpendiculars to meet the
I and with their piers, are to be represented according
upper edges at k and I. Through to their proper scale of relation.
about midway between numbers 1 and 2, a line from
draw Z,ra, meeting the diagonal b at ra, This usually effected by drawing
line on which
then join ra h, which completes the figure, a, or b, parallel to the horizontal
the geometrical measures of the piers and win
the whole of the necessary points being
dows are marked off from a or b, whichever
within the boundaries of the paper, and
may be adopted. But in this case a confusion
thus superseding the difficulty of inaccess
of lines would ensue from the adoption of such
ible vanishing points. The construction of which may be ob
a course ; an inconvenience
the figure may seem at first complex, but
viated by drawing from b a line parallel to that
a little practice will enable the sketcher, and marking the win
in determining his lines, to dispense with running through 2 and 2,
dows and piers upon it in their proportionate
points and the ruler altogether, except from b to x. Then a line
where the use of his pencil geometrical widths
occasionally wall at
to afford a perfectly
drawn from through the corner of the
may be desirable 2 at a point
d, to meet that through % y, gives
straight line. which lines from all the divisions
(y) towards
In this example (Fig. 201 the horizon on bx may be drawn, to divide the upper line of
tal lines forming the wooa work in front
the wall, as seen in the figure; from which di
of the building, and those of the roof are show
and visions, perpendiculars may be dropped,
oblique to the plane of the picture, diminutions of the widths.
T?iivA a tp.nrlp.np.vto noints considerablv ing the proportionate
a perpendicular is raised, Determine the lower lines of the windows, as
beyond the limits of the paper, but the dif tersecting at o,whence at n, on the line ab ; and let o be the height
at 5, then 1 5 and
ficulty is met by the rule already
laid down, meeting the line f/produced, of the chord of the arch from the bottom of the
2 5 supply the oblique lines of the
in reference to cut 19, which is here exemplified projecting the height from the chord to
to a pictorial object. roof. windows, and
in application
in the construction of this the apex of the arch, and from these points
The oblique lines of the gable are represented Thus figure every of
the limits of nop, draw lines towards the vanishing point
according to their angle
of obliquity, and their necessary point is found within the line b d, which, by crossing the perpendicu
the plane of the picture ; a relation could at once be es
position in relation to paper, although
lars, will decide the heights of the windows.
but for general sketching purposes itwill be suffi of each arch may be
as described in Fig. 21. Fig. 21. The point for the apex
cient to draw diagonals found by means of diagonals.
to
In the diagram (Fig. 21), or in any sketch (To be Continued.)
which the rules of its construction apply, the
lines of the unseen parts of the structure, which
are here dotted, may be lightly put in with a PAINTING.
the visible lines and sur LETTERSONPORTRAIT
pencil, so that when no. r.
faces are represented, the light lines may be
a g, e b, &c., being to ;
effaced. The diagonals [We have the gratification of presenting
are raised on their inter
drawn, perpendiculars our readers the first of a series of letters upon
sections at x, that in front being made equal
for the Bulletin by a
to the assumed height of the gable, as f (or portrait painting, writteti
if there artist, whose own ex
the height of the apex of the pediment, distinguished American
be one), and draw the oblique lines eft and fg. cellence in tliis department entitles his opinions
form
If the roof project, as in Fig. 20, produce to th/e respect. They are in the
the horizontal lines of the walls and Vighest
outwards from a teacher to his pupil,
of communications
the edge of the roof to the apparent extent, as at value not only to the
e 1 ; and draw a line from 1 towards the proper and will be found of great

// ZV
student
the point 2. reader but to the general
vanishing point, which will give professional
Now produce the lower lines a Z, and b 4, mak of art.]
e 1 ; then a line from 3 towards
ing a 3 equal to have determined
the vanishing point will give the point 4 and I am glad to leara. that you
in whole attention to art as a pro
the junction 1 4, and 2 8 will give diagonals a" ? to devote your-