DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22421#0151
Letter IV. TOWNLEY COLLECTION : VASES.
87
Memnon, and a cup with the gods seated, purchased from Dr.
Emilius Braun.
1849. A vase from Ruvo, with the subject of Pelops and Ly-
curgus, purchased from Mr. C. Stewart.
Several vases from Mr. W. Hope's collection : among them,
one representing the birth of Minerva; another, a scene from an
ancient comedy.
1850. Very ancient vases, found with Egyptian bottles and ala-
baster figures at Pollidrara, near Vulcy, in Italy. Many of them
are covered with designs of an Assyrian character.
Tazza, with the labours of Hercules; another with figures en-
gaged in gymnastic exercises ; an amphora, with Hercules in the
garden of Hesperides, purchased from Dr. Emilius Braun.
Among the presents are particularly interesting handles of terra
cotta vases, found at Alexandria and in Sicily by J. S. Stoddart,
Esq., and presented by him. These are stamped with the names of
magistrates, and with the devices or types which occur on the coins
of Rhodes, Cnidus, and other Greek cities. They afford much his-
torical and numismatical information.
The terra cotta vases are contained in a fine apartment lighted
by three windows from above, the walls of which are appropriately
decorated with copies of the wall pictures in the excavated tombs
of the Tarquinii. The greater portion of them are placed in glass
presses. Besides these a considerable number are preserved in
eleven glass cases in two double rows in the centre of the room, so
that they may be inspected on all sides. These cases contain three
shelves, one above the other, the lowest being almost on a level
with the ground, and far too low for examination. It is a pity that
a fourth shelf above is not rather provided for the very beautiful
vases thus unfavourably placed, and that vessels only of an inferior
quality, such as always occur in large collections, are not trans-
ferred to these low positions.
Of the vases in the so-called archaic style, more particularly valu-
able for the designs upon them, and as specimens of old Grecian
art, I will only remark that a considerable number are preserved
here of which many are distinguished for their size and subjects.
The class of vases of the so-called transition style, with black
figures on a light ground, is also considerable. The size of the
vessels, the strange subjects, careful execution, and excellent pre-
87
Memnon, and a cup with the gods seated, purchased from Dr.
Emilius Braun.
1849. A vase from Ruvo, with the subject of Pelops and Ly-
curgus, purchased from Mr. C. Stewart.
Several vases from Mr. W. Hope's collection : among them,
one representing the birth of Minerva; another, a scene from an
ancient comedy.
1850. Very ancient vases, found with Egyptian bottles and ala-
baster figures at Pollidrara, near Vulcy, in Italy. Many of them
are covered with designs of an Assyrian character.
Tazza, with the labours of Hercules; another with figures en-
gaged in gymnastic exercises ; an amphora, with Hercules in the
garden of Hesperides, purchased from Dr. Emilius Braun.
Among the presents are particularly interesting handles of terra
cotta vases, found at Alexandria and in Sicily by J. S. Stoddart,
Esq., and presented by him. These are stamped with the names of
magistrates, and with the devices or types which occur on the coins
of Rhodes, Cnidus, and other Greek cities. They afford much his-
torical and numismatical information.
The terra cotta vases are contained in a fine apartment lighted
by three windows from above, the walls of which are appropriately
decorated with copies of the wall pictures in the excavated tombs
of the Tarquinii. The greater portion of them are placed in glass
presses. Besides these a considerable number are preserved in
eleven glass cases in two double rows in the centre of the room, so
that they may be inspected on all sides. These cases contain three
shelves, one above the other, the lowest being almost on a level
with the ground, and far too low for examination. It is a pity that
a fourth shelf above is not rather provided for the very beautiful
vases thus unfavourably placed, and that vessels only of an inferior
quality, such as always occur in large collections, are not trans-
ferred to these low positions.
Of the vases in the so-called archaic style, more particularly valu-
able for the designs upon them, and as specimens of old Grecian
art, I will only remark that a considerable number are preserved
here of which many are distinguished for their size and subjects.
The class of vases of the so-called transition style, with black
figures on a light ground, is also considerable. The size of the
vessels, the strange subjects, careful execution, and excellent pre-