DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4266#0047
14
GRECIAN ORNAMENT.
Attic Stele at B is remarkable as having been executed when the Athenians wrote from right to left,
which Oriental custom appears to have ceased anterior to the sixth centurya before Christ, at least a
century and a half before the acquisition'of supreme power by Pericles ; this palaeography of the word
Theronos, perhaps denotes this marble to be one of the earliest examples of Attic architectural decoration
extant: the ornament was attached to the columnar slab below by a tenon, and the colours are yet visible
with which it was originally painted b. At C is a representation of a central acroterion of the
temple at iEgina, as developed at the late excavation of the fragments of the statues of the
pediments; a decoration, which in some respects resembles a lyre, and is inferred to have been
executed previous to 520 b. c.; it was accompanied on each side by small female figures holding
a " pomegranate flower ", as Hope was personified by the ancientsc, and was supported behind by a
sculptured animal. This apex was doubtless also painted in encaustic, as described by Vitruvius,
for traces of paint were observed on other remains of the temple; we also recognized frag-
ments of this acroterion of Parian marble still among the ruins, " the nice construction and
exquisite perfection of every part of which ", when first discovered, " excited wonder and admi-
ration" d, but • quantum mutatum ab illo!' it is now so despoiled and mutilated as not to enable the
beholder to form any notion of the shape of the ornament which we have here derived from the deli-
neation of one of the excavating artists. At D is shewn the front of the ornamental apices termed
antefixae, anciently placed over the horizontal cornices on the sides of the Parthenon, which would
appear to have been imitated from a more remote character of ornament than the general execution of
the temple, for it partakes of the same flat and dry style of design seen in the preceding examples,
but with more precision and elegance in the curves, and this absence of relief, perhaps, demonstrates
that it was indebted to colour for effect in correspondence with the painting0 still visible, introduced on
other ornamental parts of the edifice. This, as well as the others, with the exception of the ra-
diating lines, conveys no proof of floral imitation. From this latter example there would be little dif-
ficulty in tracing, with the antefixae found at Phigaliaf, (if Ictinus really executed the marble roof of
the Temple there,) and other fragments, of nearly the same epoch, the chain in the change to richer
embellishment more imitative of vegetable nature, until, in a few years, it attained the per-
fection of the Anthemion of the Erechtheum, which, according to the inventive genius of the
carvers, is found to have been executed with many varieties of detail, shewing that art then teemed
degenerated by the repetitions of succeeding artists who had lost
sight of the primitive emblem, that even the representation of Ve-
getation became almost obliterated. We have therefore selected
from that author the following observations in his own words :
" Io tengo per fermo che le foglie componenti gli ornati dei vasi
dipinti spettassero ad un genere di piante sacre all' oggetto per cui
furon fatti i vasi medesimi, e quindi nell' essere spesso ripetute
dagli artisti nei sepolcrali monumenti ammanierate e degenerate
per modo dalle lor prime forme, che appena puo dirsi csser quegli
ornati rappresentativi di un qualche genere di vegetabilc." Mon.
Etrus. Tomo V. p. 21.—Again, " Quel che ho scritto fin qui, mi
fa sospettare che questi ornati dei vasi dipinti avessero una qualche
allusionc colle anime degli cstinti nolle cui tombe cran posti i
vasi medesimi. Ma qual genere di foglie sara mai questo che
compone immutabilmente l'ornato predetto ? EN da prcmettere
che qualunque fosse la pianta imitata in questi ornati debb' essere
stata dal capriccio dei disegnatori per modo altcrata, da non potcr-
sene con faeilita rintracciarc la vera sua specie, poiehe tale suol
essere il destino di molti oggetti espressi nella scrittura sim-
bolica." Mon. Etrus. Serie 5. Dei Vasi Fittili, Tomo V. p. 22.
a The laws of Solon, Archon 594 b. c, were engraved in the
intermediate, or Boustrophedon manner ; that is, in lines running
alternately from right to left, and left to right, as the ox draws
the plough, apparently in imitation of a more ancient usage :
also Pausanias mentions as a remarkable circumstance, a statue
of Agamemnon at Elis, by Onatas, an jEginetan sculptor
about contemporary with Phidias, doubtless for the same decep-
tive reason, inscribed with the name of the Hero, written from right
to left. V. Dutens, Palaeog. Num. p. 170. Paus. L. V. c. 25.
b This antiquity was lately in the possession of the French
consul at Athens : it is introduced to a larger scale in Mr.
Vulliamy's excellent volume of Architectural Ornaments.
c Spence elegantly observes, regarding the flower in the hand
of Hope, " the great softner of the various distresses of life,"
" Like the spring, she is still promising something blooming and
pleasing after all the chilliness and gloominess of the winter. She
is therefore verv well represented with a bud just opening in her
hand.—Had the flower been full blown, it would have been too
much for this goddess to hold in her hand; and were the bud
quite closed up, it would not be enough : it is therefore only
opening, like a morning rose, that promises to display more of
its beauties gradually as the sun gets higher and higher." Poly-
metis, p. 147-—These figures, however, may possibly be allusive
to the Hours, which at first were described and depicted as only
two in number, and holding flowers. See Plate 37 of the
Paintings of Greek Vases belonging to Sir J. Coghill, explained
by Millengen, 1817- There are also three analogous pairs of fe-
male figures described as priestesses, among the terracottas of the
British Museum, which are represented in a similar style of
drapery and action, standing on each side of candelabra or
foliage.
d See article on the jEgina marbles by Mr. C. R. Cockerell, a
contributor to this Volume, in the Quarterly Journal of Science
and Art, Vol. VI. PL I. & II.
e The fronts of the eaves joint-tiles at Eleusis were not carved,
but painted. Uned. Ant. of Attica, C. 2. The Turks at present
paint and gild with much elegance the ornaments of their marble
tombs and fountains.
f See Plate V. Fig. 4, at the description of the Pliigalian
temple of Apollo Epicurius, in this Volume.
GRECIAN ORNAMENT.
Attic Stele at B is remarkable as having been executed when the Athenians wrote from right to left,
which Oriental custom appears to have ceased anterior to the sixth centurya before Christ, at least a
century and a half before the acquisition'of supreme power by Pericles ; this palaeography of the word
Theronos, perhaps denotes this marble to be one of the earliest examples of Attic architectural decoration
extant: the ornament was attached to the columnar slab below by a tenon, and the colours are yet visible
with which it was originally painted b. At C is a representation of a central acroterion of the
temple at iEgina, as developed at the late excavation of the fragments of the statues of the
pediments; a decoration, which in some respects resembles a lyre, and is inferred to have been
executed previous to 520 b. c.; it was accompanied on each side by small female figures holding
a " pomegranate flower ", as Hope was personified by the ancientsc, and was supported behind by a
sculptured animal. This apex was doubtless also painted in encaustic, as described by Vitruvius,
for traces of paint were observed on other remains of the temple; we also recognized frag-
ments of this acroterion of Parian marble still among the ruins, " the nice construction and
exquisite perfection of every part of which ", when first discovered, " excited wonder and admi-
ration" d, but • quantum mutatum ab illo!' it is now so despoiled and mutilated as not to enable the
beholder to form any notion of the shape of the ornament which we have here derived from the deli-
neation of one of the excavating artists. At D is shewn the front of the ornamental apices termed
antefixae, anciently placed over the horizontal cornices on the sides of the Parthenon, which would
appear to have been imitated from a more remote character of ornament than the general execution of
the temple, for it partakes of the same flat and dry style of design seen in the preceding examples,
but with more precision and elegance in the curves, and this absence of relief, perhaps, demonstrates
that it was indebted to colour for effect in correspondence with the painting0 still visible, introduced on
other ornamental parts of the edifice. This, as well as the others, with the exception of the ra-
diating lines, conveys no proof of floral imitation. From this latter example there would be little dif-
ficulty in tracing, with the antefixae found at Phigaliaf, (if Ictinus really executed the marble roof of
the Temple there,) and other fragments, of nearly the same epoch, the chain in the change to richer
embellishment more imitative of vegetable nature, until, in a few years, it attained the per-
fection of the Anthemion of the Erechtheum, which, according to the inventive genius of the
carvers, is found to have been executed with many varieties of detail, shewing that art then teemed
degenerated by the repetitions of succeeding artists who had lost
sight of the primitive emblem, that even the representation of Ve-
getation became almost obliterated. We have therefore selected
from that author the following observations in his own words :
" Io tengo per fermo che le foglie componenti gli ornati dei vasi
dipinti spettassero ad un genere di piante sacre all' oggetto per cui
furon fatti i vasi medesimi, e quindi nell' essere spesso ripetute
dagli artisti nei sepolcrali monumenti ammanierate e degenerate
per modo dalle lor prime forme, che appena puo dirsi csser quegli
ornati rappresentativi di un qualche genere di vegetabilc." Mon.
Etrus. Tomo V. p. 21.—Again, " Quel che ho scritto fin qui, mi
fa sospettare che questi ornati dei vasi dipinti avessero una qualche
allusionc colle anime degli cstinti nolle cui tombe cran posti i
vasi medesimi. Ma qual genere di foglie sara mai questo che
compone immutabilmente l'ornato predetto ? EN da prcmettere
che qualunque fosse la pianta imitata in questi ornati debb' essere
stata dal capriccio dei disegnatori per modo altcrata, da non potcr-
sene con faeilita rintracciarc la vera sua specie, poiehe tale suol
essere il destino di molti oggetti espressi nella scrittura sim-
bolica." Mon. Etrus. Serie 5. Dei Vasi Fittili, Tomo V. p. 22.
a The laws of Solon, Archon 594 b. c, were engraved in the
intermediate, or Boustrophedon manner ; that is, in lines running
alternately from right to left, and left to right, as the ox draws
the plough, apparently in imitation of a more ancient usage :
also Pausanias mentions as a remarkable circumstance, a statue
of Agamemnon at Elis, by Onatas, an jEginetan sculptor
about contemporary with Phidias, doubtless for the same decep-
tive reason, inscribed with the name of the Hero, written from right
to left. V. Dutens, Palaeog. Num. p. 170. Paus. L. V. c. 25.
b This antiquity was lately in the possession of the French
consul at Athens : it is introduced to a larger scale in Mr.
Vulliamy's excellent volume of Architectural Ornaments.
c Spence elegantly observes, regarding the flower in the hand
of Hope, " the great softner of the various distresses of life,"
" Like the spring, she is still promising something blooming and
pleasing after all the chilliness and gloominess of the winter. She
is therefore verv well represented with a bud just opening in her
hand.—Had the flower been full blown, it would have been too
much for this goddess to hold in her hand; and were the bud
quite closed up, it would not be enough : it is therefore only
opening, like a morning rose, that promises to display more of
its beauties gradually as the sun gets higher and higher." Poly-
metis, p. 147-—These figures, however, may possibly be allusive
to the Hours, which at first were described and depicted as only
two in number, and holding flowers. See Plate 37 of the
Paintings of Greek Vases belonging to Sir J. Coghill, explained
by Millengen, 1817- There are also three analogous pairs of fe-
male figures described as priestesses, among the terracottas of the
British Museum, which are represented in a similar style of
drapery and action, standing on each side of candelabra or
foliage.
d See article on the jEgina marbles by Mr. C. R. Cockerell, a
contributor to this Volume, in the Quarterly Journal of Science
and Art, Vol. VI. PL I. & II.
e The fronts of the eaves joint-tiles at Eleusis were not carved,
but painted. Uned. Ant. of Attica, C. 2. The Turks at present
paint and gild with much elegance the ornaments of their marble
tombs and fountains.
f See Plate V. Fig. 4, at the description of the Pliigalian
temple of Apollo Epicurius, in this Volume.