Reflections on the painting and sculpture of the Greeks : $b with instructions for the connoisseur, and an essay on grace in works of artWinckelmann, Johann Joachim
Philosophy
Reflections on the painting and sculpture of the Greeks : $b with instructions for the connoisseur, and an essay on grace in works of art
Winckelmann, Johann Joachim
Aesthetics -- Early works to 1800; Art -- Philosophy; Art, Greek
I shall myself submit to the publick some images: for rules instruct,
but examples still more. Friendship, I find every where pitifully
represented, and its emblems are not worth mentioning: their flying
scribbled labels shew us the depth of their inventors.
This noblest of human virtues I would paint in the figures of those
two immortal friends of heroic times, Theseus and Pirithous. The head
of the former is said to be on gems[273]: he likewise appears with the
club[274] won from Periphetes, a son of Vulcan, on a gem of Philemon.
Theseus consequently might be drawn with some resemblance. Friendship,
at the brink of danger, might be taken from the idea of an old picture
at Delphos, as described by Pausanias[275]. Theseus was painted in the
action of defending himself and his friend against the Thesprotians,
with his own sword in one hand, and another drawn from the side of his
friend, in the other. The beginning of their friendship, as described by
Plutarch[276], might also be an image of that idea. I am astonished not
to have met, among the emblems of the great men of the Barbarigo-family,
with an image of a good man and eternal friend. Such was Nicolas
Barbarigo, who contracted with Marco Trivisano a friendship worthy of
immortality;
_Monumentum ære perennius_:
a little rare treatise alone has preserved their memory[277].
A little hint of Plutarch’s might furnish an image of Ambition: he
mentions[278] the sacrifices of Honour, as being performed bareheaded,
whereas all other sacrifices, save only those of Saturn[279], were
offered with covered heads. This custom he believes to have taken its
rise from the usual salutation in society; though it may as well be _vice
versa_: perhaps it sprung from the Pelasgian rites[280], which were
performed bareheaded. Honour is likewise represented by a female figure,
crowned with laurels, a _Cornucopia_ and _Hasta_ in her hands[281].
Accompanied by Virtue, a male figure with a helmet, she is to be found on
a coin of Vitellius[282]: and the heads of both on those of Gordian and
Galien[283].
Prayers might be personified from an idea of Homer. Phœnix, the tutor
of Achilles, endeavouring to reconcile him to the Greeks, makes use of
an allegory. “Know Achilles, says he, that prayers are the daughters
of Zeus[284]; they are bent with kneeling; their faces sorrowful and
wrinkled, with eyes lifted up to heaven. They follow Ate; who, with a
bold and haughty mien marches on, and, light of foot as she is, runs over
all the world, to seize and torment mankind; for ever endeavouring to
escape the Prayers, who incessantly press upon her footsteps, in order
to heal those whom she hath hurt. Whoever honours these daughters of
Zeus, on their approach, may obtain much good from them; but meeting with
repulse, they pray their fire to punish by Ate the hard-hearted wretch.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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