Archaeology Magazine - September 1948 - 40

i6O

Figures

ARCHAEOLOGY

6, 7, 8: Boy and Hare,

by Euphronios;

The traditions of composition, of course, carry
on. But here we see man, rather than beast, as the
chief subject, and the human body is reduced to
simple formal areas which may easily be treated
as geometric design. On one cylix (Fig. 6) a boy
is shown racing his pet hare and clearly straining
all his muscles to keep up with the easily loping
animal. The angular frame of the human body
fitted within the circle is deliberately contrasted
with the flow of the periphery. And the hare flows
with the periphery.
It is as though the artist put
his design into the bold terms of geometry, lightly
clothed in flesh. He enjoys the distortion, which
is not stupid, but graphic ; he submits the proposition, almost jocosely, that it is the race, not the
frame, that doubles up the youth who is fundamentally still a wheel. The pleasant regularity of
polygonal composition, recast into human terms,
is what makes this bold design.
By the mid-fifth century, the same basic structure has been richly developed by foreshortening,
and by rounder modelling which temper the underlying harsh scheme of triangles applied to a cornerless enclosure. The geometer has become an
artist in a pagan Pietà (Fig. 7) - the goddess
Dawn weeping over the body of her son Memnon.
Triangles still dominate the structure, both linear
Yet the outand in areas (of wing and dress).
lines are somewhat softened for the living woman,
into the fuller, more vital forms of life, which are
deliberately contrasted with the thin stiff angularities of the dead body - a horizontally-moving
triangle superimposed upon the vertical.
The back of Dawn here shows how the artist
feels that the curve of the frame creates the curve
of the enclosed space. The rim angles of a rec-

Eos and Memnon;

Butting

Goats, by Tleson.

tilinear polygon are not sympathetic
enough.
More akin are the curves of a human or an animal
back. In this case, the basic structure for these
opposing polygons is heraldic - set on a vertical
art.
axis, the favorite device of Mesopotamian
The design may be a simple fold-over pattern,
as with these elegantly butting goats by Tleson
(Fig. &). Or it may, in a master's hand, become
the basis for a subtle scene, Theseus visiting the
queen of the ocean, under the sea (Fig. 9). Here
the vertical axis is held firmly by the goddess,
Athena, while Theseus stands lightly upon the
hands of a Triton as he reaches toward the queen;
their arms and Athena's spear form great diagonal
diameters to keep the circular motion active. How
delicate the forward and the backward sway of
the goddess, of the dolphins, of the curves of
drapery, of greeting and response !
Something of the same rhythm runs through
this little scene by the Brygos painter (Fig. 10).
It is a glimpse into the intimacies of Athenian
drinking parties and, incidentally, into the amazing
joyousness of the Greek heart. The subject is
one which we would label revolting. A boy has
drunk too much wine; he is vomiting, as a girl
holds his head. Her short hair proclaims her as
an hetaira,
a hired entertainer
or geisha-girl.
These are not the ingredients whereof AngloSaxons (or indeed any others) concoct beauty.
Yet this simply-composed group, balanced ever so
delicately on its central axis of staff and - yes!
vomit - is exquisite. Not only is the poise of the
figures, the swing of their contrasting garments,
the echo of curve against curve subtle and lovely;
but the little ripple of sympathy that runs from
figure to figure is of the essence of spiritual beauty.

Archaeology Magazine - September 1948

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Archaeology Magazine - September 1948