Anecdotes of Painters, Engravers, Sculptors and Architects, and Curiosities of Art (Vol. 1 of 3)Spooner, Shearjashub
History
Anecdotes of Painters, Engravers, Sculptors and Architects, and Curiosities of Art (Vol. 1 of 3)
Spooner, Shearjashub
Art -- Anecdotes; Artists -- Anecdotes
The most famous of his works was the picture of Ialysus and his Dog,
which occupied him seven years. The dog, represented as panting and
foaming at the mouth, was greatly admired; and it is related that
Protogenes was for a long time unable to represent the foam in the
manner he wished, till at length he threw his sponge in a fury at the
mouth, and produced the very effect he desired! The fame of this
painting was so great, that, according to Pliny, Demetrius Poliorcetes,
when besieging Rhodes, did not assault that part of the city where
Protogenes lived, lest he should destroy the picture. His studio was
situated without the walls, where, to the astonishment of the besiegers,
he continued to paint with perfect tranquillity. This coming to the ears
of Demetrius, he ordered the artist to be brought to his tent, and
demanded how he could persist in the quiet exercise of his profession,
when surrounded by enemies? Protogenes replied that he did not consider
himself in any danger, convinced that a great prince like Demetrius did
not make war against the Arts, but against the Rhodians.
PARRHASIUS.
This great painter was a native of Ephesus, but became a citizen of
Athens, where he flourished about B. C. 390. He raised the art to a much
higher degree of perfection than it had before attained. Comparing his
three great predecessors with each other, he rejected their errors, and
adopted their excellencies. The classic invention of Polygnotus, the
magic tones of Apollodorus, and the exquisite design of Zeuxis, are said
to have been united in the works of Parrhasius. He reduced to theory the
practice of former artists, and all cotemporary and subsequent painters
adopted his standard of heroic and divine proportions; hence he was
called the _Legislator of Painting_.
THE DEMOS AND OTHER WORKS OF PARRHASIUS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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