DOI article:
Essay II: The spirit of the art of Pheidias, in its relation to his age, life, and character
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11444#0073
II.]
THE SPIRIT OF THE ART OF PHEIDIAS.
53
yet these were but moments that were impaired in their pure
existence by other peculiar qualities and frailties; but Zeus is
sublime and majestic in all aspects of his existence, for he is the
impersonation of majesty and power. Alcibiades was graceful
and beautiful, yet his vanity and selfishness may engross our
attention to the exclusion of his finer qualities ; while Apollo ever
remains the fairest leader of the Muses. Yet it may be urged that
these impersonations of the general qualities of mankind are
too limited a sphere for the activity of an art. But not only
docs each sculptor differ in his productions in accordance with
the difference in his own individual conception of these ideas;
but also, he may choose the various aspects of these ideal
beings, their various modes and character, and even certain
incidents of their spiritual life. Which incidents these should
be, can best be ascertained from the examination of the subjec-
tive aspect of the spiritual life that is most suited for reproduc-
tion in sculpture.
In the subjective aspect of spiritual life, we can also dis-
tinguish that which is most lasting, or rather that which does
not at once suggest to us the transient and ephemeral. There
are inner experiences, impressions that we call lasting impres-
sions. They are not those that affect merely a part of our
nature, so that we have always attention enough to bestow upon
some other stimulus or upon our immediate self, and then glide
away without leaving a trace; but they are those that grasp our
whole nature and do not momentarily alter only one side or one
faculty; those that affect our whole moral constitution to the
exclusion of other interests and the immediate self, because they
grasp us entire. The difference between these two classes of
impressions may be well illustrated by two phrases: in the one
case we are pleased or amused, in the other case our whole
nature, our soul, is thrilled. Or it may be expressed objectively
in the difference between the Agreeable and Pretty, and the
Sublime. This analysis must be further limited in that the
power of thrilling the soul is not in itself the measure of the
suitability for sculpture. For of all the aspects of life, there are
two which most readily produce a thrilling effect, namely,
violence and pathos. Yet these are in themselves momentary ;
and for other reasons, which will become evident, these belong
THE SPIRIT OF THE ART OF PHEIDIAS.
53
yet these were but moments that were impaired in their pure
existence by other peculiar qualities and frailties; but Zeus is
sublime and majestic in all aspects of his existence, for he is the
impersonation of majesty and power. Alcibiades was graceful
and beautiful, yet his vanity and selfishness may engross our
attention to the exclusion of his finer qualities ; while Apollo ever
remains the fairest leader of the Muses. Yet it may be urged that
these impersonations of the general qualities of mankind are
too limited a sphere for the activity of an art. But not only
docs each sculptor differ in his productions in accordance with
the difference in his own individual conception of these ideas;
but also, he may choose the various aspects of these ideal
beings, their various modes and character, and even certain
incidents of their spiritual life. Which incidents these should
be, can best be ascertained from the examination of the subjec-
tive aspect of the spiritual life that is most suited for reproduc-
tion in sculpture.
In the subjective aspect of spiritual life, we can also dis-
tinguish that which is most lasting, or rather that which does
not at once suggest to us the transient and ephemeral. There
are inner experiences, impressions that we call lasting impres-
sions. They are not those that affect merely a part of our
nature, so that we have always attention enough to bestow upon
some other stimulus or upon our immediate self, and then glide
away without leaving a trace; but they are those that grasp our
whole nature and do not momentarily alter only one side or one
faculty; those that affect our whole moral constitution to the
exclusion of other interests and the immediate self, because they
grasp us entire. The difference between these two classes of
impressions may be well illustrated by two phrases: in the one
case we are pleased or amused, in the other case our whole
nature, our soul, is thrilled. Or it may be expressed objectively
in the difference between the Agreeable and Pretty, and the
Sublime. This analysis must be further limited in that the
power of thrilling the soul is not in itself the measure of the
suitability for sculpture. For of all the aspects of life, there are
two which most readily produce a thrilling effect, namely,
violence and pathos. Yet these are in themselves momentary ;
and for other reasons, which will become evident, these belong