SCULPTURE. 



eountries. E^ina was alfo famous for bronze fculpture, 

 and continued the Egyptian ftyle. 



Etrufcaii fculpture muft be confidered entirely the work 

 of Greek colonifts and their difciples. 



The Sicilian fculpture is alfo Grecian. Some of their 

 finelt medals in particular are of the CorinthiaH fchool. 



As the enterprife and tafte of the prefent age have refcued 

 two noble examples of Grecian fculpture, the pediments of 

 the temple of Jiipifr Panellenius, in the ifland of Egina, 

 and the frieze which furrounded the interior of the temple 

 of Apollo Epicures at Phygaleia, it may be proper to give 

 iome delcription of them in this place. 



The figures, which were decorations of the eaft and weft 

 pediments of the temple of Jupiter Panellenius, were found 

 among the ruins, nearly under the fcite in which they had 

 been originally placed : their number was nine in the welt 

 pediment ; that in the centre was the figure of Minerva ; the 

 rell feemed to be combatants, as well in this pediment as 

 the fix figures in the eaft pediment. On each fide of an 

 ornament, in the centre of the weft pediment, were two fe- 

 male figures ; and at each corner of the pediment the re- 

 mains of a griffon. The ftatues were in fize fmall nature ; 

 and, according to Pliny's defcription, partaking of the 

 Egyptian ftyle of workmaufliip. 



Among the ruins of the temple of Apollo Epicures at 

 Phygaleia, in the Argolis, were difcovered, in many pieces, 

 the frieze which adorned the interior of the temple. They 

 reprefentcd the battle of the Athenians with the Amazons, 

 and the Lapithae with the Centaurs. The compofitions are 

 grand and energetic ; the aftioiis are natural, original, and 

 elaftic ; the lines of the bodies and limbs are beautifully 

 variegated by the draperies, as flowing from the motion of 

 the figures, or flourilhed in the air by impulfe of wind ; 

 the beauty of the figures and countenances is heroic ; and 

 the general ftyle and charafter of the work referable the alto- 

 relievos in the temple of Thefeus. The figures are about 

 two feet high ; and the whole extent of the different baffo 

 relievos, taken together, about ninety feet. 



Of Roman Sculpture. — The earlieft inhabitants of Italy, 

 'vithout doubt, praclifedthe fame kindof barbarous art, which 

 i-i common in all early ftages of fociety ; but the accounts 

 given by Herodotus, DioJorus SicuKis, and other Greek 

 writers of indifputable authority, concerning the emigrations 

 of Greeks into Italy, who fettled in that part wliich has 

 been called Magna Grecia, comprehending nearly the whole 

 weftern coall of that country, together with the evidence 

 of nearly every work of art which has been difcovered 

 within thofe limits, prove fatisfa(ftorily, that all the early 

 painting and fculpture, worthy to be called fo, are properly 

 colonial Greek, either the produftion of Greek artiftt them- 

 felves, or of natives who were their icholars. 



We may obferve upon their coins, that they all fecin to 

 have been derived from the eavlieft coins and weights of 

 Greece. Their earlieft eaft money or weights, figned with 

 an ox, lead to a ftrong fufpicion that they were imitations of 

 fimilar weights alluded to by Homer, which had relation to the 

 value of an ox. Their eaft coins or weights are alfo marked 

 with the head of Janus, with two faces on one fide, and the 

 prow of a {hip on the otiicr ; but it is to be obferved that 

 this double-faced Janus, when bearded, is only an imitation 

 of the Greek heads of Jupiter, or the eaftcrn Bacchus, who, 

 according to the earlieft fyftems of piiilofophy, fees that 

 which is pall and that which is to come. When the head 

 of Janus is without a beard, it fometimes fecma to be a copy 

 of the head of Hercules, and fometimes of Mercury : and in 

 order to leave no chance of being deceived in the perfonage, 

 he is reprefented with the petafus or hat upon his head, as 

 well in the double as in the fingle head ; befides which, all 



the divinities reprefented on fuch coins or eaft weight*, are 

 but copies from well-known heads of Grecian divinities, aa 

 Jupiter, Hercules, Mercury, Ceres, &c. ; and by far the 

 greater number of them from Grecian heads of thofe divi- 

 nities not earlier than the time of Phidias. 



Concerning their painting, though it may be difficult to 

 make the fame affertiim fo politively and fo extenfively as that 

 concerning their coins ; yet we muft afl'ert that the fubjeftt 

 of their painting, whether on walls or earthen vafcs, reprefent 

 Greek philofophy, Homeric perfons and ftories ; fcenej 

 from the Greek tragedians or Grecian facred rites ; and that 

 the fuperfcriptions to thofe paintings are written in Greek, 

 expreffing Greek names of the artifts who painted, or the 

 perfons reprefented. 



The fculpture alfo which has been called Etrufcan has the 

 fame Grecian charatteriftics with the paintings ; to which 

 we may add, in many inftances, that it reprelents Grecian 

 arms and dreffes. 



The accounts given by Pliny of the figures of the 

 Roman kings, and other illuftrious perfons of early times in 

 the Capitol, together with the Terra Cotta figure of Jupiter 

 Capitolinus ; were from the Grecian fchools of art efta- 

 bhlhed in Etruria ; and fuch were all the works of painting, 

 fculpture, and architefture, executed for the early Romans, 

 who do not appear to have podelled any works of magni- 

 ficence or diftinguiflied merit, before the Scipioa introduced 

 them to an acquaintance with Grecian arts and letters. 



After the enormous ravages and barbarities of Mummiut 

 at Corinth, and Sylla at Athens, the Romans ingrafted 

 tafte on rapine, and exhibited an inordinate cupidity and 

 oilentation for works of fine art, which paffed in feme in- 

 ftances for patronage. They filled their palaces, villas, 

 theatres, and public places with the fpoils of Greece. 



Although fome general heads of Greek art have been 

 already delivered in this dilfertation, yet as Pliny the Elder's 

 writings contain fuch fatistaftory accounts of Etrufcan, 

 Italian, and Grecian fculpture, it will be highly proper to 

 give the Englifli rc.ider thefe accounts in his own words, 

 which were coUefted from the writings and treatifes of the 

 ablelt and moft learned artifts among the ancients. Pliny's 

 Natural Hiftory, 1. xxxiv. c. 7. 



The Itatuary art was familiar in Italy in ancient times, ai 

 is fticwn by a Hercules coiifecrated by Evander, as it is faid, 

 in Foro Boario ; wiiieh is called the Triumphal, by his having 

 on the triumphal habit : befides the double Janus dedicated 

 by king Numa, wliich exprefles peace and war, and by its 

 fingers fignificB the number of days in the year, the god himlrlf 

 indicating the times and fcafons of the year. There are 

 alfo Tuican ftatues difperfed very widely, which there 

 is no dinibt were made in Etruria ; fuch were alio believed 

 to be their gods, except by Metrodorus Scepfius, which 

 furname was given to him through the hatred of tlic Romans ; 

 for two thouland ftatues, when the Volfcians were con- 

 quered, were difperfed abroad. VVe have wondered to fee 

 the original ftatues of ancient Italy, of wood perhaps, or mo- 

 delled in clay, the images of gods dedicated in temples until 

 the conqueli of Alia, from wiience came luxury. 



It will be proper to fpeak of the firft origin of exprefTing' 

 likcnelfes in that kind which the Greeks call modelling, and 

 that it was prim- to ftatuary. This would extend to infi- 

 nity in a work of many volumes, if any perfon ftiould follow 

 up the fubjed : every one does what he is able. 



When Scaurus was edile, three thoufand ftatues made 

 the fcene of a temporary theatre. Mummius, when he con- 

 quered Achaia, filled the city ; but dying, left his daughter 

 without a dowry, which was inexcufeablc. LucuUhs 

 brought many ; from Rhodes there are as many as three 



thoufand ftatues. 



Mutianus, 



