DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4266#0074
C OF THE TEMPLE OF APOLLO EPICURIUS.
procured any detailed account* of the temple, which was found to resemble in magnitude, and to class
with the Temple of Theseus at Athens, but to differ from it in the proportions, and number of
columns on the flanks, and in the singular arrangement of the cella.
Enquiry being thus revived towards a monument of the age of Phidias, erected by Ictinus his
coadjutor in the creation of the Parthenon, recent architectural travellers proceeded to the spot to
investigate the minute construction of this elegant temple, and, among others, the late Baron Haller",
in conjunction with Mr. C. R. Cockered and Mr. J. Foster, examined the ruins with extreme dili-
gence, and ascertained by a partial removal of the stones the existence of the sculpture in a state
calculated to remunerate a speculation in a prompt and well-concerted excavationc. On their return
to Athens, this information excited considerable interest among the travellers and Franks resident
there, particularly from the success of a recent excavation" at the ruins of a temple at JEg'mii, supposed
to be that of Jupiter Panellenius, when the sculpture of the pediments of that edifice was brought to
light. This discovery, which was the more valuable, because it tended to elucidate our ideas on the
progress and history of ancient art6, during the period intervening between the monotonous and recti-
linear style of the Egyptian sculpture, and the refined and graceful productions of the school of Phidias.
The veil was now somewhat drawn aside ; we beheld in this confirmatory standard of the often spoken
of iEginetan school, the budding germs of latent excellence; here was a point from which, in the
progress of intellect among a people of such ardent aspiration, perfection must have soon emanated j
for with the Egyptians, as among the Chinese, though in the opposite extreme of grandeur to frivo-
lity, art never advanced, and in nations with similar institutions never would have been progressive,
beyond a fixed ratio of mechanical imitative mediocrity: here however we beheld an approximation to
correct action and dramatic effect, but expression still remained deficient, and ideal beauty of form
wholly unfelt.
Some of the members of the society of artists who had the good fortune to have made this
excavation at iEgina, two of whom were our countrymen, had now visited the ruin at Bassa?, and still
continued to pursue their studies in Greece, when Baron Haller impressed on them the propriety of
uniting in the prosecution of an object so important to art as the rescue from oblivion of the sculpture
of Bassae also. The distance of the ruin from the sea, its remoteness from a civilized point of sup-
port, together with the jealous and suspicious character of the Turks and also Greeks, who had during
the preceding visit obstructed even an examination of the ruins, imposed difficulties in the perform-
ance of the undertaking, which it required mature deliberation and combined means to avert and
surmount. A party however was formed, with the well grounded expectation of realizing the project;
it consisted of Baron Haller, Mr. J. Foster, of Liverpool, and Mons. Jacques Linckh, of Stutgard,
architects, Baron Stackelberg, a superior amateur draughtsman, Thomas Legh, Esq. of Warwickshire',
and Mons. Gropius, Austrian vice-consul and banker at Athens2.
» The plan from the notes of Sir William Gell will be found d May, 1811.
in the Appendix, Plate IV. of Wilkins's Antiquities of Magna e The sculptures recently discovered by the late Mr. W.
Grecia, with an hypothesis of that writer on the construction of Harris and Mr. Angell at Selinus in Sicily, are of the same de-
the roof: but the variations observed in that plan from the one scription. They consist of sculptured metopes in very high re-
now given, may possibly have resulted from the want of facilities lief, and partake of the character of the iEginetan school. These
on the part of Sir William in taking the dimensions of the edi- monuments of art discovered by the intellect and exertion of
fice. our countrymen, have been forcibly appropriated by the Neapo-
b Baron Haller of Hallerstein, an artist most profoundly stu- litans to the museum at Palermo. Graphic illustrations of them
dious of the works of antiquity, to the regret of his friends and are now in progress of publication by Messrs. Angell and
to the privation of elegant literature, became a victim to one of Evans.
the pestilential fevers of Greece, in the midst of his researches f This gentleman, at present Member of Parliament for New-
at Athens, in the year 1817- It is satisfactory to hear that the ton, Lancashire, whose travels in Egypt have been made public,
result of his enquiries will not ultimately be lost to society. being at that time at Athens, considerably promoted the success
c We are persuaded from the inspection of the ruins at Su- of the undertaking,
mum, that sculpture might be excavated beneath the remains of s Mr. C. R. Cockerell, though absent pursuing architectural
the Temple of Minerva; though, perhaps, in worse preservation researches in Sicily, was also a sharer in the enterprise, he being,
than those of jFgina and Phigalia, on account of the vicinity of in conjunction with Baron Haller and Mr. J. Foster, the origi-
tlie sea. lVd\ diSCoverer.
procured any detailed account* of the temple, which was found to resemble in magnitude, and to class
with the Temple of Theseus at Athens, but to differ from it in the proportions, and number of
columns on the flanks, and in the singular arrangement of the cella.
Enquiry being thus revived towards a monument of the age of Phidias, erected by Ictinus his
coadjutor in the creation of the Parthenon, recent architectural travellers proceeded to the spot to
investigate the minute construction of this elegant temple, and, among others, the late Baron Haller",
in conjunction with Mr. C. R. Cockered and Mr. J. Foster, examined the ruins with extreme dili-
gence, and ascertained by a partial removal of the stones the existence of the sculpture in a state
calculated to remunerate a speculation in a prompt and well-concerted excavationc. On their return
to Athens, this information excited considerable interest among the travellers and Franks resident
there, particularly from the success of a recent excavation" at the ruins of a temple at JEg'mii, supposed
to be that of Jupiter Panellenius, when the sculpture of the pediments of that edifice was brought to
light. This discovery, which was the more valuable, because it tended to elucidate our ideas on the
progress and history of ancient art6, during the period intervening between the monotonous and recti-
linear style of the Egyptian sculpture, and the refined and graceful productions of the school of Phidias.
The veil was now somewhat drawn aside ; we beheld in this confirmatory standard of the often spoken
of iEginetan school, the budding germs of latent excellence; here was a point from which, in the
progress of intellect among a people of such ardent aspiration, perfection must have soon emanated j
for with the Egyptians, as among the Chinese, though in the opposite extreme of grandeur to frivo-
lity, art never advanced, and in nations with similar institutions never would have been progressive,
beyond a fixed ratio of mechanical imitative mediocrity: here however we beheld an approximation to
correct action and dramatic effect, but expression still remained deficient, and ideal beauty of form
wholly unfelt.
Some of the members of the society of artists who had the good fortune to have made this
excavation at iEgina, two of whom were our countrymen, had now visited the ruin at Bassa?, and still
continued to pursue their studies in Greece, when Baron Haller impressed on them the propriety of
uniting in the prosecution of an object so important to art as the rescue from oblivion of the sculpture
of Bassae also. The distance of the ruin from the sea, its remoteness from a civilized point of sup-
port, together with the jealous and suspicious character of the Turks and also Greeks, who had during
the preceding visit obstructed even an examination of the ruins, imposed difficulties in the perform-
ance of the undertaking, which it required mature deliberation and combined means to avert and
surmount. A party however was formed, with the well grounded expectation of realizing the project;
it consisted of Baron Haller, Mr. J. Foster, of Liverpool, and Mons. Jacques Linckh, of Stutgard,
architects, Baron Stackelberg, a superior amateur draughtsman, Thomas Legh, Esq. of Warwickshire',
and Mons. Gropius, Austrian vice-consul and banker at Athens2.
» The plan from the notes of Sir William Gell will be found d May, 1811.
in the Appendix, Plate IV. of Wilkins's Antiquities of Magna e The sculptures recently discovered by the late Mr. W.
Grecia, with an hypothesis of that writer on the construction of Harris and Mr. Angell at Selinus in Sicily, are of the same de-
the roof: but the variations observed in that plan from the one scription. They consist of sculptured metopes in very high re-
now given, may possibly have resulted from the want of facilities lief, and partake of the character of the iEginetan school. These
on the part of Sir William in taking the dimensions of the edi- monuments of art discovered by the intellect and exertion of
fice. our countrymen, have been forcibly appropriated by the Neapo-
b Baron Haller of Hallerstein, an artist most profoundly stu- litans to the museum at Palermo. Graphic illustrations of them
dious of the works of antiquity, to the regret of his friends and are now in progress of publication by Messrs. Angell and
to the privation of elegant literature, became a victim to one of Evans.
the pestilential fevers of Greece, in the midst of his researches f This gentleman, at present Member of Parliament for New-
at Athens, in the year 1817- It is satisfactory to hear that the ton, Lancashire, whose travels in Egypt have been made public,
result of his enquiries will not ultimately be lost to society. being at that time at Athens, considerably promoted the success
c We are persuaded from the inspection of the ruins at Su- of the undertaking,
mum, that sculpture might be excavated beneath the remains of s Mr. C. R. Cockerell, though absent pursuing architectural
the Temple of Minerva; though, perhaps, in worse preservation researches in Sicily, was also a sharer in the enterprise, he being,
than those of jFgina and Phigalia, on account of the vicinity of in conjunction with Baron Haller and Mr. J. Foster, the origi-
tlie sea. lVd\ diSCoverer.