The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-07-16
FINE ARTS.
THE SECOND cEsNoLA COLLECTION RoNzEs,
sTATUARY AND BELIEFs

which mas now been unlocked in the new building or
the Metropolitan Museum of Art at the Central Park
for the first time since its arrival in this country
consists of the articles of bronze found the Treas
ure Room ut Curium. and in the different temples
and tombs at that place. The few specimens which
were exhibited in case in the Gold Room at the old
building in Fourteenth street. formed but q small
part Of the collection Of bronzes found at Curum.
The objects Of this material recently taken out of
the packing cases are ststuettes. sceptres candea
bra, tripods pateras. mirrors. bits armlets locks
keys. fbulas. &c. Some few Of the bronze and
other objects which We describe were mentioned
and illustrated in the discoveries work on
Cyprus. All will be seen by the public for
the first time when the opens in the fall or
winter. The great majority of the bronzes written
of below are from the Treasure Room. When such
is not the case the other locality is given
curious little statuette is of Harpocratis the God
dess of Silence. She is seated holds finger her
lips and towering head ornament of feathers
of the same kind. but different from the crown of
Upper and Lower Egypt.
Slim and not handsomely proportioned is the
naked figure which represents Mylitta. the AS
syrian Venus. Her head is surmounted by the
long cone. The figure is six inches in height with
out and eight and quarter inches with the cone.
1t is o fine piece. valuable and magnificent little
specimen of archaic Greek art is the much more
lonian goddess Ishtar." General di Cesnola thinks
with reason. that this the handle to mirror.
On the shoulders the broken off legs of lions,
figures Of which probably helped to strengthen the
handle by extending from the shoulders of the god
dess to short distance either side up the edge Of
the mirror Ishtar, who is nude. with the exception
of bandalier hanging from the right shoulder.
resting tho lett side, and hung with anulets
y collet around her neck, from which hangs pom
dant pAaiius, holds in her hands. as il about to
strike them together, pair OF small timbals, and
stands on huge frog. which in turn crouches on
low stool. The goddess has curly hair, and wears
her head sort of casQue. The total height of the
piece nine inches. 1t is much like bronze of the
same goddess now in the British Museum. beau
tful and purely. Greek statuette of an athlete is
Ave inches in height, was found in the Temple OF
Apollo Hylates and is described by General di Ces-
nola in his book very fine little group about
three inches in height is of the Goddess Isis holding
the infant Osiris on her lap. grown Osiris is the
subject of another figure. Several other little stat
uettes of Minerva, Cupid. &c. One is an Egyp-
tan divinity. curious and finely modelled little
piece is cupid riding on dolphin. There is
mace head. which was probably used for sacrifc al
purposes and i've OF the sceptres such as were used
by the priests and judges Other objects
spatula. fine little dagger for the hair horse bit.
handles of vases with rams heads 1T the ends
and . lotus flower in the centre
An excellenty preserved little lock and key is
orihces into which the corresponding teeth Of the
key 1T even now very closely The handle is formed
Of q ring and bar. like the Egyptian CRUZ ansata.
There several keys Of various shapes and in tho
form of rings; the key part being where tho seal
usually placed. The most interesting and beautiful
Of . number OF specular mirrors from various
temples is from the Treasure Room. 1t is decorated
with concentrc circles, like those the terra
Gotta vases. has and the handle fixed to it
by two heads Of bulls That the women had small
feet ia shown by delicate little bronze sandal
Der Of candelabra fitted into long poles of wood
of which portions remain in the sockets of the
shanks which arc in the form OF Egyptian columns.
with the earliest form Of capitals. These columns
leaves. placed above the other. around the
tination Of the column above which spring three
bars arching outward and joined where they bend
over by q circular band on which the lamp was
placed or these latter there several specimens
fine tripod about fourteen inches in height and
columns OF the Ionic order and on the outside of the
circular part an ornamentation OF embossed lions
number Of well modelled pieces. which formed
part Of State chair throne. such as
There are two lions paws which were the front
feet and two lower halves Of the hind legs Of
antelopes which formed the back ones. The other
pieces, which ornamented the seat and back,
four large and two small bulls heads in
work is of the best Greek period. Is that Of
two large and two small lion head spouts found in
the Temple Of Apollo Hylates couple OF table
are in the form OF miniature Egyptian temples One
OF the most curious objects is fantastic bird with
long cnrls and showing traces OF having had
pearl eyes. or number Of patera of various sizes
some have the patterns in the centre like those
while one with a plain bottom shows in the side
ornamentation traces of gilt. There also large
cadrons with covers some OF them two feet in
diameter. large three handled cullender and sew
eral bowls. small dish has a mould bottom. like
those now used to form tellies sacrihcial oil
bottle, about ten inches high of tho iecyhus shape
has spout about eight inches long, with square
cross section, and terminating in u lions head This
may have been used to pour oil victims to fill
lamps. There are many jugs of different shapes,
armlets and rings and fragment OF silver dagger
with ivory handle, into which the blade il last
ened by silver nails.
The sculptures numerous and worthy of much
study the sepuchral stones being especially inter-
aftsn aud xaIn Va I-..a
the more prominent pieces beginning with the fig
ures and groups OF life and heroic size. Venus
and cupid" will DO remembered having been
described in the discoveries book. There is q
crouching lion and curious piece fragment of
later one. large high relief. a sepulchral stone.
shows male and female. seated. hand in hand. and
is early archaic Greek. or later Greek workman
ship is u similar stone, on which there four
seated figures, one woman and three mon. Hands
are clasped on the laps OF the figures. the olsen
gagged ones being laid atfectionatey over the adj
joining shoulders. The lett hand man. next to
whom is the woman. holds in his left hand largo
potera. very early sepulchral stone is topped by
ball. statue OF Demetor tCeres) holding with her
right hand the veii, which covers the back of her
head ana with her left arm under the folds OF her
dress. is OF late epoch aud rudely executed.
Another large high relief of the figure
chair with fruit in her lap This General
di ccsnola thinks is very early detased Greek.
small archaic Greek relief shows woman and
reclining on couch. child standing by it and
attendant female banding wine aud fruit. An archi-
| OF low rellet IL very carly On it
there liz large head of Ahor. the Egyptian Venus.
surrounded by ornamentation OF lotus flowers aud
! leaves Another has head of Mcdusa, On small
high relief two men are seen seated q couch.
paying the other some money from n huge purse.
In the background are two female slaves One of the
most curious pieces is what us a small ele-
| phant. with a frame on his back supporting pack
ages ana three men.
OF the smaller pieces one of the most beautiful ia
sepuchral STEELE which still bears traces of deli
cate red colorng. aud In surmounted by two
sphinxes most admirably fashioned. Another liz a
relief showing woman writing scroll. There
u large number OF sa.uettes of various sizes of
which we note a man carrying a lamb across his
shoulders with very natural action. and number
Of crouching ngures OF worshippers of Venus hold
ing amulets There are belonging to this collection
three sarcophagi which have never been on exhibit
ton One OF them is that truly magnificent specimen
found at Amathus, which Is illustrated aud de-
sribed IN General di Cesnola's book. OF the large
amount OF terra Gotta ware which forms part OF the
second collection. and which was unpacke ell last
summer. some idea given I'm these col M M