Ancient Unedited Monuments I Series

Author : James Millingen
Publisher : Rarebooksclub.com
ISBN 13 : 9781230094434
Total Pages : 42 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (944 download)

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Download or read book Ancient Unedited Monuments. I. Series; Painted Greek Vases, from Collections in Various Countries Principally in Great Britain written by James Millingen and published by Rarebooksclub.com. This book was released on 2013-09 with total page 42 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1822 edition. Excerpt: ...in the'first stages of art, when by a simple and natural allegory, noxious and odious moral qualities were expressed by physical deformity. But as the arts advanced, and taste became more refined, Greek artists, who considered beauty as their principal object, rejected all such monstruous representations, and substituted graceful forms in their stead. The terrible attributes of the Furies and Gorgons were indicated either by serpents in their hair, disposed in such a manner as to become ornamental; or by torches and serpents in their hands, or some emblem of the kind. In consequence of this principle, the Harpies in the composition before us, appear simply as females 'with wings. Their violent attitude alone is characteristic of their properties. A When the arts were on the decline, a third manner of figuring the Harpies was introduced, and they were represented as birds of prey with the head and arms, and probably, the body of a woman; as they are described by Virgil and the Roman poets ( 12). Hitherto, however, no monument of this sort has been discovered (13), except a painting of the 4th. or 5th century. In the early theogonies ( 14), the Harpies are supposed to be the daughters of Thaumas and Electra, and the sisters of Iris. They were originally only two in number, Aello and Ocypete; afterwards a third, named Celaeno was added. Mention is also sometimes made of one called Podarge; but this name given to a Harpy, is, without doubt, an error of the commentators on Homer, arising from their not having properly understood the expressions Apnzuuz. l08oipy1, which the poet uses in speaking of the mother or dam of Balius and Xanthus, the horses of Achilles ( 15). The word Apwuim in this passage, is' merelyan epithet ( 16)...