DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5253#0075
TEMPLE OF NEW THEBAN EMPIRE.
43
admirably executed form appearing again when the waters retire. On his belt
and on the scrolls in his hands he carries his titles. Guiding his steps is still
to be seen the arm of his little daughter, appearing in low relief on the support
of his leg. This great colossus of Rameses, with its beautiful face, together
with the one of this king's wife of equal size, and the four smaller ones of
uis daughters, no longer extant, may have been those seen by Herodotos
standing before the temple of Hephaistos at Memphis.8'
Tombs, equally marvellous for their vast extent and exhaustless labor, were
now carved into the very heart of the mountains. Here, also, sculpture kept
pace with architecture, spreading over every surface reliefs of vast extent.
JUt although statuary was thus stupendous, and reliefs were of such extent,
.'
/-"„
'" -;;.
a
Fig. 22. Fallen Colossus of Rumeses It. Mitrahentiy.
vermg tomb, temple, and pylon; although innumerable figures of gods
'I Peared, and sphinxes lined avenues measuring more than a mile in length, —
> everywhere hardest stones, granite, porphyry, basalt, and diorite were
erred to wood and soft stone, now sparingly used.
Heretofore we have seen the tomb to be of most service in throwing light
1 n sculpture ; but now the temple, imposing in its dimensions, forms the
eat centre of attraction. There is, however, among these sacred structures,
erence to be noticed, somewhat affecting their sculptural accompaniments.
a diff,
One cl
kin
ass consists of great national monuments to deity : the other, erected to
Ss and queens, seems an outgrowth of the tomb-chapel of earlier days,
lcn nas at last attained a size so great, and an adornment so elaborate, as to
worthy of a place beside the temples of the gods,
■before considering these various temples, let us first cast a glance at the
43
admirably executed form appearing again when the waters retire. On his belt
and on the scrolls in his hands he carries his titles. Guiding his steps is still
to be seen the arm of his little daughter, appearing in low relief on the support
of his leg. This great colossus of Rameses, with its beautiful face, together
with the one of this king's wife of equal size, and the four smaller ones of
uis daughters, no longer extant, may have been those seen by Herodotos
standing before the temple of Hephaistos at Memphis.8'
Tombs, equally marvellous for their vast extent and exhaustless labor, were
now carved into the very heart of the mountains. Here, also, sculpture kept
pace with architecture, spreading over every surface reliefs of vast extent.
JUt although statuary was thus stupendous, and reliefs were of such extent,
.'
/-"„
'" -;;.
a
Fig. 22. Fallen Colossus of Rumeses It. Mitrahentiy.
vermg tomb, temple, and pylon; although innumerable figures of gods
'I Peared, and sphinxes lined avenues measuring more than a mile in length, —
> everywhere hardest stones, granite, porphyry, basalt, and diorite were
erred to wood and soft stone, now sparingly used.
Heretofore we have seen the tomb to be of most service in throwing light
1 n sculpture ; but now the temple, imposing in its dimensions, forms the
eat centre of attraction. There is, however, among these sacred structures,
erence to be noticed, somewhat affecting their sculptural accompaniments.
a diff,
One cl
kin
ass consists of great national monuments to deity : the other, erected to
Ss and queens, seems an outgrowth of the tomb-chapel of earlier days,
lcn nas at last attained a size so great, and an adornment so elaborate, as to
worthy of a place beside the temples of the gods,
■before considering these various temples, let us first cast a glance at the