...near to the eye. And for this reason you, painter, who under the name of a practical man feign the view of a head seen at close distance with sharp brushstrokes and harsh, crude hatching, know that you deceive yourself; for at whatever distance you feign your figure, it is always finished to that degree at which it finds itself, even though at a long distance the knowledge of its outlines is lost. Nor does this prevent one from seeing a smoky finish, rather than outlines and profiles that are sharp and crude. Therefore it is to be concluded that in the work which the beholder's eye can approach, all the parts of the painting should be finished in their degrees with the utmost diligence; and moreover the nearest should be terminated with outlines distinct and clear against their ground, and the more distant should be well finished but with outlines more smoky — that is, more blurred, or you may say less distinct; and for the still more distant, observe successively what is said above, that is, the less distinct outlines, then the members, and finally the whole less distinct in figure and in colour.

[129] How the first painting came about. a.
The first painting was of a single line only, which encircled the shadow of a man cast by the sun upon walls.

[130] How a painting should be viewed from a single window.
A painting should be viewed from a single window, as is apparent by reason of bodies made thus: . If you wish to make upon a height a round ball, you must make it elongated after this likeness, and stand so far back that it...