The New York herald., 1878-11-28
FINE ARTS.

GENERAL DI CEsNoLAs CONCLUDING LECTURE
ON "cYPRUs ITS ANCIENT ART AND HIS
TORY
On account of the bad weather there was small
audience assembled last evening at Chickerng Hall
to listen to the fourth and concluding lecture of the
course by General Iii Cesnols Cyprus Its An
cient Art and History" On the platform with the
lecturer Baron Blanc. the Italian Minister anu
John Taylor Johnston the president Of the Metro
politan Museum Of Art
General Cesnola opened by stating that amid con-
slant wars with victory now on one side and now
the other, there three turning points in the an
cient history Of Cyprus-the first during the great
Persian wars, when the. Greeks took the part Of
Cyprus; the second when Alexander included Cyprus
in his Macedonian Kingdom, and the third when the
Romans annexed the island. The first had been
spoken of and the second was uninteresting In the
third, when the last king OF the Ptoemac dynasty be-
quehed the island to the Romans Cato was the officer
chosen by the Senate to proceed there, where lie
found much treasure, the result OF the sale of
which-about S10Oo,0oo, then great sum-was paid
into the Roman Treasury The first Governor OF
Cyprus, when it made Roman colony, 55 b. c.
was Lentelus, friend Of Cicero. who succeeded
by the latter. always q warm friend of the island
Governor General of Cecilia and Administrator OF
Cyprus During the time Of peace under the Romans
little was known OF the island. After the Romans
the Byzantnes of whose rule little is also heard
Curiously, during the lecturers exhaustive ex-
cavatons the island yielded little architectural
remains A Stee anu the l1Q or SarcOph3tfuS Illus
tratcd in the programme were then described, and
account given of how the treasures at Curium
were discovered, which probably formed part of tho
treasure of an ancient temple Several OF the objects
found there described in detail. The dates of
these il difficult to describe. The de-
signs OF heads OF lons snakes and gry phons
on these ornaments we're charms to ward off
evil, and used long after the original idea
forgotten just as we now employ lions heads as
water spouts, they formerly having been sup
posed away animals from the water The head
Of Medusa often used on jcwelry to charm away
evil Jewery appears to have been worn in all and
false jewclry was used in olden times now. Per-
sonal ornaments seem 10 have been mark OF honor
the signet rings OF Roman ambassadors
Earrings when worn by women. were signs
OF captivity, bracelets and anklets and
the wedding ring lis now. The meaning OF the
necklace more like that of wreath, aud they
were originally made Of leaves and flowers. whence
many or the early designs. The majority OF the gold
ornaments found at Curium pointed to a date Of
from yU0 to coo before Christ. The oldest of the ir
descent glass vessels in the Museum of Art date
about $50 to 800 b. q. The brilliancy of color
from the decomposition of the glass through damp
mesa where akalis aud acids prevailed In the soil.
At the close Of his discourse the lecturer said few
worship OF Venus, which the PhTnicians introduced
at u remote period erecting many temples. The
Greeks who came later and not the ph1ni,iaiIs
responsible for the lascivious rites Under the
latter the goddess worshipped ~ the
pure Venus the moon goddess, and under
the former also Venus Pandemos, properly
symbolized by pg. the protcctress OF
ali sorts of immoralties. These could hardly bo
ce.ved to b. associated with auy form of religion but
the orgies OF Venus Pandemos. OF cyprus. The
Greeks. then in Cyprus. turned the worship of the
Of Cypran stand for d synonym for debauch-
cry and impurity. General Ccsnola hoped in
conclusion that he had Awakened he
certainly has. more intelligent interest in the
Cypriote art collections ut the Metropolitan Museum
and that people WILL as the late Mr. Bryant had said
to him. fee grateful to those few far sighted
and generous New Yoriers who. with their private
means. have endowed this metropolis with such art
treasures as win forever form the envy Of the civ
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