Greek bronzes . ly in thegigantic knot into which thelions skin is fastened on thebreast of Heracles. Thebody is thrust forward as ifswelling with life. The headis turned violently to theside, the features much ex-aggerated. The whole figureis an instance of breakingaway from traditional canonsof art without being able asyet to substitute another butequally inflexible set of more agreeable effect isproduced by our third figure(Fig. 10) — a young manholding in his hand a sword,the blade of which has beenbroken off. In his limbs andbodily forms there is a youth-ful sensitiveness which re
Greek bronzes . ly in thegigantic knot into which thelions skin is fastened on thebreast of Heracles. Thebody is thrust forward as ifswelling with life. The headis turned violently to theside, the features much ex-aggerated. The whole figureis an instance of breakingaway from traditional canonsof art without being able asyet to substitute another butequally inflexible set of more agreeable effect isproduced by our third figure(Fig. 10) — a young manholding in his hand a sword,the blade of which has beenbroken off. In his limbs andbodily forms there is a youth-ful sensitiveness which recalls the Greeks of the best days. But havinggot over this first impression, we cannot disguise the fact that his armsare in size out of all proportion, that the chlamys is fastened round hisneck with a studied effect quite foreign to the Greek spirit, and that theface is animated to an exceptional extent. In the face, the hair, and thedrapery, which last presents an agreeable contrast to the nude forms, there. Fig. 9.—Etruscan Heracles. British Museum. 28 GREEK BRONZES is much to be admired over and above the general attractions of the after all there remains something essentially Etruscan in the figure,and that something is exaggeration. We have not yet considered what an ordinary draped female figurelooked like in the archaic age of Greece. Let us take as an example abronze statuette in the British Museum which stands on its ancient pedestaland wants nothing but the right hand (Plate I.). Most probably that handhad held a flower. There was much of exquisiteness among the Greekwomen of those days. Satisfied with their own beauty and the perfectionof their dress, they liked to dally with a flower in the hand as if a flowerwere obviously the one thing best suited for them. Our statuette rangesadmirably with the series of archaic marble statues on the Acropolis ofAthens—the same dress with its multitude of fine folds relieved by richlyornamented borders, and abo
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbronzesgreek, bookyea
