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    BULLETIN OF THE METROPOLITANMUSEUM OF ARTULLETIN OF THE METROPOLITANMUSEUM OF ARTthe slight bevel characteristic of all plateglass of this time.The other cases are cruder in both work-manship and material, being of oakstained to a walnut color. The stand ofthe largest one, exhibiting the full-rigged

    the slight bevel characteristic of all plateglass of this time.The other cases are cruder in both work-manship and material, being of oakstained to a walnut color. The stand ofthe largest one, exhibiting the full-rigged

    FIG. I. LEKYTHOSMOURNERS AT A TOMB

    model, is a modern substitute, the old oneprobably having collapsed under the weightof the case. This lack of strength in thestand is one of the main defects of thetype and style, especially when the middleleg at the back is omitted, as it is in two ofthe series.

    Although for the purpose of seeing themodels a modernplate-glass cabinet is morepractical, the old cases more than balancethis disadvantage by their own decorative

    FIG. I. LEKYTHOSMOURNERS AT A TOMB

    model, is a modern substitute, the old oneprobably having collapsed under the weightof the case. This lack of strength in thestand is one of the main defects of thetype and style, especially when the middleleg at the back is omitted, as it is in two ofthe series.

    Although for the purpose of seeing themodels a modernplate-glass cabinet is morepractical, the old cases more than balancethis disadvantage by their own decorative

    quality and subtle harmony with themodels themselves. In this environment,too, it is easy enough to imagine old Sergi-son at our elbow, discoursing of the gloriesof the British navy, when she actually"beat the Dutch." M. R. R.THREE ATHENIAN WHITELEKYTHOI

    AMONG the most beautiful and mostinteresting of Greek vases are the so-calledAthenian white lekythoi, manufactured toserve as tomb offerings. We have a num-ber of examples exhibited in the Fifth Clas-sical Room in Cases F and L. And to thesewe are now able to add three conspicuousexamples. Technically these lekythoi ap-peal to us particularly, for instead of theuniform red and black coloring of the black-figured and red-figured vases, we get herethe effect of polychrome decoration on alight ground; that is, the figures are paintedin red, brown, yellow, blue, and black on awhite slip or engobe, applied over the sur-face of the red clay. And since the major-ity date from the middle or second half ofthe fifth century B. C., we can obtain fromthem a faint idea of the general appearanceof the lost frescoes and panel paintings ofthe Greeks.The subjects on the lekythoi are re-stricted more or less to one theme-the cultof the dead; they thus supplement in amost valuable way what we learn from theGreek gravestones of the Greek view ofdeath. One of the newly acquired leky-thoi shows a youth and a woman standingbefore a gravestone with a pedimental tophung with fillets1 (fig. i). The youth holds alance, the woman has brought another fil-let to decorate the stele, and both stand qui-etly one on either side of the stone, with noother sign of emotion than that indefinablesolemnity which we know so well from themarble reliefs, and which we are wont tothink of as typically Greek. And typicalof the Greeks it undoubtedly is; for it ap-pears again and again in Greek monuments.But it is typical of their artistic expressionrather than of the expression of their emo-

    lAcc. No. 22.53; H. 14. in.

    quality and subtle harmony with themodels themselves. In this environment,too, it is easy enough to imagine old Sergi-son at our elbow, discoursing of the gloriesof the British navy, when she actually"beat the Dutch." M. R. R.THREE ATHENIAN WHITELEKYTHOI

    AMONG the most beautiful and mostinteresting of Greek vases are the so-calledAthenian white lekythoi, manufactured toserve as tomb offerings. We have a num-ber of examples exhibited in the Fifth Clas-sical Room in Cases F and L. And to thesewe are now able to add three conspicuousexamples. Technically these lekythoi ap-peal to us particularly, for instead of theuniform red and black coloring of the black-figured and red-figured vases, we get herethe effect of polychrome decoration on alight ground; that is, the figures are paintedin red, brown, yellow, blue, and black on awhite slip or engobe, applied over the sur-face of the red clay. And since the major-ity date from the middle or second half ofthe fifth century B. C., we can obtain fromthem a faint idea of the general appearanceof the lost frescoes and panel paintings ofthe Greeks.The subjects on the lekythoi are re-stricted more or less to one theme-the cultof the dead; they thus supplement in amost valuable way what we learn from theGreek gravestones of the Greek view ofdeath. One of the newly acquired leky-thoi shows a youth and a woman standingbefore a gravestone with a pedimental tophung with fillets1 (fig. i). The youth holds alance, the woman has brought another fil-let to decorate the stele, and both stand qui-etly one on either side of the stone, with noother sign of emotion than that indefinablesolemnity which we know so well from themarble reliefs, and which we are wont tothink of as typically Greek. And typicalof the Greeks it undoubtedly is; for it ap-pears again and again in Greek monuments.But it is typical of their artistic expressionrather than of the expression of their emo-

    lAcc. No. 22.53; H. 14. in.I9292

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    BULLETIN OF THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ARTtions. For the Greeks, we must not for-get, were an exuberant southern peoplewhose motto, /-,8)ev ayav, "nothing toomuch," doubtless served as a curb forthe constant temptation to extravagance.Solon we know had to pass special laws tocurb the lamentations and lacerations ofmourners in Athens.2 Occasionally anunrestrained show of feeling is representedalso on the monuments. On another of thenew lekythoi,3 for instance, we have theusual composition-a gravestone with amourneron either side-but here one of the

    abstract imaginings; only such a simple,ingenuous scene as the journey across theStyx in Charon's boat. On the third leky-

    FIG. 3. SCENE FROM ALEKYTHOS. YOUTH LED

    BY HERMESthos4 a dead youth, closely wrapped in hisred mantle, is being led by Hermes, theconductor of souls (fig. 3); Charon,bearded and wearing his little felt cap and

    FIG. 2. SCENE FROM A LEKYTHOSMOURNER AT A TOMB

    mourners is kneeling, tearing her hair andraising her hand in great distress,completelygiven up to her grief (fig. 2). She is abeautiful figure, drawn with very few lines.Her companion stands calmly by, holding atray with fillets. Unfortunately the colorhas largely faded. Originally the red andblack sashes on the gravestone and in thetray were much more brilliant, and bothgirls wore reddish garments.But it is not only the sorrowof the mourn-ers that we see depicted on these vases;sometimes the dead themselves appear, andagain in characteristic Greek manner; forthere are neither horrors nor raptures nor

    2Plutarch,Solon,21, 4; Cicero, De Legibus,II, 23, 59.3Acc. No. 22. 139.1o; H. 12x-1 in.

    FIG. 4. SCENE FROM ALEKYTHOS. CHARON

    IN HIS BOATred tunic, is bringing to the shore his yellowboat with his yellow pole, ready to receivethe newcomer (fig. 4); in the background4Acc. No. 21.88. 17.; H. 12- in.

    193

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    BULLETIN OF THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ARTULLETIN OF THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ARTare remains of reeds as an indication of theriver bank. It might be a casual every-dayincident but for the solemn, quiet spiritwhich somehow gives it a deeper meaning.Our attention is withdrawn from the merestory-telling representation into anothersphere, and the simple concrete scene as-sumes an abstract meaning.An almost identical representation is on

    are remains of reeds as an indication of theriver bank. It might be a casual every-dayincident but for the solemn, quiet spiritwhich somehow gives it a deeper meaning.Our attention is withdrawn from the merestory-telling representation into anothersphere, and the simple concrete scene as-sumes an abstract meaning.An almost identical representation is on

    POMONA, CARVED IN WOODBELONGING TO MRS.CLIFFORD BRIGHAM

    a lekythos in Berlin (Riezler, Weissgrund-ische attische Lekythen, pl. 45), but thereare many variations of detail on the two,as always on such Greek "replicas." Ournew vase is a well-known piece and hasbeen frequently published.5 It is said tohave been found in Attica.The scenes on two of the new lekythoi(Nos. 22. 39.10 and 21.88. 7) are paintedentirely in matt colors, including the me-

    5Cf.e. g. Fairbanks,AthenianWhiteLekythoi,VII, p. 13, No. 16, and the other publicationsthere mentioned.

    POMONA, CARVED IN WOODBELONGING TO MRS.CLIFFORD BRIGHAM

    a lekythos in Berlin (Riezler, Weissgrund-ische attische Lekythen, pl. 45), but thereare many variations of detail on the two,as always on such Greek "replicas." Ournew vase is a well-known piece and hasbeen frequently published.5 It is said tohave been found in Attica.The scenes on two of the new lekythoi(Nos. 22. 39.10 and 21.88. 7) are paintedentirely in matt colors, including the me-

    5Cf.e. g. Fairbanks,AthenianWhiteLekythoi,VII, p. 13, No. 16, and the other publicationsthere mentioned.

    ander above and the palmettes on theshoulders; the picture on the third one (No.22.53) is painted partly in diluted glazeand partly in matt colors (red for the cloakof the youth, brownish red for the mantleof the woman, and red and black for the fil-lets and for the folds of the woman's gar-ments); while the meanders and palmettesare done in glaze with a few leaves in mattred. All three new lekythoi can be datedin the second half of the fifth century B. C.G. M. A. R.

    SOME CARVED FIGURES BYSAMUEL MclNTIRETHE point of departure for any study

    of Mclntire's figure sculpture is his"Pomona," one of the earliest essays ofplastic art in America. This figure, aboutfour feet high, carved in wood like all ofMclntire's work, formerly stood in EliasHasket Derby's garden in Danvers, Massa-chusetts, in front of the famous summerhouse built by Mclntire in 1794 andcrowned by his "Reaper" and "Milk-maid." It is now the property of Mrs.Clifford Brigham. None of these figures ismentioned in Mclntire's bill of 1795, norin Eliza Southgate's description of thegarden in 1802, so they were probablyadded in the time of the junior Derby be-tween that date and Mclntire's death in1811.The pert little goddess, full-bodied andround-cheeked, looks archly up under hertilted hat. From her horn of plenty de-pends a rich array of fruits and leafage.All told, the effect is rather that of a " Dres-den shepherdess," and the idea thatMclntire-who never carved from life,but worked from small vignettes or anymaterial at hand-enlarged it from animported figure is given some encourage-ment by Bow figures with the peculiarbifurcated skirt. Bernard Rackham of theSouth Kensington Museum writes of it,however:

    "Whilst there is some resemblance toporcelain treatment, I do not knowof anyfigure in porcelain, either English orforeign, which could have served in any

    ander above and the palmettes on theshoulders; the picture on the third one (No.22.53) is painted partly in diluted glazeand partly in matt colors (red for the cloakof the youth, brownish red for the mantleof the woman, and red and black for the fil-lets and for the folds of the woman's gar-ments); while the meanders and palmettesare done in glaze with a few leaves in mattred. All three new lekythoi can be datedin the second half of the fifth century B. C.G. M. A. R.

    SOME CARVED FIGURES BYSAMUEL MclNTIRETHE point of departure for any study

    of Mclntire's figure sculpture is his"Pomona," one of the earliest essays ofplastic art in America. This figure, aboutfour feet high, carved in wood like all ofMclntire's work, formerly stood in EliasHasket Derby's garden in Danvers, Massa-chusetts, in front of the famous summerhouse built by Mclntire in 1794 andcrowned by his "Reaper" and "Milk-maid." It is now the property of Mrs.Clifford Brigham. None of these figures ismentioned in Mclntire's bill of 1795, norin Eliza Southgate's description of thegarden in 1802, so they were probablyadded in the time of the junior Derby be-tween that date and Mclntire's death in1811.The pert little goddess, full-bodied andround-cheeked, looks archly up under hertilted hat. From her horn of plenty de-pends a rich array of fruits and leafage.All told, the effect is rather that of a " Dres-den shepherdess," and the idea thatMclntire-who never carved from life,but worked from small vignettes or anymaterial at hand-enlarged it from animported figure is given some encourage-ment by Bow figures with the peculiarbifurcated skirt. Bernard Rackham of theSouth Kensington Museum writes of it,however:

    "Whilst there is some resemblance toporcelain treatment, I do not knowof anyfigure in porcelain, either English orforeign, which could have served in any

    I9494


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