Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Bilingual Edition
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I
Complete Notebooks · French with an independent English translation.
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French Page · Branch 2385 of 3781
[LOCKE] · Entry 2385
French
p. 476925 février.
Pourquoi les instrumens que les peintres ont mis quelquefois dans les mains des anges sont ridicules. 1ᵒ c’est que le son en est connu. 2ᵒ c’est que dans l’imperfection terrestre de nos voix mêmes, nous n’en usons que pour en tirer des effets propres à nous donner une idée...
1ᵐᵉⁿᵗ Une bouche entrouverte avec une certaine rondeur dans un visage où est dépeinte l’expression qui est propre au chant fait imaginer une voix. Mais un clavier d’orgue sous des doigts, un violon entre des mains, une flûte sous une bouche, ne fait point du tout imaginer des sons.
2ᵐᵉⁿᵗ Nos instrumens dont l’effet est connu, déterminé, fixe, invariable ne prêtent point à l’idéal.
3ᵐᵉⁿᵗ Nous n’usons de ces intrumens dans notre imperfection terrestre que pour en tirer des effets propres à nous donner l’idée d’une harmonie supérieure telle que nous pouvons aisément nous figurer des voix célestes.
Peintres, faites chanter les anges, mais ne les faites pas jouer du luth, et encore moins de la basse. Il est ridicule de mettre un pareil orchestre ou dans les airs ou dans les cieux. Et Raphaël lui-même eut tort lorsque dans la Sainte Cécile...
On peint une bouche qui chante, parce qu’il y a là de la vie. Mais on ne peut en aucune manière peindre un instrument qui résonne parce qu’il est de bois et qu’il n’a point de visage qui puisse en exprimer.
En tout, il ne s’agit pas tant de peindre quoi que ce soit que d’en donner l’idée. Mais on ne parvient jamais à donner l’idée d’une chose qu’en peignant avec vérité ce qui se trouve propre à la donner.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [LOCKE]
p. 4770February 25.
Why the instruments painters have sometimes put in angels’ hands are ridiculous. 1° because their sound is known. 2° because, in the earthly imperfection of our very voices, we use them only to draw from them effects suited to giving us an idea...
1st A mouth slightly open, with a certain roundness, in a face depicting the expression proper to singing makes one imagine a voice. But an organ keyboard beneath fingers, a violin between hands, a flute beneath a mouth, does not make one imagine sounds at all.
2nd Our instruments, whose effect is known, determined, fixed, invariable, do not lend themselves to the ideal.
3rd We use these instruments in our earthly imperfection only to draw from them effects suited to giving us the idea of a higher harmony such as we can easily imagine from celestial voices.
Painters, make the angels sing, but do not make them play the lute, and still less the bass. It is ridiculous to put such an orchestra either in the air or in the heavens. And Raphael himself was wrong when in the Saint Cecilia...
One paints a mouth that sings, because there is life there. But one cannot in any way paint an instrument that resounds, because it is made of wood and has no face that can express any of it.
In everything, it is not so much a question of painting anything whatsoever as of giving the idea of it. But one never succeeds in giving the idea of a thing except by painting truthfully what is suited to giving it.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [LOCKE] · Entry 2385
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
Joubert’s notebooks return to the work of thinking and writing, the demands of friendship, and questions of faith, beauty and conduct. This edition pairs the French with a new English translation, preserving the order of the chosen source and the unfinished character of its fragments. Dates and source references allow readers to follow a thought through time or return to its printed context.
Historical Text and Translation
The French text follows André Beaunier’s 1938 edition of Les Carnets de Joseph Joubert, published by Gallimard from Joubert’s autograph manuscripts. Volume I presents the entries on printed pages 32–475. French and English are aligned paragraph by paragraph, retaining the source order, printed dates and page references so readers can return to the facsimile.
About Diotimos Editions
Diotimos Editions prepared this new English translation directly from the French, preserving Joubert’s distinctions, recurring images, ambiguities and unfinished thoughts. Translator’s notes clarify wording, references and uncertain readings: Essential keeps notes that help explain a passage, while All includes technical detail. Annotations from the 1938 source edition remain distinct from the new translator’s notes.
Rights
The linked facsimile records identify the French source as public domain in the United States. The new English translation and editorial notes are © 2026 Diotimos, with source annotations and new editorial contributions credited separately. This edition pairs the complete French notebooks with an independent English translation, preserving the distinction between Joubert’s text and its accompanying notes.