Literature still remains. Pausanias, Pliny, Lucian, and others have enumerated and described the celebrated works of ancient painting, and indicated the chief characteristics of the great masters. In certain passages even the technique is mentioned and analysed. With the help of this literature we can, in a general way, trace the history of Greek painting, and it is chiefly from these records that such classic books have been written as Brunn’s _Geschichte der Künstler_ and Woltmann’s _Geschichte der Malerei_. For gaining a thorough knowledge of the data of the subject, the great value of these books is unquestionable. But there is no doubt that a history compiled from texts becomes excessively dry, even though illustrations are borrowed from Pompeii and Herculaneum. What impression would any one who had never seen a painting by Raphael or Michelangelo receive by merely reading about them? Furthermore, many ancient authors, far from being accurate or full in their information, are hopelessly brief; often the subject of a painting and the name of its author are mentioned in but three words. Let us suppose that two thousand years hence our descendants should find a guide-book and read, “_The Sacred Grove of the Muses_, by Puvis de Chavannes.” What conclusions could they draw in regard to the composition of the painting or the talent of its author? Such is our position in regard to many works of antiquity. Even if, as is sometimes the case, the descriptions are full, as in a passage where Pausanias enumerates all the persons in the two frescoes of Polygnotos at Delphi, _The Visit to Hades_ and _The Capture of Troy_, the same darkness still exists as to the placing of the figures, their expression, their attitude, and the technique of the colouring. Thanks to the study devoted to painted vases, we are now able to get a better idea of and throw a little more light on the style and composition of Greek painting. M. Paul Girard’s book, _La Peinture Antique_ is an instance. Nearly all the illustrations in the chapters devoted to classic Greece are taken from the decoration of vases. To return to a comparison made above. One who knew nothing of Raphael’s work, but who had seen some _faïence_ of Urbino reproducing certain works of the time, would in every way be more capable than those who had not of understanding the master’s composition and his style. He would undoubtedly still lose many things. He never would realise the harmony of his colours or the loftiness and purity of his designs. This is, alas! what we must say, in comparing the painting of a Greek vase with the lost paintings of Polygnotos or Zeuxis. The reflection of a lost art is all that remains to us! [Illustration: Fig. 2. THE WORKSHOP OF A VASE PAINTER. Caputi Collection, Ruvo.]