The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-01-07

HsSsv's History Or Ass,sas Az.


been published by the Harpers. will supply .
want long felt by the student for II presents, In
q lucid and compendous form. the results OF
tho long process OF research and criticism
which has been prosecuted with 80 much ardor
aud success since tho day OF W inck elmann moro
than q century ago. The nsticuous merit OF
tho troatise ID tho skill with which tho historic
method Is applied to the study OF the fine
arts-by which. In other words. tho author
discoses the origin and the successive
steps In the progress Of artistic express
sion. a. we'll as the relations Of the several
arts to tho different races that have practised
them. 1t ls also notceably free from the intru-
sion Of metaphysics In the guise OF proiessed
science Of aesthetics. On the whole. no one who
desires to study the fine arts from tho purely
historical point OF view. with reference to the
light they throw not only on sentiments and
emotions. but upon institutions. will fail to
profit greatly by this summary Of information
relating to the subject. 1t 10 true that the book
was originally published in 1871. and that some
corrections and additions were required to
bring the work up to the level attained by dis
covery and criticism since that time. This
work OF revision has been jointly performed BY
the author and the translator. the latter. Mr..
JOSEPH THATCHER CLARKE. bringing to the task
resources OF his own, the fruit OF original study
and investigation.
The scope and quality Of this'treatiss can per-
haps best be indicated by directing attention to
the chapters treating OF Egyptian and Assyrlan
art, whose relation to the art Of Greece and
Rome was direct and generative In connec-
tlon with these branches OF his theme we OBJ
serve. first that while 1t Is indisputable that
the Oldest known monuments exist upon the
banks OF the Nile. DR.. Won Reber Ia inclined to
accept tho tradition which points to Chaldean
civilization AZ the more anciont. lie ACCOUNTS
for the absence Of equally old structures In
Mesopotamia by the fact that the perishRble
materials Of the buildings erected In the plains
OF the Euphrates and Ti4rs were not adapted
to insure long duration. Moreover. although
no ruins have been found In Chaldea OF earlier
date than the twenty third century d. c.. DR..
Won Reber deems it not impossible TINT re-
mains Of greater antiquity may yet be
brought to light In u country which is
BY no means thoroughly explored. At
the present stage. however. OF historical
research. the student OF those forms Of civtli-
cation and art which have been developed In
the Mediterranean world must necessarily be-
gin with Egypt. OF China. and the civliznH
and artistic impulses thence communicated to
Corea and Japan upon the one hand. and to
Farther India on the other. 1t does not enter
within the scope OF this book to treat The Sc
starts with the Nile land. passes to Chaldea.
Babylonia. and Assyria. thence to Persia. and
30 on to Phpnicia and Asia Minor. next to
Hellas. and concludes with Etrura and Rome.
1t Is not to be supposed. however. that q flial
relation ia postuated between the art Of Egypt
and that OF Chaldea. or that 1t Is yet possi-
BILE to determine the place OF Etruria in the
history OF mans artistic achievements.
1t is needless to dilate on the mechani.
cal excellence OF the Egyptian pyramids.
The time. Of course. has long gone by when
they could be regarded as mere piles OF
masonry created by an enslaved people
without the guidance Of skilled and thought
full designers. Indeed. 1t Is now believed
that while their purpose was to provide
lndestructible sepulchres for kings. their con-
Structlon also served humanitarian objects, Tor
1t was principally during tho annual inunda-
tons OF the Nile that the Pharoahs employed
upon these public works the poorer classes. who
might otherwise have been unable to subslst.
Without attempting to follow the speculations
based on the almost perfect geometrical form
OF tho pyramids Of Gizeh. We may say briefly
that the arrangement OF the passages. OF the
chambers and their portcullises. Of the quar-
ried stone and polished revetment or
casing. was admirably adapted to the build
er's purpose. We should note. however.
that although the ceilings Of the grave cham
bsrs were provided with ample powers OF
resistance by gables formed Of huge stones the
Egyptian architects were unacQuainted with
the supreme secret OF strength in masonry. the
arch. 1t must likewise be remembered that
although the column played an important part
In the temple architecture OF tho Nile land. and
although the Egyptian builder CHANGED upon
the channelled shaft OF the Proto- Dorio col
umn. he proved unable to turn the latter
H. -
the channel Il column was accordingly I'M
recognized 1. Egypt until the time OF the
P:osmies. when Hellenic influence materially
modified the traditional technical processes.
1t is also pointed out by DIR. Won Reber that the
/peripteral or column-surrounded temple OF
A.! Hellns marked u similar advance on the type
attained by the architects Of Thebes which de-
veopment. not being called for by the require
ments and tendencies OF the native'architec-
ture. was delayed for centuries. The unbroken
fortress-like walls OF the Egyptian temple were
not pierced. and resolved into the encircllng-
columned passages until tho land had passed
under the sway OF semi Hellenic princes. And
even under the Ptoemies the perpteral temple
was deprived Of its chief characteristic. the
completely opened inter columnation because
tn. mysterious and sombre character.o OF the
Egyptian ritual: demanded absolute seclusion
The Ptolemaic architect felt himself con.
strained to place a screen like wall half tht
heigheof the columns In each opening. as the
Romans were led from q similar motive. u
merely decorate exterior walls with engaged
shafts and pilasters. foregoing the isolated
columns As supporting members OF independ
ent functions.
or Egyptian domestic architecture we car
form no definite and satisfactory conception
for not single dwelling has been preserved
aud the plans OF private houses rsprese nted II
wall paintings exhibit such palpable misrepre
sensations and structural impossibilities (du,
largely to system Of perspective which shows
things above ono another. instead OF behint
one enother) that 1t Is as yet impossible t.
comprehend the general arrangement Of
normal house or Its exterior appearance. The
rubbish Of sun-dried bricks composing thu
ruins Of the Egyptian cities hitherto excavatet
shows that the great majority OF dwellings
were no more than low novels. and there II
reason to believe that even palaces seldom
went beyond series of small chambers
It 10 fact full Of Significance that tn,
only remains OF Egyptian architecture arr
temples obelsks, which were appurtenancei