The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-06
Greek Art Introduced in
England a Century Ago.

The century opened with q grand worn
or publishing the principal treasures OF
classical art In England. which was finally
issued In 1909 by Payne. knight & Townley;
this marks the highest point OF the diet.
tante collecting spirit, which was soon
eclipsed by true knowledge. Hitherto the
best sculpture had hardly been known. hut
at secondhand. through Roman copies: a
closer acquaintance began with the travels
OF Dodwell. Cell and Lcake. all IN the first
decade OF the century. The free opening of
the British Museum In 1906 and the accumu-
laton there OF all the best collections with
in the first quarter OF the century also
served TO educate a public taste. The first
struggle Of scientific and artistic knowI-
edge against the dilettante spirit was over
tbs Elgin marbles; by ISIS they were ac-
cepted as the masterpieces which all later
criticism had proved them to be. The
Assinetan and Phigalsian sculptures,
brought TO Munich and London. helped also
' TO show the nobility OF early Greek art: so
that the last two generations have had a
canon OF taste to rely upon the value OF
which cannot be o~yerestimated.
Following on this noble foundation other
collectors worked in Greece and Asia Minor
and the British Museum profted by the
labors OF Burgon. Fellows and Woodhouse
between 1870 and 1850. The Automatically
supported work OF Newton on the Mauso-
leum ds57-s. and Wood at Ephesus QS63-75.
ulicn OUT our knowledge OF the middle
period Of Greek art $50 q. G. Comparatively
little has been done since then by England.
but the activity OF the Germans at Olympia
he's given us the only original masterpiece
that Is known-the Hermes OF Praxiteles
ESQ B. Co.. The excavations at Athens On
1850 have produced the impressive statues
dedicated to Athene about $50 B. c.. whica
reveal the noble rise of Attic sculpture.
But attention during the last quarter CEN
fury has been largely fixed upon the earlier
ages. The discoveries OF Schliemann at
H.ssarlik Troy. IS70-s2). Mykenae 0S7s),
orchOmenos Qsso-D. and Tiryus dSsD.
opened a new world OF thought and re-
search. Though at first bitterly attacked.
It is now agreed that these discoveries show
us the civilization Of Greece between 1900
and 1000 B. C. Lastly. during ten years past
Egypt has provided the solid chronology
FOR prehistoric Greece. by discoveries Of
trade between the two countries.
We can now very briefly estimate the
present position Of our knowledge as gained
during this century. Setting aside the early
foreign pottery found IN Egypt, which be-
longs probably to Greece or Italy. at 500
and 300 3. c.. we first touch a civilized
city In the lowest town of Troy, where
metal was scarcely yet in use, and which
IS Certainly before 200. and probably about
1000. b. c.. in date. Succeeding that is the
finely built second Troy, rich In gold vases
Schlieman for the Homeric Troy-must yet
be long before that. probably before 900
b. G. After the burning OF that come three
other rebuildings before we reach the town
OF the age Of Mykenae. about 100 r.. c.
OF this. which was in Greece the climax
Of the prehistoric civilization, there are the
splendid treasures found at Mykenae. the
magnificent domed tombs. the abundance Of
fine jewelry and metal work. Of beautiful
and glazed ornaments. To this age
belong the great palaces OF Mykenae,
Tryns. Athens and other hill fcrtresses. OF
which hardly more than the plans can now
be traced And It Is this civilization which
traded eagerly with Egypt, exchanging the
valued manufactures OF each country. This
period was at its full bloom from 15Oo-lZOo
b. c, and began to decay by 1lS0 b. c., |
this dating being given By the contact with !