The Harmonic Method in Greek Art. 47 



When the ancient artists increased the facial angle beyond eighty- 

 degrees, they believed that an increase of intelligence corresponded 

 to that conformation. By increasing the angle beyond eighty-five 

 degrees they impressed upon their figures the grandest character, 

 as in the Apollo, Yenus and others, whose facial angle extends to 

 or exceeds ninety degrees. 



Observing the nature of the angle, we perceive that it tended 

 in no way to raise the forehead, but to throw it forward or to 

 lengthen it. Whence the expression of long head for wise head, 

 which has not yet given place to broad head, preferred by German 

 craniologists in compliment to their own organization. The gen- 

 eral rule was, that the forehead's height should equal the space 

 from the forehead to the bottom of the nose, or from the nose to 

 the bottom of the chin. 



The next rule is in regard to i\iQ form of the nose, in nearly the 

 same line with the forehead, and with very little indentation be- 

 tween the parts. 



The nose is the inlet of vital emotion or pleasure, the eye of 

 mental emotion, while the passions depend on the mouth and 

 ear. The emotional, the higher faculties, were expanded by this 

 raising of the junction of the forehead and nose, while the lower 

 faculties of passion, the mouth and ear were relatively decreased. 

 While developing the higher organs of emotion all impassioned 

 expression was suppressed, and thence the bestowal of that calm- 

 ness and simple grace, which is the highest quality in all repre- 

 sentation. In inferior beings, however, when passion is expressed, 

 the features are varied by the Greek artists, as they are in na- 

 ture. Such are the great ideal rules for the head and functions 

 of thought. 



As regards the nutritive system^ the vital and reproductive, the 

 Greeks similarily idealize. The Yenus of Milo may be taken as 

 the type of this system. The head and torso are all that is visible 

 of the body. The head presents all the loftier qualities already 

 discribed in the intellectual and emotional, but calm, sweet and 

 self-poised, while in the torso, the nutritive system is perfectly 

 developed in the full expansive forms and exquisitely rounded 

 costumes. A representation of eternal perfected womanhood and 

 feminine loveliness. 



