File:Greek bronzes (1898) (14590038709).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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antiquity of all the works of Pheidias was hischryselephantine statue of Zeus at Olympia. Unfortunately we have nocopies of it, except on certain very rare coins of Elis, on one of whichan attempt is made to give a view of the statue in profile (Fig. 24), inanother, the head alone, also in profile. It is not, perhaps, surprising that no other copies of the great statueexist. We must remember that though Olympia was a great show-placewhere sculptures by the greatest artists of Greece were to be seen inprofusion, yet it was not an art centre. No sculptors were established GREEK BRONZES 59 there, nor any of the minor artistic industries, such as the making ofbronze statuettes. Sculptors came there to do only what had to be doneon the spot. Bronze statues—and they were the most frequent—werebrought ready to be set up. The only exception we hear of was theworkshop which Pheidias had erected for the making of his chrys-elephantine statue, and it is to the honour of those who managed the
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Fig. 24.—Coin of Elis, representing the Zeus of Pheidias. From an Enlarged Drawing. town that this workshop was retained as a memorial of him for centuries.People went to Olympia to see the sights, to be present at the nationalgames, to hear distinguished literary men read passages of their works,and perhaps to see Zeuxis, the successful painter, living up to hisreputation. So that once every four years the little town was crowded.For the rest it was known chiefly to tourists or occasional worshippers.Certainly there was no school of art at Olympia in the whole course ofits existence. Years ago the site was carefully excavated. Innumerable 6o GREEK BRONZES bronze statuettes were found, but none of them had any relation to thecelebrated sculptures of the place. They had all been brought bydevotees from other towns or districts. Let us now take the description of the statue as we know it fromancient literary sources in connection with the coin (Fig. 24), premisingthat on a small coin

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