DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2533#0088
52
THE TERRA-COTTA RELIEFS
is the same: two winged figures moving rapidly to the left in the usual " knielauf-
schema." : What the objects are they hold in their hands cannot be determined with
certainty; that in the right hand is paralleled by a similar object in the hands of the
figures on the terra-cotta reliefs from Sicily" of later style. Kekule, however, refrains
from defining these objects. That in the left hand resembles an axe. To identify these
figures as gorgons seems inqwssible, and we must be content merely to term them winged
daemons. They are similar in style to the reliefs from Olympia/' which contain figures
called by Furtwangler " Daimons," retracting the view he had previously expressed in
Roscher's Lexicon.* It is impossible to tell whether tbe figures are male or female,
though the latter seems more probable considering their similarity to the figures on the
relief previously cited, which are certainly female. It may be here noticed that these
figures bear a strong resemblance to the " Nike of Archermus," but with the same differ-
ence that we shall plainly see when we compare them with gorgons. Such monsters,
while generally represented in the " knielauf-schema," ' have always the body in profile
and head en face, and in the case of our figures both head and body are represented in
profile. Moreover, our figures are not holding the usual bird or animal. Only one relief
in terra-cotta of similar technique, though of different subject, is known to us; G it repre-
sents the Persian Artemis in profile, holding a bird in each hand. The incuse circles
are precisely similar to our reliefs, and a rosette there is similar to those on No. 8.
Though little connection may be assumed between the Persian Artemis and our daemons,
we see that the same Oriental influence was at work at the time of their manufacture.
No. 5. — What the subject of No. 5 represents is extremely doubtful, and several inter-
pretations are open to us. It might be a boxing match, if such be the correct identifica-
tion of the two Olympia reliefs ( Olympia, IV. pis. 39, 703, 704 a ; cf. also Furtwangler,
BroJizefunde, p. 91), or the similar group on the Geometric vase of Copenhagen.7 A
certain similarity may be detected if we compare our relief with a group on the well-
known Tripod vase from Tanagra in Berlin/ Save that no traces of a wreath can be
discovered, the scene on our relief further resembles one of the Ptoan reliefs already
cited (B. C. II 1892, pi. xi. 3 ; No. 45 in De Bidder, op. cit.). Again, were it not for
the lack of the tripod, a connection might be assumed with the scene on the mould in
the Ashmolean Museum we have already referred to. Perhaps Ave might recognize in
it the aKpo^etpio-yao? or the preliminaries of the wrestling match. Instances of this have
been identified in several monuments.9 Or perhaps the action of our relief may be only
a salutation. More than this Ave cannot say.
In style there is a closer analogy between this relief and bronze relief Avork than is the
case Avith Nos. 2, 3, and 4. The treatment of the figures is precisely identical with that
of the aboATe-mentioned Ptoan relief, both in the hair and in the build of the bodies.
The profiles, too, are similar. Thus the question of dating our plaques becomes much
1 Cwrtius, 'Die Knieenden Figuren der Altgriechischen
Kunst,' Winckelmanns Prograimn, 1870 (Gesam. Abhand.
II. pp.HGff.).
2 Kekule-, Terracotten von Sicilien, pi. lv.
8 Olympia, IV. pis. 39, 699 a, p. 102, No. 1.
4 Ibid. I. p. 1709, s. v. G-orgonen.
0 Milchhofer, op. cit. p. 86, fig. 56.
c Lenormant, Arch. Zeit. 1866, p. 258, pi. A.
' Furtwangler, Arch. Zeit. 1885, p. 137, pi. viii.
6 Loeschcke, Arch. Zeit. 1881, pi. iii.
9 Waldstein, in Proceedings of the Cambridge Philological
Society, 1882, p. 2, where, in connection with Arist. Eth.
Nic. III. 1. 17, p. 1111 (Bekk.), the following illustrations
are mentioned : A vase in the possession of the late Cainille
Lecuyer at Paris, a relief in Clarac, Musee de Sc. II. pi.
184, No. 55 ; Krause, Gymnast, und Agonistik, II. pi. x.
29. Cf. also Vase Catal. Brit. Mus. III. E. 78, as well as
Gerhard, Ant. Bildw. pi. 89, also Baumeister, Denkmaler,
I. p. 502, fig. 544. I have recognized another represen-
tation of such a scene in a vase in the Museum of Fine
Arts, Boston, which 1 hope soon to publish.
THE TERRA-COTTA RELIEFS
is the same: two winged figures moving rapidly to the left in the usual " knielauf-
schema." : What the objects are they hold in their hands cannot be determined with
certainty; that in the right hand is paralleled by a similar object in the hands of the
figures on the terra-cotta reliefs from Sicily" of later style. Kekule, however, refrains
from defining these objects. That in the left hand resembles an axe. To identify these
figures as gorgons seems inqwssible, and we must be content merely to term them winged
daemons. They are similar in style to the reliefs from Olympia/' which contain figures
called by Furtwangler " Daimons," retracting the view he had previously expressed in
Roscher's Lexicon.* It is impossible to tell whether tbe figures are male or female,
though the latter seems more probable considering their similarity to the figures on the
relief previously cited, which are certainly female. It may be here noticed that these
figures bear a strong resemblance to the " Nike of Archermus," but with the same differ-
ence that we shall plainly see when we compare them with gorgons. Such monsters,
while generally represented in the " knielauf-schema," ' have always the body in profile
and head en face, and in the case of our figures both head and body are represented in
profile. Moreover, our figures are not holding the usual bird or animal. Only one relief
in terra-cotta of similar technique, though of different subject, is known to us; G it repre-
sents the Persian Artemis in profile, holding a bird in each hand. The incuse circles
are precisely similar to our reliefs, and a rosette there is similar to those on No. 8.
Though little connection may be assumed between the Persian Artemis and our daemons,
we see that the same Oriental influence was at work at the time of their manufacture.
No. 5. — What the subject of No. 5 represents is extremely doubtful, and several inter-
pretations are open to us. It might be a boxing match, if such be the correct identifica-
tion of the two Olympia reliefs ( Olympia, IV. pis. 39, 703, 704 a ; cf. also Furtwangler,
BroJizefunde, p. 91), or the similar group on the Geometric vase of Copenhagen.7 A
certain similarity may be detected if we compare our relief with a group on the well-
known Tripod vase from Tanagra in Berlin/ Save that no traces of a wreath can be
discovered, the scene on our relief further resembles one of the Ptoan reliefs already
cited (B. C. II 1892, pi. xi. 3 ; No. 45 in De Bidder, op. cit.). Again, were it not for
the lack of the tripod, a connection might be assumed with the scene on the mould in
the Ashmolean Museum we have already referred to. Perhaps Ave might recognize in
it the aKpo^etpio-yao? or the preliminaries of the wrestling match. Instances of this have
been identified in several monuments.9 Or perhaps the action of our relief may be only
a salutation. More than this Ave cannot say.
In style there is a closer analogy between this relief and bronze relief Avork than is the
case Avith Nos. 2, 3, and 4. The treatment of the figures is precisely identical with that
of the aboATe-mentioned Ptoan relief, both in the hair and in the build of the bodies.
The profiles, too, are similar. Thus the question of dating our plaques becomes much
1 Cwrtius, 'Die Knieenden Figuren der Altgriechischen
Kunst,' Winckelmanns Prograimn, 1870 (Gesam. Abhand.
II. pp.HGff.).
2 Kekule-, Terracotten von Sicilien, pi. lv.
8 Olympia, IV. pis. 39, 699 a, p. 102, No. 1.
4 Ibid. I. p. 1709, s. v. G-orgonen.
0 Milchhofer, op. cit. p. 86, fig. 56.
c Lenormant, Arch. Zeit. 1866, p. 258, pi. A.
' Furtwangler, Arch. Zeit. 1885, p. 137, pi. viii.
6 Loeschcke, Arch. Zeit. 1881, pi. iii.
9 Waldstein, in Proceedings of the Cambridge Philological
Society, 1882, p. 2, where, in connection with Arist. Eth.
Nic. III. 1. 17, p. 1111 (Bekk.), the following illustrations
are mentioned : A vase in the possession of the late Cainille
Lecuyer at Paris, a relief in Clarac, Musee de Sc. II. pi.
184, No. 55 ; Krause, Gymnast, und Agonistik, II. pi. x.
29. Cf. also Vase Catal. Brit. Mus. III. E. 78, as well as
Gerhard, Ant. Bildw. pi. 89, also Baumeister, Denkmaler,
I. p. 502, fig. 544. I have recognized another represen-
tation of such a scene in a vase in the Museum of Fine
Arts, Boston, which 1 hope soon to publish.