Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-05-16

tors even then, and proving, too, that
the dance already occupied foremost
place in Greek religion and life.
AS far back as the pre-Homeric
days the dance seems to have in
fiuenced art, and Homer tells US how
Hephaitsos, when representing the
principal occupations Of Greek life
on Achilles. shield, did not forget the
dance, and wrought thereon dance
OF youths and maidens with their
hands upon each others wrists" as
we see them on bas-reliefs and vases
"And now sings Homer would they
run around with def feet exceeding
lightly and now anon they
would run in lines to meet each other
And a great company stood
round the lovely dance in joy"
This picturesque dance has been
used as motif by all Greek artists,
and it is of the greatest decorative
value on the round vases or on the
long lines of frieze. and mural deco
rations Another dancing scene,
represented by sculptor belonging
almost to the realm of mythology. is
also mentioned by Homer. Daidalos,
the father of Greek sculpture" al
though said by Homer to have devised
dance or dancing place for Ariadne
at Cnossus-'like unto that which
once on broad Cnossus Daidalos de-
vised for Ariadne of the lovely locks
carved a plastic representation of
dance in honor of the Cretan goddess
Ariadne, which Pausanias mentions
as relief in white marble" TO be
seen still in his day.
Indeed, many of the principal works
of art in Greece were directly con
cerned with the dance and dancers,
and the fragmentary knowledge we
possess of the works of the archaic
school shows how extensively the
dance was used as subject for plas-
tic representation from the earliest
time
The "Sosandra' of Kalamis, the
Acropolis at Athens, is spoken of by
Lucian as though she were dancer
with beautiful ankles and rhythmi-
cal motion Phidias carved winged
Victories in the attitude of the dance
ON the throne of his colossal statue of
Zeus at Olympia the Dancing
Maidens of Sparta" work of flaw
less precision as Pliny calls it. by
Kallimachos, was among the most
famous works of art in antiquity, and
SO one might count numberless dane
ing scenes by the most humble and
the greatest Greek artists.
The figures used in building, as sup
ports, called caryatids, are believed to
have been inspired by the maidens Of
Carvae in Laconia who danced in
honor of Artemis, with baskets on
their heads. Many tales are told
concerning these maidens and their
Caryatis dance, and Pausanias is ex-
tremely interesting and illuminative
on the subject.
The ease and grace with which they
carry their heavy burden undoubtedly
give the impression that the weight
on the head is merely that of the Of
ferings which they bring in their
"calathus." or basket, of osier; their
rich festal drapery and their majestic
bearing fit them particularly for the
imposing and responsible position
which they occupy in Greek archi
lecture.
Caryatids were a favorite subject
with many artists; those of KALI
machos, already mentioned as the
Spartan dancing maidens, were ia
nous in antiquity; the Erechtheion at
Athens had them to support its en-
tablature; Polykleites Praxiteles and
and Skopas made statues of caryatids.
and M. Rayet sees in the well known
dancers of Herculaneum these same
maidens who danced at Caryae in
Laconia.
Other figures in Greek art which
seem to be distinctly those of dancers
are the lightly bounding Nerds. who
with their light draperies and grace
full attitudes, might lead one to believe
that, in seeking to embody in the
form of the fair daughters OF
Nereus' something of the flowing
movements of the sea. and in the
drapery recall the action of the
water ruffled by the breeze, the
artist could find no better models than
the lightly clad dancers and their
easy, graceful movements, and per-
adventure the soft breeze playing in
their locks and toying with the waves
OF the sea- On the vase painting of
Greece the direct influence Of the
dance was incom parable"