DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.811#0505
452
THE BOY-GOD'S TIPTOE ATTITUDE
Attitude
of boy-
God on
tiptoes
and
adorant.
Delicate
execution
of toes :
foot of
M. M.
II a
figurine
com-
pared.
these did not give the human trunk the opportunity for gradual adaptation
from childhood upwards supplied by the Minoans.
Views of the ivory figurine in three positions are given in Fig. 314,
enlarged by about one-twelfih. The artist here, working on such a favourable
material, had the further advantage that he had to deal with the pure human
form and was not, as in the case of a female statuette like the Goddess
above illustrated, for the most part concerned with the fashionable attire
that concealed it. Flounces and embroidered aprons did not here stand
in his way, and, though the belt was doubtless gold-plated and a slight covering
of gold foil may have overlaid the upper part of the thighs, as indicated
by the pin-holes, this would have closely followed the bodily contours.
The attitude of the Divine Child,—who, for a reason presently to
be explained, raises himself on his toes—reflects the graceful Minoan pose
already well illustrated by the faience figure reproduced above in Fig. 306,
the upper part of the body being thrown back in this case sufficiently
somewhat to uplift the profile of the face, as if the figure were looking
towards another of slightly higher stature. The tiptoe arrangement fits in
with this, and, in order to make it secure, the foot itself is set on a sloping
ledge which raises the heel io millimetres above the level of the toes—
adding this amount to the stature of the figure. Something too is gained
by the tiara, which is 25 millimetres in height as compared with 10 in the
case of the ivory Goddess.
The sloping base of the statuette is supported by a smaller quadrangular
projection, which, as is seen in the back view given in Fig. 314, c, has a circular
hole about 4 millimetres in diameter for the insertion of some kind of locking-
pin fixing it still more securely to its framework.
The carving of the toes, the articulation of which is slightly arched in
some cases, shows great delicacy (see Fig. 316, c). The feet of the leaping
youths of the ' Ivory Deposit' omit this feature, since, as was usual in the
sports of the bull-ring, they were shod in mocassin-like gear. That already by
the early phase of M. M. II the Minoan coroplasts had arrived at considerable
proficiency in moulding the toes is, however, shown by a fragment of
a painted terra-cotta figurine of a votive class found in a M. M. II a deposit
that was brought to light by a test-pit sunk by me, years since, near the
Amphitheatre of Roman Knossos. It is itself of so remarkable a character
that an illustration of it is here given in Fig. 315, a, b, c. The foot is
coloured black,—so that we have no indication of the sex,—on a buff-faced
base with dark bands, and to the right of it is a raised curving object
that may represent some appendage of the dress. On the lower part
THE BOY-GOD'S TIPTOE ATTITUDE
Attitude
of boy-
God on
tiptoes
and
adorant.
Delicate
execution
of toes :
foot of
M. M.
II a
figurine
com-
pared.
these did not give the human trunk the opportunity for gradual adaptation
from childhood upwards supplied by the Minoans.
Views of the ivory figurine in three positions are given in Fig. 314,
enlarged by about one-twelfih. The artist here, working on such a favourable
material, had the further advantage that he had to deal with the pure human
form and was not, as in the case of a female statuette like the Goddess
above illustrated, for the most part concerned with the fashionable attire
that concealed it. Flounces and embroidered aprons did not here stand
in his way, and, though the belt was doubtless gold-plated and a slight covering
of gold foil may have overlaid the upper part of the thighs, as indicated
by the pin-holes, this would have closely followed the bodily contours.
The attitude of the Divine Child,—who, for a reason presently to
be explained, raises himself on his toes—reflects the graceful Minoan pose
already well illustrated by the faience figure reproduced above in Fig. 306,
the upper part of the body being thrown back in this case sufficiently
somewhat to uplift the profile of the face, as if the figure were looking
towards another of slightly higher stature. The tiptoe arrangement fits in
with this, and, in order to make it secure, the foot itself is set on a sloping
ledge which raises the heel io millimetres above the level of the toes—
adding this amount to the stature of the figure. Something too is gained
by the tiara, which is 25 millimetres in height as compared with 10 in the
case of the ivory Goddess.
The sloping base of the statuette is supported by a smaller quadrangular
projection, which, as is seen in the back view given in Fig. 314, c, has a circular
hole about 4 millimetres in diameter for the insertion of some kind of locking-
pin fixing it still more securely to its framework.
The carving of the toes, the articulation of which is slightly arched in
some cases, shows great delicacy (see Fig. 316, c). The feet of the leaping
youths of the ' Ivory Deposit' omit this feature, since, as was usual in the
sports of the bull-ring, they were shod in mocassin-like gear. That already by
the early phase of M. M. II the Minoan coroplasts had arrived at considerable
proficiency in moulding the toes is, however, shown by a fragment of
a painted terra-cotta figurine of a votive class found in a M. M. II a deposit
that was brought to light by a test-pit sunk by me, years since, near the
Amphitheatre of Roman Knossos. It is itself of so remarkable a character
that an illustration of it is here given in Fig. 315, a, b, c. The foot is
coloured black,—so that we have no indication of the sex,—on a buff-faced
base with dark bands, and to the right of it is a raised curving object
that may represent some appendage of the dress. On the lower part