DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1755#0097
64
COINAGE OF ATHENS.
latter being easily distinguishable by their peculiar costume. In front of this
little temple, which faced the great ascent to the Propylsea, was a series of
sculptures larger and in higher relief. Of these a specimen is given in a
Victory tying her sandal, in Plate IX., Fig. 138, and, on a smaller scale, two
Victories leading a bull, as delineated in the same Plate, Fig. 141. The rich
and admirably-arranged draperies of these figures, combined with elegant
female forms, may suffice to associate them with the peculiarities which charac-
terize the productions of Scopas;—at least they fairly serve to illustrate his style,
as it has been handed down to us by verbal description. The beautiful figure
of a Bacchante in bas-relief, from the Towneley Collection in the British
Museum (Plate IX., Fig. 140), is generally referred to the same artist. The
stately Caryatis (Plate IX, Fig. 139), from the temple of Pandrosos at Athens,
is another specimen of exquisite finish, with every combination of female
grace, combined with fitness for architectural purposes. It nearly resembles
some of the females on the eastern frieze of the Parthenon, especially in the
fluted character of the dress, which covers her feet. About this period the head
of Minerva was altered on the
coins of Athens. The old type
gave way to the irresistible
grandeur of the Phidian concep-
tion (Fig. 13G), and a blooming
countenance, covered by a hel-
met lichly adorned with sculp-
tured representations of griffins
and prancing horses, took the place of the grim Gorgon's head, to which
the Athenians, in spite of their refined taste, had clung with superstitious
veneration, and which remained in use as long as any freedom remained to
Athens. The owl, standing on a vase, surrounded by a magistrate's name
within an olive wreath, continued to be the type of the reverse. Among
others practising the art of sculpture in this age was the great Socrates,
the son of Sophroniscus,—himself a statuary. Pausanias saw, at the entrance
to the Athenian Acropolis, a group of
Graces clothed, which was executed by the
Philosopher. Three small figures on the
reverse of a coin represent the Graces,
who are draped ; and there is every
reason to believe that, until the age of
Praxiteles, both Venus and the Graces
were represented clothed. A celebrated
piece of sculpture in the early style, containing figures of the twelve Gods,
Pig. 136.—Coin or Athehs.
^53
COINAGE OF ATHENS.
latter being easily distinguishable by their peculiar costume. In front of this
little temple, which faced the great ascent to the Propylsea, was a series of
sculptures larger and in higher relief. Of these a specimen is given in a
Victory tying her sandal, in Plate IX., Fig. 138, and, on a smaller scale, two
Victories leading a bull, as delineated in the same Plate, Fig. 141. The rich
and admirably-arranged draperies of these figures, combined with elegant
female forms, may suffice to associate them with the peculiarities which charac-
terize the productions of Scopas;—at least they fairly serve to illustrate his style,
as it has been handed down to us by verbal description. The beautiful figure
of a Bacchante in bas-relief, from the Towneley Collection in the British
Museum (Plate IX., Fig. 140), is generally referred to the same artist. The
stately Caryatis (Plate IX, Fig. 139), from the temple of Pandrosos at Athens,
is another specimen of exquisite finish, with every combination of female
grace, combined with fitness for architectural purposes. It nearly resembles
some of the females on the eastern frieze of the Parthenon, especially in the
fluted character of the dress, which covers her feet. About this period the head
of Minerva was altered on the
coins of Athens. The old type
gave way to the irresistible
grandeur of the Phidian concep-
tion (Fig. 13G), and a blooming
countenance, covered by a hel-
met lichly adorned with sculp-
tured representations of griffins
and prancing horses, took the place of the grim Gorgon's head, to which
the Athenians, in spite of their refined taste, had clung with superstitious
veneration, and which remained in use as long as any freedom remained to
Athens. The owl, standing on a vase, surrounded by a magistrate's name
within an olive wreath, continued to be the type of the reverse. Among
others practising the art of sculpture in this age was the great Socrates,
the son of Sophroniscus,—himself a statuary. Pausanias saw, at the entrance
to the Athenian Acropolis, a group of
Graces clothed, which was executed by the
Philosopher. Three small figures on the
reverse of a coin represent the Graces,
who are draped ; and there is every
reason to believe that, until the age of
Praxiteles, both Venus and the Graces
were represented clothed. A celebrated
piece of sculpture in the early style, containing figures of the twelve Gods,
Pig. 136.—Coin or Athehs.
^53