DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.870#0075
65
or three centuries, are greatly deficient in placing their figures on horseback. There is one
circumstance, however, in these groups which it is necessary to point out to prevent painters and
draughtsmen from being led into error, namely, that the thighs of all the men are longer than
they would appear if the figure was placed on a round body instead of a flat one, because in that
case the width of the horse's body, by separating the knees of the rider to a greater extent,
must shorten the appearance of the thigh by throwing it into perspective; but as bas relief
does not admit of perspective, the thighs would have seemed too short had they not been represented
of their full length. This length, therefore, is admissible in bas relief, but would be very incorrect
where light and shade are employed so as to give the breadth and rotundity of the horse's body.
It is also necessary to remark that most of the figures sit lower on the horses' backs than
they could possibly do in nature, so that the breech comes considerably below the line of the
horse's back, and in consequence of this circumstance the legs and feet exhibit an extraordinary
length below the horse's belly. This deviation from the truth is occasioned by the system which the
Greek artists seem to have adopted of filling up the tablet as much as they could, and, being
desirous at the same time to form the men as large as possible, the figures could not have been
brought within the space allotted by the tablet but for this violation of propriety. This lowness of
the seat is particularly manifest in Plates 33 and 34. The same desire to fill up the tablet appears
in the conversation groups, where the heads of the sitting figures are as high as those that are
standing.
There is a very manifest difference in the style and execution of some of these bas reliefs,
or three centuries, are greatly deficient in placing their figures on horseback. There is one
circumstance, however, in these groups which it is necessary to point out to prevent painters and
draughtsmen from being led into error, namely, that the thighs of all the men are longer than
they would appear if the figure was placed on a round body instead of a flat one, because in that
case the width of the horse's body, by separating the knees of the rider to a greater extent,
must shorten the appearance of the thigh by throwing it into perspective; but as bas relief
does not admit of perspective, the thighs would have seemed too short had they not been represented
of their full length. This length, therefore, is admissible in bas relief, but would be very incorrect
where light and shade are employed so as to give the breadth and rotundity of the horse's body.
It is also necessary to remark that most of the figures sit lower on the horses' backs than
they could possibly do in nature, so that the breech comes considerably below the line of the
horse's back, and in consequence of this circumstance the legs and feet exhibit an extraordinary
length below the horse's belly. This deviation from the truth is occasioned by the system which the
Greek artists seem to have adopted of filling up the tablet as much as they could, and, being
desirous at the same time to form the men as large as possible, the figures could not have been
brought within the space allotted by the tablet but for this violation of propriety. This lowness of
the seat is particularly manifest in Plates 33 and 34. The same desire to fill up the tablet appears
in the conversation groups, where the heads of the sitting figures are as high as those that are
standing.
There is a very manifest difference in the style and execution of some of these bas reliefs,