Greek bronzes . ulptor Daidalos had fashioneda pair of wings for his son Icaros, who, having soared aloft gaily for aspace, at last reached a point where the artificial wings gave way, where-upon he fell headlong into the sea. If we may judge from ancient repre-sentations, the wings of Icaros are supposed to have been attached to hisarms at the shoulders and wrists, much in the manner of the right armand wing of our bronze, and in accordance with the general rule of figuresof this class. The exceptions are few where the wings start in the frontof the body as if springing from the chest bones,
Greek bronzes . ulptor Daidalos had fashioneda pair of wings for his son Icaros, who, having soared aloft gaily for aspace, at last reached a point where the artificial wings gave way, where-upon he fell headlong into the sea. If we may judge from ancient repre-sentations, the wings of Icaros are supposed to have been attached to hisarms at the shoulders and wrists, much in the manner of the right armand wing of our bronze, and in accordance with the general rule of figuresof this class. The exceptions are few where the wings start in the frontof the body as if springing from the chest bones, though it must be .—^^u^.., ,.^.-U-. ?:;Ji»< GREEK BRONZES 19 allowed that the effect so produced conveys a much more obviousresemblance to a bird, and therefore a more appropriate application ofwings to the human form than in the other case, where the wings springfrom the shoulder-blades and appear like auxiliaries fitted to the curious exception is that of Hypnos, the god of sleep, of. OfxlOl^1E^^ioaT^>o\aNA^ Fig. 5.—Marble Victory by Archermos. Athens. whom there are several ancient representations in existence, in particulara beautiful bronze head in the British Museum, all alike going back tosome famous original apparently of the time of Praxiteles if not actuallyby him (Plate II.). The wings start from the temples, and we knowthat in this instance the wings are those of a night-bird, such as an owl,which travels without noise or sound. We know further that Hypnoson one occasion was ordered to take the form of some such night-bird 20 GREEK BRONZES and to pipe from a tree till he put to sleep Zeus, the father of godsand men. But we have no explanation as to why the wings of Hypnosshould start from his temples. When we see a pair of wings springingfrom the hair of Hermes, the messenger of the gods, we accept themas representing the winged cap or petasus which he usually wore, andas indicating either the speed or the silence with which he travelle
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