The Old Roman World : the Grandeur and Failure of Its Civilization.Lord, John
History
The Old Roman World : the Grandeur and Failure of Its Civilization.
Lord, John
Rome -- Civilization
cities which the Roman emperors wished to remove, so much admired were
they even in the days of the greatest splendor. The ancient Etruscan
vases are famous for designs which have never been exceeded in purity of
form, but it is probable that these were copied from the Greeks.
[Sidenote: Cimon of Cleona.]
But whether the Greeks or the Etruscans were the first to paint, the art
was certainly carried to the greatest perfection among the former. The
development of it was, like all arts, very gradual. It probably
commenced by drawing the outline of a shadow, without intermediate
markings; the next step was the complete outline with the inner
markings, such as are represented on the ancient vases, or like the
designs of Flaxman. They were originally practiced on a white ground.
Then light and shade were introduced, and then the application of colors
in accordance with Nature. We read of a great painting by Bularchus, of
the battle of Magnete, purchased by a king of Lydia seven hundred and
eighteen years before Christ. And as the subject was a battle, it must
have represented the movement of figures, although we know nothing of
the coloring, or of the real excellence of the work, except that the
artist was paid munificently. Cimon of Cleona is the first great name
connected with the art in Greece, and is praised by Pliny, to whom we
owe the history of ancient painting more than to any other author. He
was contemporary with Dionysius in the eightieth Olympiad. He was not
satisfied with drawing simply the outlines of his figures, such as we
see in the oldest painted vases, but he also represented limbs, and
folds of garments. He invented the art of foreshortening, or the various
positions of figures, as they appear when looking upward or downward and
sideways, and hence is the first painter of perspective. He first made
muscular articulations, indicated the veins, and gave natural folds to
drapery. [Footnote: Pliny, xxxv. 34.]
[Sidenote: Greatness of Polygnotus and his school.]
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