Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-03-02

mined doubtless after innumerable expe-
rlments by those supreme judges OF effect,
to relieve the rigidity of absolutely straight
lines and to produce the happiest impress
sion.
The line of the edge of the stylobate
curves upward two inches in the l0l feet:
The columns diminish from base to capital
not in straight, but in slightly curved lines.
These curves increased greatly the difficulty
| of construction, and must have been put
| there tor purpose.
Professor Torrey proceeded to describe the
sculptures. Upon the western pediment was
| represented the strife between Athene and
| Poseidon for the dominion of Attica, the
rivers Cephissus and Ilissus and the stream
| Callirhoe, appearing as divinities reclining
in the opposite angles On the eastern
| pediment the theme is the birthday OF
| Athene The horses of the sun-god are
| springing from the ocean in one angle,
| to represent sunrise. In the other the
steeds of Selene, the moon. are sinking In
| the West. In the centre colossal figure OF
Athene. now lost. was the point of unity.
Celestial messengers, Iris. the Rainbow,
and Nike, Victory, are fastening with the
news of her birth to other immortals, who
show their joy at the tidings by the raised
arm or lifted face, while others, as yet un-
conscious of the event, lying on the further
slopes, watch the rising sun or setting
moon. These forms are of beautiful sym
metry, of superhuman size, and finished to
the last detail, even on the side next the
wall of the pediment. which could not be
seen when they were in place. 1t was
maxim with Phidias and his workers, that
the gods are everywhere, and they wrought
accordingly. At the southern angle, next
to the horses of the sun. and in striking
contrast to their vehement rush, is the hg
ure of a youth, apparently just awaking-
q mighty frame which swells and ripples
with elastic strength, now recumbent, but
soon to rise as Theseus and found city,
or as Hercules and slay the Nemean lion.
Whether he represents Hercules, Theseus or
Dionysus, nobody can tell with certainty
but whatever his name, his form is the ac-
cepted type of manly beauty. A cast of |
this statue is in the PARK gallery. Next, |
are two beautiful sitting figures, draped. |
which have lost their beads and arms, 1.-THE |
result of the vandalism OF the Turks
who made these figures targets for their
riaes) supposed by some to represent |
Ceres and Proserpine. by Others. two
Hours. ln the opposite end is the
group commonly called the Fates, long
pies of the power of plastic art. represent
ing the majestic grace of ideal beauty, In
which Phidias and Michel Angelo were su-
preme In each the multitudinous lines OF
the drapery flow around the noble contour
and half conceal yet half reveal its stately
grace. In the reclining figure the art of
phidias touched the limit of exuberance.
which, in succeeding age. became excess.
These have been called "the last word of
art and the limit Of human genius" in
sculpture.
The Metopes represent the battles OF
Athene and the gods against the giants; the
contests of the Centaurs and Lspitha, and
of the Amazons and Greek and Trojan he
roes. Some Of them are well preserved, but
most have been deieced, probably by the
early Christians. who turned the Parthenon
into church. Fifteen of the best preserved
of the Metopes are in the British Museum,
among the Elgin marbles: and casts of the
two finest are in the Park gallery.
The wall OF the celia, or sanctuary, which
was in effect stone curtain to conceal from
profane eyes the sacred image within, bore
sll around its upper edge a border three
Ieet four inches high. sculptured in low
relief with q representation of the Pan
Athenaic procession-the Athens of the
period as Phidias saw it.
Ii is probable that the art of painting :
was called In to heighten the effect of these
sculptures. Wemust imagine the statues of
The pediments standing out against back
ground of blue like the Attic sky; the fig
Tres in the metopes brought out upon !
ground Of red, and the reliefs Of the temple |
wall defined like rich carvings on band Of
blue. But we may be sure that there was
nothing gaudy in this illumination, and
hat the tints were pure as natures own.
The great Phidian statue Of Athene, n
within, of gold and ivory, was the ideal t
ireek conception Of the mighty daughter g
f Zeus, AMI we cannot doubt that the u
majestic beauty Of the conception was wor-
by OF the costly materials in which it was
expressed. In connection with this part of
lis subject. the lecturer alluded to the @
cath Of Pbidiss in prison. where he was S
brown on q charge of sacrilege for having e
epresented his own face in one of the
cures on the shield of Athene and quot
fine passage from the poem by W. W.
tory, entitled "Phidias to Pericles," pub
shed last year. $
Such was the Par;henon-of perfect b
urity of material, and of faultless work
lanship. every sculptured line drawn as if
ne jealous divinities themselves were look Il
,g on. perfect in proportions. filled with ?
ODE forms
The fair humsnities Of old religion st
The power, the beauty and the majesty
That live no longer in the faith Of reason"
Let all that entered into the rich and Is
aried whole become fused into perfect di
lcture in the Imagination, and the involun- cl
ny exclamation will rise. as it did to the ''
ps of the Athenisns who saw it in its
ory: How beautiful is the Parthenon. ;, N
The lecture occupied an hour and forty in
inutes in delivery; but such was the lie
'suty of the language and the yividness of
'e descriptions. so thoroughly was the in W
rest sustained throughout, and 50 crowded 60 60
IS the whole with information, that it fri
I'D the audience intent to the end. and
e long breath drawn at the close, was of sa
Taxation from almost breathless pleasure ,.
Their than of WEAKNESS. The lecture la
ibodied an immense amount Of study. 1t ca
Is in fact a lesson in architecture. an 70
.aY on sculpture, chapter Of Greek life
Its proudest, and graphic picture of Is
Parthenon IN its perfection, all COM an n
ned. rs
The next lecture will be given in two
eks by Prof. Il. A. Rice, on the athlete
'tues in Greek art.