DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8577#0049
THE TRANSITIONAL ORIENTALIZING STYLE 29
whole show far less variety of pose and action than the Protocorinthian;
there is something distinctly mechanical about the way in which identical
figures are reproduced over and over again. In Protocorinthian vases we find
little exact repetition of types. The schemes are often theoretically identical;
but there is nearly always a touch of individuality in the use to which they are
put. There is an unmistakable sameness about the Transitional vases; parti-
cularly in respect of the attitudes in which the figures are conceived. There
are two or three principal schemes which almost monopolize the field, and
these are schemes of quiet, sober movement.1 It is significant that the
schemes which are given up are those of momentary action: significant,
because we shall find this tendency carried still further in Corinthian work.
And we shall find that other features which serve to distinguish the Transi-
tional vases from Protocorinthian are also characteristic of the Corinthian style.
The forms of the animals on some Transitional vases (cf. pis. 11; 16,1, 3-5)
are exceedingly delicate. On other vases, which we have good reason to
regard as slightly later, we find, not as a rule the heavy, robust forms of the
Corinthian style, but something less positively reminiscent of the Proto-
corinthian tradition (pis. 11 bis; 12,8-10; 13, 2, 5; 16, 6-7); very occasionally
there is an unmistakable 'Corinthian' quality (pis. 13, 3-4; 14). Occasionally
also one notices a tendency to elongate the animals, so that fewer figures are
needed to fill out the frieze. I know of no Protocorinthian vase on which this
tendency is noticeable; Protocorinthian animals, on the contrary, are gene-
rally compact in build. Elongation begins on Transitional vases which for
other reasons we must regard as late; for example, on the olpai pis. 12, 1;
13,5; 16,6-7. One could not say that the idea is yet fully exploited, but it is
undoubtedly present. A significant point again, for this trick of elongation
is a regular device with Corinthian painters, who often carried it to much
greater lengths. In like manner, the rendering of small details on Transitional
vases shows certain deviations from the Protocorinthian tradition which are
at the same time anticipations of the Corinthian. But the number of Corin-
thian renderings is extremely limited, and there can be no question of
'Corinthian influence' (cf. pp. 40-1).2 The motives used by Transitional
painters, and the way in which they are used, tell the same story: there are
1 The galloping, butting, and pouncing animals so point the way towards the development of the Co-
common on Protocorinthian vases (pis. 3, 4, and 8; rinthian style from the Transitional: the rendering
Johansen pis. 20, 21, 24, 26-8, &c; N.S. 1895, 167; of the eye-socket seen in pi. 16, 6-7 (cf. pis. 12,15)
Albizzati pi. 7 no. 81; Bull. Comm. 1898 pi. 11; &c.) becomes common on Corinthian vases (cf. fig. 12, for
have all but disappeared. The surprised sphinxes, instance); it is not found in Protocorinthian. The
pis. 8, 5; 11, &c, remain as a variant from the ordi- Protocorinthian stylization, which is less closely
nary seated type. Other animals occur in Proto- related to the natural form, is seen in pi. 6, and lasts
corinthian schemes on a few early Transitional vases: into the early Transitional period. It is practically
cf. pis. 11,2; 16, 11-12; and no. 156. unknown on Corinthian vases (an isolated example,
2 The following details are worth recording as they pi. 18). The side-whiskers of the lion are not
whole show far less variety of pose and action than the Protocorinthian;
there is something distinctly mechanical about the way in which identical
figures are reproduced over and over again. In Protocorinthian vases we find
little exact repetition of types. The schemes are often theoretically identical;
but there is nearly always a touch of individuality in the use to which they are
put. There is an unmistakable sameness about the Transitional vases; parti-
cularly in respect of the attitudes in which the figures are conceived. There
are two or three principal schemes which almost monopolize the field, and
these are schemes of quiet, sober movement.1 It is significant that the
schemes which are given up are those of momentary action: significant,
because we shall find this tendency carried still further in Corinthian work.
And we shall find that other features which serve to distinguish the Transi-
tional vases from Protocorinthian are also characteristic of the Corinthian style.
The forms of the animals on some Transitional vases (cf. pis. 11; 16,1, 3-5)
are exceedingly delicate. On other vases, which we have good reason to
regard as slightly later, we find, not as a rule the heavy, robust forms of the
Corinthian style, but something less positively reminiscent of the Proto-
corinthian tradition (pis. 11 bis; 12,8-10; 13, 2, 5; 16, 6-7); very occasionally
there is an unmistakable 'Corinthian' quality (pis. 13, 3-4; 14). Occasionally
also one notices a tendency to elongate the animals, so that fewer figures are
needed to fill out the frieze. I know of no Protocorinthian vase on which this
tendency is noticeable; Protocorinthian animals, on the contrary, are gene-
rally compact in build. Elongation begins on Transitional vases which for
other reasons we must regard as late; for example, on the olpai pis. 12, 1;
13,5; 16,6-7. One could not say that the idea is yet fully exploited, but it is
undoubtedly present. A significant point again, for this trick of elongation
is a regular device with Corinthian painters, who often carried it to much
greater lengths. In like manner, the rendering of small details on Transitional
vases shows certain deviations from the Protocorinthian tradition which are
at the same time anticipations of the Corinthian. But the number of Corin-
thian renderings is extremely limited, and there can be no question of
'Corinthian influence' (cf. pp. 40-1).2 The motives used by Transitional
painters, and the way in which they are used, tell the same story: there are
1 The galloping, butting, and pouncing animals so point the way towards the development of the Co-
common on Protocorinthian vases (pis. 3, 4, and 8; rinthian style from the Transitional: the rendering
Johansen pis. 20, 21, 24, 26-8, &c; N.S. 1895, 167; of the eye-socket seen in pi. 16, 6-7 (cf. pis. 12,15)
Albizzati pi. 7 no. 81; Bull. Comm. 1898 pi. 11; &c.) becomes common on Corinthian vases (cf. fig. 12, for
have all but disappeared. The surprised sphinxes, instance); it is not found in Protocorinthian. The
pis. 8, 5; 11, &c, remain as a variant from the ordi- Protocorinthian stylization, which is less closely
nary seated type. Other animals occur in Proto- related to the natural form, is seen in pi. 6, and lasts
corinthian schemes on a few early Transitional vases: into the early Transitional period. It is practically
cf. pis. 11,2; 16, 11-12; and no. 156. unknown on Corinthian vases (an isolated example,
2 The following details are worth recording as they pi. 18). The side-whiskers of the lion are not