DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5253#0597
CHAPTER XXXI.
SCULPTURES IN ASIA MINOR—PERGAMON.
Common Resemblance of the Sculpture o£ this Time. — History of Pergamon. — Its Ruling House.—
The Galatians. — Artists mentioned. — Battle Monuments. — Temple of Athena Polias.— Statues
representing Galatians. — Ludovisi Group. — laying Galatian. — Discussion of the Origin of this
Work. — Attalos' Gifts to Athens. — Small Pergamon Statues of Galatians. — Pergamon Sculptures
in Berlin. — Great Activity under Eumenes. — Temples on Acropolis of Pergamon. — The Great
Altar. — Present State of Ruins. — The Great Altar referred to in Scripture. — Humann's Excava-
tions.— Description of Altar. — Subjects of its Sculptures. — Statues of Gods and of Giants. — The
Zeus Group. — Goddess hurling Snake-bound Vase at the Enemy. — Characteristics and Variety of
these Sculptures. — Style. — Different from Dying Galatian, etc. — Wonderful Mastery of Technique.
— Pictorial Character. — Resemblances to Other Works. — Sources used by Pergamon Artists.
— Who they were. — Small Frieze. — Its Myth. — Subjects treated. — Position of these Works. —
Other Buildings and Statuary at Pergamon. — Copies of Pergamon Art. — Priene. — Influence of
Pergamon. — Tralles. — Farnese Bull. — The Myth. — Resemblance to Pergamon Art.— Its Artists.
— Venus of Melos. — Its Discovery and Present State.— Compared with Other Works.— Perga-
mon Head.—Tralles Aphrodite.
But while during this age the sculptor's art seems to have languished in its
old seats in Greece Proper, the rising kingdoms of Asia Minor and the opulent
island-republic Rhodes enjoyed a new and vigorous artistic life. Unlike that
of Samothrake, this life does not seem to have been an exotic, but enriched by
germs from those older lands, and favored by the altered circumstances, to
have yielded its own peculiar fruitage. The numerous Greek cities of Asia
Minor now attract attention, on account of their sculptors of renown, and
still more the admirable works there discovered. Our knowledge of the art in
these different centres is still too inadequate to enable us to distinguish sharply
their characteristics; but, as we come to know more, the more do the works
of Pergamon and of Rhodes seem to approach each other in spirit; while
about this great double star revolve closely the remaining artistic constella-
tions, Tralles, Antiocheia, Kyzicos, Priene, etc.'"7
Pergamon, although claiming a mythic past, does not appear in history until
the time of Alexander's generals, and then only as a single city. The modern
traveller, journeying due north from Smyrna, and following up the course of
the river, the ancient Cai'cos, for twenty miles inland, comes upon the site of the
city, where is now a flourishing Turkish town called Bergama. liven from
the distant sea may be descried, at the base of mountain ranges in the back-
561
SCULPTURES IN ASIA MINOR—PERGAMON.
Common Resemblance of the Sculpture o£ this Time. — History of Pergamon. — Its Ruling House.—
The Galatians. — Artists mentioned. — Battle Monuments. — Temple of Athena Polias.— Statues
representing Galatians. — Ludovisi Group. — laying Galatian. — Discussion of the Origin of this
Work. — Attalos' Gifts to Athens. — Small Pergamon Statues of Galatians. — Pergamon Sculptures
in Berlin. — Great Activity under Eumenes. — Temples on Acropolis of Pergamon. — The Great
Altar. — Present State of Ruins. — The Great Altar referred to in Scripture. — Humann's Excava-
tions.— Description of Altar. — Subjects of its Sculptures. — Statues of Gods and of Giants. — The
Zeus Group. — Goddess hurling Snake-bound Vase at the Enemy. — Characteristics and Variety of
these Sculptures. — Style. — Different from Dying Galatian, etc. — Wonderful Mastery of Technique.
— Pictorial Character. — Resemblances to Other Works. — Sources used by Pergamon Artists.
— Who they were. — Small Frieze. — Its Myth. — Subjects treated. — Position of these Works. —
Other Buildings and Statuary at Pergamon. — Copies of Pergamon Art. — Priene. — Influence of
Pergamon. — Tralles. — Farnese Bull. — The Myth. — Resemblance to Pergamon Art.— Its Artists.
— Venus of Melos. — Its Discovery and Present State.— Compared with Other Works.— Perga-
mon Head.—Tralles Aphrodite.
But while during this age the sculptor's art seems to have languished in its
old seats in Greece Proper, the rising kingdoms of Asia Minor and the opulent
island-republic Rhodes enjoyed a new and vigorous artistic life. Unlike that
of Samothrake, this life does not seem to have been an exotic, but enriched by
germs from those older lands, and favored by the altered circumstances, to
have yielded its own peculiar fruitage. The numerous Greek cities of Asia
Minor now attract attention, on account of their sculptors of renown, and
still more the admirable works there discovered. Our knowledge of the art in
these different centres is still too inadequate to enable us to distinguish sharply
their characteristics; but, as we come to know more, the more do the works
of Pergamon and of Rhodes seem to approach each other in spirit; while
about this great double star revolve closely the remaining artistic constella-
tions, Tralles, Antiocheia, Kyzicos, Priene, etc.'"7
Pergamon, although claiming a mythic past, does not appear in history until
the time of Alexander's generals, and then only as a single city. The modern
traveller, journeying due north from Smyrna, and following up the course of
the river, the ancient Cai'cos, for twenty miles inland, comes upon the site of the
city, where is now a flourishing Turkish town called Bergama. liven from
the distant sea may be descried, at the base of mountain ranges in the back-
561