The herald., 1894-10-22
ART TALKS,


Mrs, Casweil's Second Lecture ~ ths
Marlborough.
On Saturday afternoon at 2: 80 O'Clock
Mrs. Caswell gave the second Of her art
talks at the Marlborough school. TAX
ing up the history of art, in order Of
time, Chaldes is frs. or earliest. Assyria
next, followed by Bsbylonia; civiliza-
ton follows great rivers as the Nile, the
Tigris. Euphrates. Mrs. Caswell then
spoke of the difference between Egyp-
tian and Aasyriau ideals, of tho treat
ment of captives and the religion; then
of the ruins OF western Asia, showing
how and why they are different from
those OF Egypt. Assyrian history 10
written on clay tablets and cylindcrs;
the library at Ninevsh bad q librarian
and catalogue.
There were two Asiatic and two Euro
pean cities preserved to US by misfor-
tune. Babylon was bsautifed BY Bel
shazzar and Nebuchadnezzar, Nine
yah by Sennecharib; Babylon WAS
built of brick, covered with glaze;
Ninevah was built OF limestons
and alabaster; both used gold and sil.
YER in enormous quantities, Shining
like the SUM-" statues, bricks. tiles.
cloth OF gold and silver for draperiss
have been found in both cities, but NO
coins. The main similar characteristics
they had were the artificial hills, long
gallery-liks chambers around COURTS
miles OF alabaster dados IL feet high,
brilliant paintings ON walls, broad stair
cases, huge portal figures OF ons solid
block Of alabaater like man, lions with
moustaohe, earrings in human ears
precise curls and cap with two horns.
the cap signifying authority. The king
was protected by q symbol OF divinity
above his head and two attendants with
fan and parascl, necklace, armlsts and
bracelets.
Then followed reference to the hang-
ing gardens of seven terraces and Gotta
bana or seven walls, symbolizing the
seven planets, and built by Nsbuohsd-
ezzar for Anytis. All Assyrian sculp-
ture was puerile, except that OF anil
mails, huge dogs and lions, admirably
dono.
The contrasting features between
Egyptian and Assyrian art were then
enumerated. In Egypt there are many
tombs, in Assyria. none; in Egypt there
are NO drsperies. in Assyria much stone
fnery; the Egyptian animals found n
architecture bear nothing, the AssyriaA
bull and lion seeH to bear an arch but
are walking out from under il. while the
Assyrian sphinx bsars = pillar; Egypt
ian sculptures will endure forever, while
the Assyrian are perishable and impor-
tant only In their influence upon later
art.
Brahminism and Buddhism were the
next topics on the programme, and Mrs.
Csswell briefly touched upon the chief
characteristics of both. Brahminism
teaches that life emanates from Brahms,
OF the transmigration Of souls. and that
to be alienated frem Brshna IL evil
while to work ones way back to Brahma
to be absorbed" in him 10 the supreme
good.
Buddhism 10 reformed Brahminisn.
Buddhn was the first hermit. and taught
that life is misery; misery arises from
desires, and human desires must be
quenched in order to attain Nirvana. the
loss OF self. The fusion of Brahminism
and Buddhism is the modern Hindu
trinity. Buddhist temples we're rocky
shrines with only one image, cross
legged. Brahminicsl sculpture was .
confused mass of legs, heads and arms
representing 36, 1000, 600 gods; Elephants
was the typical temple.
The splendors Of Agra and Delhi were
then touched upon; they were frat
made known by Beriner in the seven
teenth century. Shah-jehan Was the
throne room at Delhi, Taj.mabal at
Agra; in the latter is the whole Koran
inlaid. The actual tombs were in q
vault. the ornamental tombs above, in
which were filigree screens, lapis lazuli,
agate, cornelian, topaz and amethyst In
laid in marble; lavish, but solemn. i'm
portsnt themselves. but having little in
fluence on art. The subject was again
richly illustrated with photographs. and
the audience listened with absorbed at
tention. many taking notes. The third
talk will be on Saturday Of this week ct
the same time and place.