The San Francisco call., 1896-04-05
y RNEST ARTHUR GARDNER,
. MA, form erly director of the Brit
ish School OF Archaeology at
. Athens. has contrihnted to the

- Athens, has contributed to the
series of "Handbooks of Archaol-
agy and Antiquity" a valuable work on
Greek Sculpture" He expresses the belief
that, while there are several histories of
6reek sculpture, the need OF a handbook on
ismailer scale and of somewhat different
'cope has been widely felt. and he has
sndeavored to give general outline of our
knowledge of Greek sculpture. distinguish
ing as clearly as possible the different
schools and periods and giving typical in
stances TO show the development of each.
He has not made any attempt at a COM
plete or exhaustive treatment OF the sub
lect. but has selected from the great
accumulation of available examples only
Iuch as seemed most useful in illustration.
The first volume, which has Just been re-
.eived, contains the introduction and the
history OF Greek sculpture down to the
time OF Phidias. The second part will
comprise fifth and fourth century B. c.
Hellenistic and Gr@co-Roman sculpture
and full indices to the whole work. The
rest of the handbook will appear some
time during the present year. The author
divides the history OF Greek art
INTO six periods, each OF which is
the subject of chapter in his
:ach volume. The first considers the
influences prevalent in Greece and the
aeighboring countries during the period
which Immediately preceded the inde-
pendent existence of Greek sculpture, and
The circumstances that surrounded its ORR
gin are observed. The author also seeks
Tor the germs which contained in them
selves the possibilities of so glorious a
growth. In the second chapter are seen
The earlier stages of development of Greek
sculpture itself, from the rude and un-
.outh images which seem little better than
Il.
those last struggles with the technique OF
1 difficult art that precedes a perfect mas
.ery over the material. This period fifty
ends with the date of the battles of Sala-
mis- and Platea as the Persian invasion
and repulse not only supplied fitting
themes for the artist. but actually left an
open field for the exercise of his art by de-
stroying the work of his predecessors.
Fhe third chapter deals with the age of
highest attainment, when the sculptor,
already competent to express his thoughts
IN bronze or marble, or in yet richer ma
terials, is also inspired by the noblest
ldeals-the age of Phidias and Polyclitus,
when the Greek conception of the highest
gods found most perfect embodiment, and
The form OF man was rendered in its most
perfect type. Thus concludes the volume
1t hand. The part yet to be published will
show how greater delicacy and more re-
tined beauty. with a skill in rendering
various passions and moods, mark the
period of Scopas and Praxiteles, while
academic study and care of execution dis
tinguish the school of Lysippus: Then
will come the Hellenistic age. which owes
its character to the conquests of Alex
ander and which begins at his death, 323
BIC. The Greco Roman age begins about
the time of the sack of Corinth and con-
tinues to about the time of the foundation
Of Constantinople 1924 A. d.. The Byzan-
tine age is beyond the scope of the work,
and so also is the monumental sculpture
and portraiture which is especially Roman
n character. By GrecoRoman work is
meant that produced to meet the demands
Of the Roman market for Greek sculpture,
while the taste was in fashion-or at least
produced under the influences to which
that demand had given rise. New York:
Macmillan e. Co. For sale by William
DoYev. orice 81 05