Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-10-23

ing. with his right hand on his chin,
The second room on the left is rich in paintings,
the execution Of which has less merit. In the
centre ofthe walls which are adorned with ara
besques, we observed on the right, Mercury
much faded, who embraces female, perhaps
Herse, and bends over her; in the middle, rnry,
rus, with nimbus, leaping on the ram: oen'"u
him, Helle. On the left, Europa on the bull
1t is greatly TO be lamented that the ornaments
on the upper part of the wall are very mucn ID
maeed. andsthose or the right side entlrely ios''
since the remaining part happily preserved one
&c tho most remarkable friezes OF antiquity on
the middle and left sides With light but a,
HE nencil. a composition, perhaps celebrated
~ .n,;oui,y. is here repealed. Battles OF the
Amazons are represented, interrupted In the
middle of the narrow left side by cupid with
frn;t and on the border side, opposite to the
entrance. by the group of a goddess and a Gu
mid A female in long yellow tunic fastened
with a eirde and short sleeves, stands 20 the
left. leaning against plaster; she wears a da-
dem. and bears in her right hand branch,
which rests on the upper part of her left arm. -
The Cupid stands on round base on her left
hand. and holds in both hands circular sky
blue disk with double border, which has been
fancied to BE terrestrial globe, but rs more
probably mirror The Specification OF the
goddess is more obscure; some have taken her
for Fortuna, perhaps from the disk held by
the CUPID, and it might be added, that the Two
divinites are sometime found united, but her
only attribute, the branch, does not In any man
ner belong 10 Fortuna, and we have, therefore,
but the choice between the ash branch of Mem
sis, or the myrtle of Venus.
The different groups in the battle of the A
mazons are divided by trees. Between these
and pieces of rock there is, on the middle pic
ture, interrupted by the two diynities, an Anna
zon advancing with shield and a spear, to-
wards the detached group of a warrior, who,
if we may Judge by similar figure on the left
side, has seized the horse OF an Amazon, and,
mounted upon il, combats the woman who has
fallen; second warlior attacks her from the
other side. The representation OF the following
group occurs, for the first time, in this compo-
silion: it is that of an Amazon, in sky-blue
dress, with battle axe and circular shield rid
ing in car drawn by two horses, advancing
towardsa warrior who seems expecting her
After this come the group Of divnities before
described, and then, separated by tree,
mounted Amazon, with the shield slung over
her back Then, in another compartment,
fallen warrior: in the following Car driving
back, in which an Amazon, in reddish purple
dress and white turban, is drawing her bow a
gafhst warrior; there is tree between these
two figures, though they are evidently connect
ed. An Amazon on a falling horse closes this
row; the figures on the left side are less
common, but the composition is equally good,
To the left OF the Cupid, who scars in the cen
tire, there is an Amazon on horseback, combat
ting with warrior, and warrior who seizes
fallen heroine by the hair To the right, as
usual between trees lies single shield and far
Their on, Its unfortunate owner, and then a war
rior, from whom she perhaps received the fatal
blow. There is little variety either in the cos
tune of the figures, or the coluring. The dress
es of the warriors, as also of the timazons, are
mostly dark. with light reddish spots; the
ground of the whole is whtish, and the place
on which the figures stand is indiscated by
brown colour. Beside the usual pelta, there
are long Amazon shields, Followed out on the
narrow edge, not unlike the common form of
graves.
a room on the left hand near TO the Mosaic in
the entrance is rich in elegant decorations, which
authorize a conjecture that it was lady's a
Among the beautiful arabesques on
the walls, we distinguish on each hand, two Sc
pdTdlCu )lNtulCS, WIKI hoo'S Va ooNSnuo oIu |
Juno, and Mercury and Venus. There is a
panther with the tyrsus, peacock and scep-
tire, a dove with bow OF riband in It's bill,
near it ring, and cock with caduceus.
Even the external walls Of the above men,
toned passage are not destitute of pictorial
ornaments Numerous singular architectural I
decorations are distributed on both sides: over
them is Scila. Above this, on the left, is
Victoria with palm branch, and next her, Gu
pid with Tyre. To the right, the doubtful re-
presentation Of a youth reading, decorated by
an Indifferent artist. He sits on the right hand
of two apparently heroic figures, who are seat
ed above him; half yelled female, who rests,
on her left arm, and on her left,
half clothed youth, with his arm extended to-
wards the reader: there is sword lying al his
feet. This composition has induced some per-
sons to see in it an allusion to the letter by
which Iphigenia, in Euripides, receives inlelll-
genee of the fate Of Orestes; an explanation
well suited to other "reminiscences on heroic
histories connected with it in the same house,
but which affords no key to the meaning OF the
sword at the feet of the youth seated next to
lphigenia, nor of the half concealed tgnres
standing in raised situation, as upon stage.
There are, on the left, woman with a metallic
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