DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14144#0541
THE COMPOSITION OF THE FRIEZES.
505
a mastery surpassing that which we have admired in the Phiga-
leian marbles. It contains, too, many very interesting groups ; many
faces in which the strongest passions and feelings are depicted—anger,
pain, despair, and even sympathy and pity.
The narrower frieze at the upper edge of the basis'is almost en-
tirely preserved, and is far less Greek in spirit than the one just
noticed. In some parts it descends to a very low degree of prosaic
realism, as in the slab on which troops are represented in perspective
marching as if on parade, and evidently keeping step ! We have here
a reminiscence of Assyrian formalism, and an anticipation of the
NKKE1I) MOM MEKT, I'KIKZE NO. 2.
prosaic emptiness and dreariness of Roman art. Each side of this
lower frieze seems to contain an independent picture, though they all
stand, of course, in general connexion with one another. On the AT.
side a battle is raging between similarly armed Ionian troops, who
stand in close ranks towards the corners, while they break up into
single combats in the centre. Even here pathetic situations are not
Wanting, but as a whole the motif is dry, prosaic, and Roman. On
the opposite or south side of the frieze the composition is still more
offensively realistic. A battle is going on before the town, and in a
space of about one foot in height we have a triple wall, the towers of
w hich rise one above another, and between which appear the helmcted
505
a mastery surpassing that which we have admired in the Phiga-
leian marbles. It contains, too, many very interesting groups ; many
faces in which the strongest passions and feelings are depicted—anger,
pain, despair, and even sympathy and pity.
The narrower frieze at the upper edge of the basis'is almost en-
tirely preserved, and is far less Greek in spirit than the one just
noticed. In some parts it descends to a very low degree of prosaic
realism, as in the slab on which troops are represented in perspective
marching as if on parade, and evidently keeping step ! We have here
a reminiscence of Assyrian formalism, and an anticipation of the
NKKE1I) MOM MEKT, I'KIKZE NO. 2.
prosaic emptiness and dreariness of Roman art. Each side of this
lower frieze seems to contain an independent picture, though they all
stand, of course, in general connexion with one another. On the AT.
side a battle is raging between similarly armed Ionian troops, who
stand in close ranks towards the corners, while they break up into
single combats in the centre. Even here pathetic situations are not
Wanting, but as a whole the motif is dry, prosaic, and Roman. On
the opposite or south side of the frieze the composition is still more
offensively realistic. A battle is going on before the town, and in a
space of about one foot in height we have a triple wall, the towers of
w hich rise one above another, and between which appear the helmcted