DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.67683#0200
131 GREEK PERIOD
moves lightly with his torch, perhaps running a torch-race. His
body, perfectly and rhythmically poised, and his smiling face,
filled with joy, express childhood as naturally and spontaneously
as one could wish.
The Tanagra Tigurines are the most charming examples of
Greek genre. Thousands have been found, chiefly in graves, and
their purpose is unknown. They represent all kinds of everyday
scenes, trivial in subject but dainty in execution and bright in
color. The robes are usually rose or blue, the hair a reddish
brown, the shoes red, and the fans or other accessories have
touches of gilding. These figurines were made in molds, several
being used for one figure, so that by changing the head or the
arms a considerable amount of variety could be obtained. In all
of them there is a natural grace and charm; and the little lady in
Pl. 48 d wrapped in her cloak, with her jaunty hat and fan, is
even coquettish.
PAINTING
It is difficult to get a picture of Greek painting after the fifth
century. Even within the latter part of that century, the pottery
industry on the continent declined, for some reason not clear.
The shapes are slender and the decorations have an air of elegance;
in the drawing there is great facility and freedom, but it is often
superficial and hasty. Yet we know from literature that just the
opposite tendency was taking place among the painters, the chief
of whom was Apelles, court painter of Alexander the Great.
These artists were making great strides in such fundamentals as
perspective, light and shade, and color.
Let us look at a few examples which will reveal something,
at least, of this great school. On an ivory panel (Pl. 49 c) is
pictured the Tape of the Daughters of Leucippus. The artist who
made this drawing was a master of line. With apparent ease and
yet accuracy of expression, he has indicated the essentials of the
form of both horses and driver and withal has added a grace of
line that has a beauty of its own. Such a figure as that of the run-
ning or the crouching woman, in the vase painting in Pl. 49 b,
reveals the skill of the Greek draughtsman in the expression
of what is significant and essential with a minimum of means.
To study a Greek composition on a large scale, we may take the
Alexander Mosaic (Pl. 49 d), making allowance for the fact that
this is probably the copy of a painting worked out in mosaic
technique (p. 160). The scene represents some battle, usually
thought to be that of the Issus. The center of interest is the
moves lightly with his torch, perhaps running a torch-race. His
body, perfectly and rhythmically poised, and his smiling face,
filled with joy, express childhood as naturally and spontaneously
as one could wish.
The Tanagra Tigurines are the most charming examples of
Greek genre. Thousands have been found, chiefly in graves, and
their purpose is unknown. They represent all kinds of everyday
scenes, trivial in subject but dainty in execution and bright in
color. The robes are usually rose or blue, the hair a reddish
brown, the shoes red, and the fans or other accessories have
touches of gilding. These figurines were made in molds, several
being used for one figure, so that by changing the head or the
arms a considerable amount of variety could be obtained. In all
of them there is a natural grace and charm; and the little lady in
Pl. 48 d wrapped in her cloak, with her jaunty hat and fan, is
even coquettish.
PAINTING
It is difficult to get a picture of Greek painting after the fifth
century. Even within the latter part of that century, the pottery
industry on the continent declined, for some reason not clear.
The shapes are slender and the decorations have an air of elegance;
in the drawing there is great facility and freedom, but it is often
superficial and hasty. Yet we know from literature that just the
opposite tendency was taking place among the painters, the chief
of whom was Apelles, court painter of Alexander the Great.
These artists were making great strides in such fundamentals as
perspective, light and shade, and color.
Let us look at a few examples which will reveal something,
at least, of this great school. On an ivory panel (Pl. 49 c) is
pictured the Tape of the Daughters of Leucippus. The artist who
made this drawing was a master of line. With apparent ease and
yet accuracy of expression, he has indicated the essentials of the
form of both horses and driver and withal has added a grace of
line that has a beauty of its own. Such a figure as that of the run-
ning or the crouching woman, in the vase painting in Pl. 49 b,
reveals the skill of the Greek draughtsman in the expression
of what is significant and essential with a minimum of means.
To study a Greek composition on a large scale, we may take the
Alexander Mosaic (Pl. 49 d), making allowance for the fact that
this is probably the copy of a painting worked out in mosaic
technique (p. 160). The scene represents some battle, usually
thought to be that of the Issus. The center of interest is the