New-York tribune., 1878-11-22


some chopped off the hands ana feet; OF others the
noses and ears cut of; Of many soldiers DESTROYED
OF heads reared up the heights Of their tow Their
BOYS and the'r maidens dshSnored tne Guy over
the ancient sanscrit literature no doubt containing
vast deal Of poetic thought but R IRON n h9 .ca e tSa ft II
abOunds in Oriental fancy rather than IN calm sense
and judcious expressions.
IL was an oriental fancy Of the Persians TO conduer
Greece and doubtless they felt that they were wen on
prus. with PbeDcis and Palestine. was reduced TO
Persian province in spite Of the treaty made by Cau
byses which left the island free except for the annual
tribute which 1t engaged to pay. For the designs OF
Darius an island so rich in material Tor shpDnldlng
and with inhabitants so skilled in the management
OF SHIPS real necessity Its position close 10 tue
he does TO have thought II worth while TO
cOnciate the people, but. on the contrary permitted 1eT
dscoten very similar to that Of the ionan Greeks
the neghbOrng coast OF Asia Minor. Had the Kings OF
Cyprus shown this dls OnteDt matters might nave b ell
better managed Persian connection, however, @ up-
have suited their tastes, and hence more com
plcatiOns certain portions OF the population declaring
ior Greece while Others following the Kings, adhered
TO Persia. 80,
speak, 500 Be- greatly disturbed 10y internal DIS
sensIOs and engaged IN foreign wars yetwe nd curl
sculpture, progressing more steadily than ever be-
fore, and that the very finest examples Of Archaic
by me III Cyprus and belong TO TINS period.
HISTORY AND ART on sARCOPHAGUs.
Thus for instance, there is sarcophagus which
brought to light my explorations at Golgos in 1873
The story OF the finding OF this splendid monument OF
early Greek art is rather curious. had spent the
Spring and Summer of 1873 here in New-fork on
leave OF absence granted by the Secretary OF
State. During my absence from Cyprus new Governor
General had been appointed, who was most fanatic
Turk of the old school, He had been told, and firmly be-
heved, that had found at Golgos an immense treasure
gold cOins gold swords gold muskets and gold
revolvers. filing many Boxes which took TO America.
and Thank God" no said, II would return TO
Cyprus" Acting this conviction he went to GOgos,
and began to dig in field which belonged to me, adopt
ing usual cheap Turkish method Of compelling the
peasants to work for nothing. The Pacha was in the
hope of finding of that gold treasure which the
American Consul had brought to America, but, to his
disgust nothing was exhumed except human bones and
stone collins From of these tOmbs the sarcOphagus
represented in cut No. found; the lid was ex-
acted intact but the other portion was broken through
the inexperence careessness Of the diggers The
Turkish Governor by this time had had enough OF his
digging He carried off the lid of the sarcOphdgus to
make trough, he said. for his horses, but
the broken portion he left in the tomb. which
was refed by his order with the excavGted earth.
According TO diplomatic etiquette the Governor had to
Cyprus. This cunning Turk knew very well that Il
complained against him he would IN all probability De
dismissed He lost no time, therefore, in sending me
the lid OF the sarcophagus adding the story that some
peasants had dug that old stone ont OF my property
without hrs permission, and that II sara so he would
imprsOn them all. No doubt he would have done So
The day alter he called upon me, and OF course
thanked him for having looked after my interests 50
well, and thus the matter ended
serve rt of all that the Subjects represented on it
taken partly from legend and partly from real life on
one OF the ends chariot containing two pefsOns
and that presume Is scene from real life, introduced
probably to indicate the military rank ana position o
Gorgon Medusa and the legendary hero Perseus, who
in his wallet, is now in the act OF escaping II
Is true that he does not appear to be
represeGraons he gendraiy appears to be running wh
great speed Aud no wonder, since accor ing 10 the
story ne was pursued by the winged and terrible sisters
OF Medusa, who, Ike herself, had no less IMAM -FOUR
wings to indicate their very great swtness & Pelsens
dOn, loan of wings for his feetthe samewlngs which
you see to the feet OF the god Hermes Mer
CuriOusy enough these wings are not rendered on
this sculpture. and indeed they would not have been
consistent with the lesurely face OF the hero what
purpose the artist may have had in making Perseus
move away IN tuis slow manner we DO not know Nor
looking after him. Clearly Perseus ~ In no danger OF
pursuit. or be would not carry the wallet containing TIE
carelessly staf over his shoulders. IA you are
aware il necessary him cover up the head OF
effect OF turning the spectator INTO stone when he-
6ss pecE 5e winged horse Pegasus and the
legendary hero ChrysaOr and on this sarcophagus both
Variety Of ways in Which this special subject was
in angy s appear; TO BE gRgGe sew
Pessgus and Chrysaor IN the act OF sprngng Into exist
ence The hands of Medusa seize them, as II dragging
them out OF her body. It's unusual TO hud Perseus
draped except in early art to which ths sarcophagu.
is the helmet OF Hades which had the power OF render
ing the invisible. aud he had obtained the loan
The fachion or bent knife in his right hand called the
harpe was le9t him by the goa Mercury ana you m may
assistance had not the adventure been iuil OF peril
thouVh the Creeks must have seen that the drapery
would very seriously interfere with her speed IL NAV
Wings She is kHeenng on one knee, but am NOT sure
whether that position merely meant 10 show that she
had received fatal wound or whether IL Is not rather
intended indicate that she s giving birth to Pegasus
and ChrysaoF on ono OF the long sides OF
on each side of which Is figure reclining III the manner
usual at Greek 6anguets with TINS mpor5ant aierenee
women TO be present these occasions is true that
the women hired musicians, apparently and not
members of the same JusehOd the sun. in
spite Of that the whole scene has more OF ALI EubcaD
than Greek character
| CHARACTERISTICS OF EARLY GREEK ART.
AsI have said this is characteristic OF all decorative
art though no doubt, such splendid designs the
ParhenOn frieze IL subtle and varied AS TO be felt
rather than recognized. In early Greek art as this
sarcOphags IL Is easily recognizable generally though,
it may always take precisely the same geOmetric
form This sarcophagus is OF pure Archaic Greek style,
not later than 500 b. c. and probably half century
older This sarcophagus is Of the most important
examples OF early Greek baSref In existence, and
this opinion Of mine will be, hope, strengthened when
adequate photographs Of IL become known 10 archsolo
giss draperes are they should be- conventional
and formal. but with all the decacy OF the early style
The faces are of great beauty, though little
may tell you that competent authorities OF the British
Museum valued this sarcophagus at $4,000, and
| would be glad to obtain IL for that price at the
present time or other examples OF the manner OF pro-
ducing formal contrasts, which the early artists loved
so much may mention the groups OF two lions and
TWO sphynXes In the metropolitan Museum OF Ar,
in each OF which the figure IA nearly
reproduction OF the other (Cut 81 In the groups OF
lions only the outlines OF their bodies cOntrased
ia other respects part responds exactly
with the other These true characteristics OF early
Greek art which should never be lost sght Of because
they show how carefully and abOrously Greek art
advanced toward its grand elimination. Greek art did
not spring into existence like Minerva fully armed. but
was the product OF long, patient thought striving always
TO work definite problems. IL u therefore, said
matter Of surprise TO lind that CypriOte artists could