366 The Evolution of Painting. 



Parrhasius is first remarkable for symmetry and expression. 

 Pamphilus joins the study of mathematics to art. Pausias 

 excels at foreshortening his figures. Euphranor introduces 

 majesty, and Apelles grace." It will thus be seen that their 

 final success was the work of progressive and accumulated 

 experience. 



There has been much controversy regarding the relative 

 merits of Greek paintings when compared with the works 

 of modern masters. Greek writers bestow the same high 

 praise upon the work of their painters that they do upon 

 that of their sculptors. Nevertheless, it is generally agreed 

 by modern writers that Greek painting did not reach the 

 degree of excellence attained by sculpture. 



An interesting story has come down to us regarding a 

 trial of skill between Zeuxis and Parrhasius. Zeuxis painted 

 some grapes which were so natural in appearance that birds 

 came to eat them. Parrhasius then painted a curtain and 

 was so accurate in his execution that even Zeuxis was de- 

 ceived. When Zeuxis was invited to the room to view the 

 picture, he asked that the curtain be drawn aside so that 

 the picture could be seen. The contest was decided in 

 favor of Parrhasius, because he had deceived Zeuxis, while 

 Zeuxis had only deceived the birds. 



The complicated problems of scientific perspective were 

 unknown to the Greeks, and there were perhaps some weak- 

 nesses of coloring. Woltmann tells us that " in the pictures 

 having definite backgrounds and a complete pictorial pur- 

 pose, the evident blunders in perspective, the false fore- 

 shortenings, rudely managed distances, and inefficient con- 

 duct of light and shade, are very disturbing." As the Greeks 

 were not very ambitious in the matter of landscapes, many 

 of these defects were not often apparent. And Woltmann 

 gives the opinion that if we could " look upon some great 

 series of masterpieces by a Greek artist we should not be 

 struck by any technical shortcomings in his work, but should 

 place it by the side of the most finished performances of all 

 times or races." 



After the third century B. c., Greek art began to decline. 

 The general debasement of morals and the political revolu- 

 tions and changes of dynasties which convulsed Greece 

 accelerated the decline; and finally, at the time of the 

 Roman Conquest in 146 B. c., the spoliation of the art 

 galleries, public buildings, and temples tended to crush the 

 art of painting everywhere. 



