THE GREEK BRONZES OF TUNISIA 
93 
gories — bronzes for decorative purposes 
and statutes. When they were taken 
out of the water they were covered| 
with thick deposits of seashells and mud. 
Curiously enough, the bronzes withstood 
their 2,000 years' sea-bath better than 
the marbles. 
In this short article we shall speak 
especially of the eight following bronzes : 
No. I is the god Eros, attributed to 
Praxiteles. He stands one meter 40 
centimeters high, almost life-size. This 
god has just alighted from flying; his 
wings seem to fan the air. In his left 
hand he holds a bow (which is now 
missing). His right hand is lifted to his 
head and points to a crown of laurels, 
which has evidently just been won at 
archery. This statue when found had 
its legs badly battered in. The wings 
were missing, and only last year was his 
right arm found. Because of the size of 
this bronze, it is one of the most impor- 
tant works of Greek art. To whom must 
it be attributed? It is incontestably an 
original and is probably by Praxiteles, 
because a Greek authority named Calus- 
tige left behind the description of a 
bronze statue of the god Eros by Prax- 
iteles which resembles in a most marvel- 
ous way this bronze. The following is 
a translation of Calustige's description : 
"It is an Eros, a work of art by Prax- 
iteles — Eros himself, in the adolescent 
flower of his youth, with wings, carrying 
a bow, affixed to a base from which he 
cannot move. He gives us the illusion 
that he is going to fly away. He bends 
bad: his right arm toward the top of his 
head, and in his left hand he holds a 
bow. The weight of his body is carried 
on his left leg." Whoever this unknown 
sculptor was, the bronze not being signed, 
it is certain that we have an Eros here 
worthy of the famous sculptor. 
No. 2 is the statue of a satyr, starting 
to run. It stands 35 centimeters high. 
The movement is marvelous. The power 
and grace of his figure, crouched ready 
to spring, his arms outspread like a 
runner starting in a race, the frown on 
his face, his dilated nostrils, and his 
slightly opened mouth — all make him 
seem almost alive. The movements of 
his most realistic attitude are remark- 
able, resembling the school of Pergam 
towards the end of the third century 
B. C. This statue reminds one of the 
Gauls, especially the monument of At- 
tele I and the Dying Gaul in the museum 
of the Capitol at Rome, for "Diodore of 
Sicily" writes that the Gauls had hair 
which made them resemble a Pan, or 
satyr. 
No. 3 shows the cakewalk of the Gre- 
cians 2,000 years ago. This little statu- 
ette, 30 centimeters high, proves that the 
hobble skirt was not the creation of Paris 
dressmakers in 191 1, but of some great 
modiste of Athens. These statuettes are 
extremely rare in Greek art, as they 
represent dwarfs with abnormally large 
heads and grotesque figures. Greek 
sculptors admired form in line so much 
that one rarely found ugly or comical 
works of art among them. The Romans 
at the time these figures were made en- 
joyed watching the antics of dwarfs, 
male and female, and grotesque jesters 
during their banquets, and these three 
statuettes (pages 94, 95 and 97) were 
doubtless lifelike copies of some well- 
known public entertainers. 
No. 4 is a pendant to the cakewalk 
dancer, 32 centimeters high. Her eyes 
are of ivory. She is swinging her foot 
behind her, whereas the foot of the danc- 
ing figure is in front, with her head 
turned to the left. The former figure 
has her head turned to the right, and is 
crowned with a laurel wreath. 
No. 5 is a buffoon, or jester — height, 
32 centimeters — which completes the 
series of three statuettes. He is repul- 
sively ugly. He walks forward a la cake- 
walk, with a twisted body and grimacing 
face. He had only one eye ,the left, 
and the round ball which forms his eye 
is in silver. This brilliant polished metal 
forms a curious contrast to the greenish 
bronze of his body, and gives him a 
devilish look. 
No. 6 is a small Eros, 42 centimeters 
high, advancing toward one, dancing and 
singing to the accompaniment of his lyre. 
He has a number of bracelets on his 
wrists and on his left thigh. His charm- 
ing grace and elegance make one think 
of certain terra - cottas ; for example, 
those of Mvrima. 
