University of Virginia Library

39. Dossie, Robert.

Vol. I. THE / HANDMAID / TO THE / ARTS, / VOL. THE
FIRST. / TEACHING, /

I. A perfect knowledge of the MATERIA
PICTORIA; or, the nature,
use, preparation, and composition,
of all the various substances employed
in PAINTING, as well vehicles,
dryers, &c. as colours; including
those peculiar to enamel
and painting on glass.

II. The means of delineation, or the
several DEVICES employed for the
more easily and accurately making
DESIGNS FROM NATURE, or DEPICTED
REPRESENTATIONS;
either by off-tracing, calking, reduction,
or other means; with the
methods of taking casts, or impres-
sions, from figures, busts, medals,
leaves, &c.

III. The various manners of GILDING,
SILVERING, BRONZING,
with the preparation of the genuine
GOLD and SILVER powders,
and the imitations of them, as
also of the fat oil, gold sizes,
and other necessary compositions;
- the art of JAPANNING, as
applicable not only to the former
purposes, but to coaches, snuffboxes,
&c. in the manner lately
introduced; - and the method of
STAINING DIFFERENT KINDS
OF SUBSTANCES, with all the
several colours.

The whole being calculated, as well for conveying a more / accurate and
extensive knowledge of the matters treated of / to professed artists, as to
initiate those who are desirous to / attempt these arts, into the method of
preparing and using / all the colours, and other substances employed in
painting in / oil, miniature, crayons, encaustic, enamel, varnish, distemper,
and fresco, as also in gilding, &c. / The Second Edition, with
considerable Additions and / Improvements. / LONDON: / Printed for
J. Nourse, Bookseller in Ordinary to his / MAJESTY. / MDCCLXIV.

8vo. Title page ([i]); dedication ([iii-iv]); preface ([v]-xxvii); table of
contents (9 unnumbered pp.); text ([1]-522); index (10 leaves).

Vol. II. THE / HANDMAID / TO THE / ARTS, / VOL. THE
SECOND. / TEACHING, /

I. The preparation of inks, cements,
and sealing-wax, of every kind.

II. The art of engraving, etching,
and scraping mezzotintos; with
the preparation of the aqua fortis,
varnishes, or other grounds, &c.
in the best manner now practised
by the French; as also the best
manner of printing copper-plates;
an improved method of producing
washed prints, and of printing in
chiaro obscuro, and with colours, in
the way practised by Mr. Le Blon.

III. The nature, composition, and
preparation of glass of every sort;
as also the various methods of
counterfeiting gems of all kinds,
by coloured glass, pastes, doublets,
or the use of foils.

IV. The nature and composition
of porcelain, as well according to
the methods practised in China,
as in the several European manufactories;
with the best manner
of burning, glazing, painting, and
gilding the ware.

V. Preparation of transparent and
coloured glazings, for stone or
earthen-ware.

VI. The manner of preparing and
moulding papier mache, and whole
paper, for the forming boxes,
frames, festoons, &c. and of varnishing,
painting, and gilding
the pieces of each kind; with
the method of making the light
Japan-ware.

To which is added an Appendix; / CONTAINING / Several supplemental
articles belonging, in some manner, to / heads before treated of,
either in this or the first volume; / particularly, the method of marbling
paper, of taking off / paintings from old and transferring them to new
cloths; of / weaving tapestry, both by the high and low warp; and of /
manufacturing paper hangings of every kind. / The Second Edition,
. . .

8vo. Title page ([i]); preface ([iii]-xiv); table of contents (7 leaves);
text ([1]-409); half title for appendix ([411]); appendix (413-62);
index (5 leaves).

Robert Dossie (d. 1777) was English, some say an apothecary.

The first edition of his book is given as 1758. It is essentially a howto-do-it
book, and its title pages indicate the fields it investigates (see
Plate XXXIII). Dossie notes the camera obscura, a device used by Jefferson
whose own camera obscura still exists at Monticello, as follows:
"In the drawing after nature . . . some reflected image is obtained by
means of a camera obscura, which affords an opportunity both of drawing
the figure, and imitating the natural colour of the objects" (I, 386).
And again: "The second method used to facilitate the drawing after
nature, to wit, by the reflected image of the object, is performed by the

Plate XXXIII. From No. 39. Title page (Vol. I). Copy received on Jefferson's
order.

camera obscura, of which a portable kind adapted to this purpose is commonly
made by the opticians. It is needless, therefore, to give any description
of these instruments" (I, 394).

Sowerby points out that Jefferson's own set, later sold to Congress,
was entered in his undated manuscript catalogue as having cost "9/6."
He ordered the same edition for the University in the section on "Technical
Arts" of the want list, and the library still owns the set acquired on
his order.

U. Va.

*TP144.D72.1764

M

Sowerby 1094