File:Greek bronzes (1898) (14590014689).jpg

Identifier: greekbronzes00murr (find matches)
Title: Greek bronzes
Year: 1898 (1890s)
Authors: Murray, A. S. (Alexander Stuart), 1841-1904
Subjects: Bronzes, Greek
Publisher: London : Seeley and Co. New York : Macmillan
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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reek his action of holding up a flower.His body outlined against the background of the spreading wings, andthese wings elaborately delineated as a foil to the simple lines of the body,the face of a large, full type—these are characteristics singularly Greek.Yet the drawing is Etruscan. For instance, one cannot imagine a Greek ^leaving out the lines which should have indicated the bones of the chest,and indeed almost the whole of the inner markings proper to a figure inthis movement. Yet these lines have been purposely omitted for the sake GREEK BRONZES ZZ of a particular effect of contrast with the wings. Again, one cannot behevethat a Greek would ever have reconciled himself to so specially decorativea treatment of the wings, whereas that is just one of those things that fitin with the tendency towards exaggeration which we saw in the Etruscanstatuettes. The movement of the figure, the spreading of the wings, andthe winged shoes would be suitable for the Greek hero Perseus, such as
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Fig. 12.—Etruscan Mirro?. British Museu?n. we see him on archaic Greek vases, and it is possible that so far the figurehas been based on Perseus. But apart from the identification of the figureon the mirror, I think we have already seen enough to recognise in it astriking combination of the influence of Greek drawing and Etruscanindividuality. On the other mirror (Fig. 13), the central figure is again one of thosemuch-winged beings of archaic art—Greek as well as Etruscan. Thepeculiarity in this instance is that the wings spring from her waist and not 34 GREEK BRONZES from the shoulders, which is perhaps just as natural, and may be regarded asa variant on those archaic Greek figures where the wings spring from thechest. The wings on her shoes are much exaggerated in size. Equallyexaggerated is the action of holding out the skirt with the right hand, and

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