138 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXV. No. 630 



the ceiling of the chamber on the left near 

 the entrance, where the frescoes are re- 

 markable for their beauty, size and good 

 preservation— a sort ot Sistine chapel rep- 

 resenting the chef d'oeuvre of perhaps more 

 than one Michael Angelo of that far-off 

 time. 



These works of art represent a variety of 

 technique. Some are simple line engra- 

 vings. Others are more deeply incised. 

 But the engravings are not so numerous as 

 the figures represented in color. Many are 

 done in a single color, either red or black. 

 The most remarkable are the polychrome 

 frescoes similar to those of Font-de-Gaume, 

 already described. 



The figures are not all animal representa- 

 tions. Many are signs, the significance of 

 which is not known. They do not belong 

 to a single epoch. The superposition of 

 figures, each in a different technique, 

 studied in connection with the relative 

 state of preservation of the various figures 

 has furnished a key to the order of succes- 

 sion. The same succession is traceable in 

 the caverns of France, so that the Abbe 

 Breuil and his colleagues : MM. Cartailhac, 

 Capitan, Peyrony and Bourrinet, have been 

 able to distinguish four distinct phases" 

 in the evolution of mural painting and 

 engraving, all of them being represented 

 in the cavern of Altamira. 



The first phase includes deeply incised 

 figures representing the animal in absolute 

 profile, i. e., with a single forefoot and a 

 single hind foot, the outlines being rude 

 and not well proportioned, and details, such 

 as hoofs and hair, not indicated. The 

 figure of a bison in the corridor on the 

 right is a specimen of this oldest class of 

 wall decoration. Other examples are found 

 at La Greze, Chabot and Pair-non-Pair. 



The paintings of this stage are also in 



^A fifth and closing phase is discernible at 

 Marsoulas, resembling somewhat the work on the 

 painted pebbles of Mas d'Azil. 



outline, the color being black or red and 

 drawn with a crayon, there being absolutely 

 no effort at modeling. The horse drawn in 

 black on the ceiling of the left chamber is 

 an illustration. Others may be seen at 

 Marsoulas, Font-de-Gaume, La Mouthe, 

 Combarelles and Bernifal. 



The incised figures of the second phase 

 remain deep and broad; but the outlines 

 are more lifelike although often ill-propor- 

 tioned. All four legs are often represented, 

 the distal ones being almost completely hid- 

 den by those nearest the beholder. The 

 hoofs are sometimes represented with great 

 care. As the incisions become less deep 

 they also gain in neatness. In places the 

 effect of bas-relief is given by means of 

 champleve. The more hairy portions are 

 indicated by incised lines. Engravings of 

 this stage are not numerous at Altamira. 

 They are seen to better advantage at La 

 Mouthe, Font-de-Gaume, Bernifal and 

 above all at Combarelles. 



The paintings of this phase evince the 

 first attempts at modeling by shading at 

 various points. Engraving is often com- 

 bined with the painting. The use of color 

 continues to develop until one arrives at a 

 monochrome silhouette usually in black. 

 The contours are often heightened by en- 

 graving. The second phase is represented 

 not only at Altamira, but also at Mar- 

 soulas, Combarelles, Font-de-Gaume and 

 La Mouthe. 



The engravings of the third phase are 

 generally of small dimensions. Many of 

 these are admirable in their execution, as, 

 for example, the bison in the terminal cor- 

 ridor. The entire mural decorations in the 

 cavern of La Mairie at Teyjat are in this 

 style, as are a number from Font-de-Gaume 

 and Marsoulas. 



In the domain of painting, the third' 

 phase is represented by an excessive use of 

 color, producing a flat effect, thus destroy- 



