BIRDS IN ART. 
73 
which did not win the prize ; then we find a bird bringing morti- 
fication to that most hard working and laborious of artists, 
Protogenes, whose painting of a partridge in his beautiful picture 
of Ialysos and his panting dog, created such a sensation among 
non-professional spectators, that the artist scraped it out in his 
anger that it should receive the praises due to the man and the 
dog. 
Dogs appear to have been a very favourite subject with the 
old Greek artists. Of the many pictures in which they were intro-, 
duced, the dog before-mentioned, with foam at hi§ mouth, is the 
most celebrated ; but Nikias, who tinted some of Praxiteles’ 
statues, was famous for the life-like expression of his dogs. 
Horses likewise received their share of admiration, and if, as is 
generally supposed, the mosaic of the battle of Issos found in 
the Casa del Fauno at Pompeii is a replica, of the time of Vespasian, 
of an old Greek picture of the fourth century b.c., it shows that 
the great Greek painters had a very thorough mastery of the 
drawing of the horse, whereas the life-like truth of their pictures 
is assured by the well-known story of the horse painted by Apelles 
at which other horses neighed ; indeed, like Vandyke, we find 
Apelles noted for the beauty of his mounted portraits. All this 
goes to show that a very affectionate observation must have been 
bestowed on these birds and beasts which were not considered un- 
worthy of the close study of the greatest of the classic Greek 
painters. Flowers also received their just share of attention, 
and Pausias, who painted a picture of Glykera as a seller 
of garlands, may be said to be the first painter of flowers of any 
importance. Fruit, flowers, and still life in general soon became 
a chief feature in Greek painting ; whilst all are familiar with the 
reeds, tendrils, and flowers, which are the vaison d'etre of the 
whole scheme of decoration generally known as Pompeian. 
To return to birds, their part in the daily life of the Graeco- 
Roman period receives strong confirmation from the numerous 
dove-illustrations, the most beautiful example of which is now 
known as the Capitoline Doves. This lovely mosaic was found 
in Hadrian’s Villa, at Tivoli, and represents four doves sitting 
on the edge of an exquisitely modelled bowl filled with water. 
The action of the birds is exceedingly tender : one bends down 
her neck to drink, another plumes herself, the other two look 
round anxiously as if of a less confiding mind. The soft colouring 
and the remarkable skill with which the glancing lights and 
shadows on the plumage have been depicted by the artist 
makes this mosaic well worthy of its great reputation. This 
subject of doves sunning and pluming themselves on the rim of 
a vessel containing water appears to have been a very favourite 
one among the ancients, and one which Pliny’s description of the 
doves, executed by Sosos in Pergamos, has rendered immortal. 
Fruit, leaves, shells— indeed, all manner of still life — we find 
depicted in these old mosaics, and not the least interesting is one 
of those pavements representing the debris of a meal, with a little 
