DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5253#0483
PRAXITELES' SATYR. 449
ripened into the perfect work of the sculptor's maturity.s54 The place of its
discovery, not any ordinary Roman villa, but the palace of the emperors them-
selves, also distinguishes it from the crowd of its brethren, and makes it
possible that it is indeed an original. Both this torso and the Hermes are
in beautiful Parian marble, and, as already said, show remarkable similarity in
their technique. Thus, in the drapery of the Hermes, as well as in the satyr's
nebris, the rasp alone gives the finish, leaving a rough surface which, while
contrasting pleasantly with the nude, closely imitates actual nature. There is
also a great similarity in the flow of muscles and gentle surface-play of skin,
but in the satyr a surer hand and more perfect harmony are everywhere
evident. Thus the massiveness of the Hermes appears here, mellowed down
into beautiful harmony with the luxurious rhythm of the figure, making this
satyr seem the blossom of ripe Praxitelean art. The tree here serves truly
as a stanch support; the body, resting upon it, assumes wave-lines with more
pronounced curves than does the Hermes; while, in the accessories, what
seemed crowded has become simpler and more appropriate, only a hairy nebris
crossing the chest.
Megara, not far removed from Athens, boasted very many works from
Praxiteles' hand. By the fourth century the industrious and politic people of
this city had become wealthy and prosperous. ."The people of Megara," says a
contemporary, the Athenian Isocrates, "from a scanty beginning, having neither
harbors nor vines, but cultivating rocks, have come to possess the largest houses
of any people in Greece; and though they have but a small force, and are
placed between the Peloponnesians, the Thebans, and our own city, still they
keep their independence, and live in peace." s55 In adding new treasures to
their ancient temples, it was natural that they should have employed the talent
of distinguished contemporarv artists. For a very old temple, Praxiteles exe-
cuted the twelve great Olympic gods ; for Apollo's temple, Leto, with Apollo and
Artemis ; and, for that of Dionysos, a satyr, referred to above,—all of which were
in marble. In the Temple of Aphrodite, where were figures by Scopas, there
were also a Peitho, goddess of persuasion, and a Paregoros, goddess of consola-
tion, by Praxiteles ; and in a neighboring shrine, the temple-statue of Tyche
was also by him.s56
Several places in Bceotia and Phokis, north of Attica, were rich in his
works. Perhaps none of these enjoyed a wider fame than those in Thespiai,
the native place of the beautiful Phryne, to whom he is said to have owed
much of his inspiration. Here, between an Aphrodite by him and his portrait
of Phryne, both in marble, stood his famous Eros, which, as Pausanias tells us,
Phryne secured from the master, and then consecrated in the shrines of her
native city, peculiarly devoted to that god.s57 This statue was of Pentelic
marble, and winged. The god appeared with his bow lowered in the right
hand, and at the same time, as an epigram says, shooting from his eyes arrows
ripened into the perfect work of the sculptor's maturity.s54 The place of its
discovery, not any ordinary Roman villa, but the palace of the emperors them-
selves, also distinguishes it from the crowd of its brethren, and makes it
possible that it is indeed an original. Both this torso and the Hermes are
in beautiful Parian marble, and, as already said, show remarkable similarity in
their technique. Thus, in the drapery of the Hermes, as well as in the satyr's
nebris, the rasp alone gives the finish, leaving a rough surface which, while
contrasting pleasantly with the nude, closely imitates actual nature. There is
also a great similarity in the flow of muscles and gentle surface-play of skin,
but in the satyr a surer hand and more perfect harmony are everywhere
evident. Thus the massiveness of the Hermes appears here, mellowed down
into beautiful harmony with the luxurious rhythm of the figure, making this
satyr seem the blossom of ripe Praxitelean art. The tree here serves truly
as a stanch support; the body, resting upon it, assumes wave-lines with more
pronounced curves than does the Hermes; while, in the accessories, what
seemed crowded has become simpler and more appropriate, only a hairy nebris
crossing the chest.
Megara, not far removed from Athens, boasted very many works from
Praxiteles' hand. By the fourth century the industrious and politic people of
this city had become wealthy and prosperous. ."The people of Megara," says a
contemporary, the Athenian Isocrates, "from a scanty beginning, having neither
harbors nor vines, but cultivating rocks, have come to possess the largest houses
of any people in Greece; and though they have but a small force, and are
placed between the Peloponnesians, the Thebans, and our own city, still they
keep their independence, and live in peace." s55 In adding new treasures to
their ancient temples, it was natural that they should have employed the talent
of distinguished contemporarv artists. For a very old temple, Praxiteles exe-
cuted the twelve great Olympic gods ; for Apollo's temple, Leto, with Apollo and
Artemis ; and, for that of Dionysos, a satyr, referred to above,—all of which were
in marble. In the Temple of Aphrodite, where were figures by Scopas, there
were also a Peitho, goddess of persuasion, and a Paregoros, goddess of consola-
tion, by Praxiteles ; and in a neighboring shrine, the temple-statue of Tyche
was also by him.s56
Several places in Bceotia and Phokis, north of Attica, were rich in his
works. Perhaps none of these enjoyed a wider fame than those in Thespiai,
the native place of the beautiful Phryne, to whom he is said to have owed
much of his inspiration. Here, between an Aphrodite by him and his portrait
of Phryne, both in marble, stood his famous Eros, which, as Pausanias tells us,
Phryne secured from the master, and then consecrated in the shrines of her
native city, peculiarly devoted to that god.s57 This statue was of Pentelic
marble, and winged. The god appeared with his bow lowered in the right
hand, and at the same time, as an epigram says, shooting from his eyes arrows