DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2532#0217
POLYCLEITUS AND THE HERAEUM MARBLES
1G7
beso«'ler
Eleusinian relief might be instructive and profitable. But in modeling- there is no analogy
to the hair of our Argive head.
3. The outline of the receding, more wavy forehead in the Brauronian head, with its
straight line about the braid, differs essentially from the simple circular sweep of forehead
in the Hera.
4. And as for the " cut of the eyes, the formation of the eyelids, and the lacrimal
glands," they are distinctly different. The orb of the eye itself is flatter and more
almond-shaped in the Brauronian head. This is especially due to the different treatment
of the upper lid. In the Brauronian head the curve is very slight and flat, ^------~~- while
in ours it has a bold circular sweep /-'"""" ~~\-. This alters, not only the whole aspect
of the lid, but the whole expression of the eye and face, which becomes more dreamy in
the Brauronian head. The " Thranenkarunkel" is larger and more prominent in the
Argive head.
5. The " supremely sweet" mouth, besides being closed in the Brauronian head, is
much smaller, the projecting upper lip having more of an arch-like curve; while the
lower lip has not the characteristic narrowly defined thickening which is so notable a
feature in all these Argive heads.
The one point of similarity between the two heads is the "braid," which runs from
the forehead to the back of the Brauronian head, and is not continued behind the band
in ours. No doubt it was this vague and trifling similarity of one detail which led
Professor Furtwangler to make what I must call
superficial observation and to draw such a hasty
conclusion. The analogy in this arrangement of
the hair is much closer between our head and the
maiden from the Erechtheum; and no doubt this
obvious similarity again has led others to observe
an Attic character in the Argive head. But
though this peculiar arrangement of the hair is
the same, the Caryatid, with the long curls on
either side, shows a more mechanical and wooden
treatment in this central braid, coming straight
to the forehead, while in ours the waves of hair
part symmetrically and yet organically beneath and
beside it. It looks almost as if the sculptor of
the Caryatid (Fig. 85) had not fully understood
the natural arrangement as given in our head.
In spite of the similarity of arrangement between
these heads, a glance at the rounded forms in
forehead and cheeks, the more fleshy treatment of the Attic work, compared with the
spare, sharply cut outline of our Argive work, will well illustrate the difference of style
in spite of the similarities.
If there be any connection between these two works as regards the type or subject repre-
sented, is it not more rational, in view of the general state of sculpture in that period, to
which we have referred above, to assume a Polycleitan influence in Athens, rather than
a dependence of Argive sculpture upon Attica ? And does not this become still more
pressing in this definite case, when we find that world-famous works by Polycleitus were
two Canephorae holding a sacred vessel on their heads " according to Attic custom " ?
Fig. 85. — Head of one of the Kokai
from the Erechtheum.
1G7
beso«'ler
Eleusinian relief might be instructive and profitable. But in modeling- there is no analogy
to the hair of our Argive head.
3. The outline of the receding, more wavy forehead in the Brauronian head, with its
straight line about the braid, differs essentially from the simple circular sweep of forehead
in the Hera.
4. And as for the " cut of the eyes, the formation of the eyelids, and the lacrimal
glands," they are distinctly different. The orb of the eye itself is flatter and more
almond-shaped in the Brauronian head. This is especially due to the different treatment
of the upper lid. In the Brauronian head the curve is very slight and flat, ^------~~- while
in ours it has a bold circular sweep /-'"""" ~~\-. This alters, not only the whole aspect
of the lid, but the whole expression of the eye and face, which becomes more dreamy in
the Brauronian head. The " Thranenkarunkel" is larger and more prominent in the
Argive head.
5. The " supremely sweet" mouth, besides being closed in the Brauronian head, is
much smaller, the projecting upper lip having more of an arch-like curve; while the
lower lip has not the characteristic narrowly defined thickening which is so notable a
feature in all these Argive heads.
The one point of similarity between the two heads is the "braid," which runs from
the forehead to the back of the Brauronian head, and is not continued behind the band
in ours. No doubt it was this vague and trifling similarity of one detail which led
Professor Furtwangler to make what I must call
superficial observation and to draw such a hasty
conclusion. The analogy in this arrangement of
the hair is much closer between our head and the
maiden from the Erechtheum; and no doubt this
obvious similarity again has led others to observe
an Attic character in the Argive head. But
though this peculiar arrangement of the hair is
the same, the Caryatid, with the long curls on
either side, shows a more mechanical and wooden
treatment in this central braid, coming straight
to the forehead, while in ours the waves of hair
part symmetrically and yet organically beneath and
beside it. It looks almost as if the sculptor of
the Caryatid (Fig. 85) had not fully understood
the natural arrangement as given in our head.
In spite of the similarity of arrangement between
these heads, a glance at the rounded forms in
forehead and cheeks, the more fleshy treatment of the Attic work, compared with the
spare, sharply cut outline of our Argive work, will well illustrate the difference of style
in spite of the similarities.
If there be any connection between these two works as regards the type or subject repre-
sented, is it not more rational, in view of the general state of sculpture in that period, to
which we have referred above, to assume a Polycleitan influence in Athens, rather than
a dependence of Argive sculpture upon Attica ? And does not this become still more
pressing in this definite case, when we find that world-famous works by Polycleitus were
two Canephorae holding a sacred vessel on their heads " according to Attic custom " ?
Fig. 85. — Head of one of the Kokai
from the Erechtheum.