DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5253#0471
PRAXITELES' HERMES AND BABE DIONYSOS. 437
great city," and Mantineia, were now restored. In Megalopolis, Praxiteles'
father, Kephisodotos, as we have seen (p. 433), was active ; and it is most prob-
able that temple-statues, in the neighboring Mantineia, were executed at this
time by Praxiteles himself. His later career, occupied with greater tasks for
Athens, Bceotia, and Asia Minor, there are no means of tracing with definite-
ness; nor are we told how long he lived; but from a recorded fact, that his
friend, Phryne, defied Alexander after the destruction of Thebes (335 B.C.),So1
it is probable that Praxiteles also witnessed the crushing blow given to the
liberties of his country by Philip, in 338 B.C., and that he even watched the
young Alexander mount.to power, and become the conqueror of the world.
There is, however, no evidence, that, like some of his compatriots, the then
aged Attic master was ever in the service of this Macedonian monarch, or of
his successors.
From his long life of richest creative activity, one genuine original has,
happily, been given back, after centuries of slumbering oblivion in the bosom
of the earth,—the Hermes with the Dionysos babe, discovered at Olympia
(Selections, Plate VIII.).S32 When Pausanias visited Olympia, nothing seems to
have interested him more than the very ancient Temple of Hera, containing the
casket of Kypselos, and many very ancient figures in gold and ivory of gods
and goddesses after the stiff old idol style. After the description of these ob-
jects he laconically adds, "In later times, other works were also consecrated in
the Heraion, —a Hermes of marble : he carries the babe Dionysos, and is the
work of Praxiteles." s33 Long after Pausanias and after the fall of the ancient
classic world, barbarian settlers wrought changes at Olympia, to suit their own
convenience. In the rear part of the temple a wine-press was arranged, traces
of which were found by the German excavators; and in the front was built a
brick wall. On the morning of May 8, 1877, while the excavators were busy
among the ruins of this wall, they came suddenly, among the bricks, upon a
marble statue, a little more than life-size, and lying before a broken pedestal.
To their great joy, the face, unlike that of most antique heads when raised, was
found perfect (Fig. 192). Their feverish delight can scarcely be imagined, when,
on examination, they recognized the very statue described by Pausanias as exe-
cuted by Praxiteles. Precipitated from its pedestal, the figure seems to have fal-
len first upon the right arm, which is broken away, and then over upon its left
side, thus fortunately preventing the head from coming into sudden and disas-
trous contact with the ground. The bricks used in building the statue into the
Byzantine wall had served as a further shelter; and, although a fine moss has
gathered upon the cheeks, in the main the exquisite surface is unmarred. The
left hand, a model of manly strength combined with youthful freshness, is beau-
tifully preserved, and is closed, doubtless, about some attribute, now gone, — per-
haps Hermes' short kcrykcion. The god's shapely marble legs from below the
knees, and a part of his pedestal, had been ruthlessly broken off and dragged
great city," and Mantineia, were now restored. In Megalopolis, Praxiteles'
father, Kephisodotos, as we have seen (p. 433), was active ; and it is most prob-
able that temple-statues, in the neighboring Mantineia, were executed at this
time by Praxiteles himself. His later career, occupied with greater tasks for
Athens, Bceotia, and Asia Minor, there are no means of tracing with definite-
ness; nor are we told how long he lived; but from a recorded fact, that his
friend, Phryne, defied Alexander after the destruction of Thebes (335 B.C.),So1
it is probable that Praxiteles also witnessed the crushing blow given to the
liberties of his country by Philip, in 338 B.C., and that he even watched the
young Alexander mount.to power, and become the conqueror of the world.
There is, however, no evidence, that, like some of his compatriots, the then
aged Attic master was ever in the service of this Macedonian monarch, or of
his successors.
From his long life of richest creative activity, one genuine original has,
happily, been given back, after centuries of slumbering oblivion in the bosom
of the earth,—the Hermes with the Dionysos babe, discovered at Olympia
(Selections, Plate VIII.).S32 When Pausanias visited Olympia, nothing seems to
have interested him more than the very ancient Temple of Hera, containing the
casket of Kypselos, and many very ancient figures in gold and ivory of gods
and goddesses after the stiff old idol style. After the description of these ob-
jects he laconically adds, "In later times, other works were also consecrated in
the Heraion, —a Hermes of marble : he carries the babe Dionysos, and is the
work of Praxiteles." s33 Long after Pausanias and after the fall of the ancient
classic world, barbarian settlers wrought changes at Olympia, to suit their own
convenience. In the rear part of the temple a wine-press was arranged, traces
of which were found by the German excavators; and in the front was built a
brick wall. On the morning of May 8, 1877, while the excavators were busy
among the ruins of this wall, they came suddenly, among the bricks, upon a
marble statue, a little more than life-size, and lying before a broken pedestal.
To their great joy, the face, unlike that of most antique heads when raised, was
found perfect (Fig. 192). Their feverish delight can scarcely be imagined, when,
on examination, they recognized the very statue described by Pausanias as exe-
cuted by Praxiteles. Precipitated from its pedestal, the figure seems to have fal-
len first upon the right arm, which is broken away, and then over upon its left
side, thus fortunately preventing the head from coming into sudden and disas-
trous contact with the ground. The bricks used in building the statue into the
Byzantine wall had served as a further shelter; and, although a fine moss has
gathered upon the cheeks, in the main the exquisite surface is unmarred. The
left hand, a model of manly strength combined with youthful freshness, is beau-
tifully preserved, and is closed, doubtless, about some attribute, now gone, — per-
haps Hermes' short kcrykcion. The god's shapely marble legs from below the
knees, and a part of his pedestal, had been ruthlessly broken off and dragged