Ancient art and its remains, or, A manual of the archaeology of art / By C.O. Müller.

  • Karl Otfried Müller
Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Ancient art and its remains, or, A manual of the archaeology of art / By C.O. Müller. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    91/664
    2. The Theseion was begun under Cimon, 01. 77, 4. About 01. 80, 3. the Athenians made a proposal for a renovation at the common expense of the temples destroyed by the Persians; and about this time many temples were built in Attica. The Parthenon completed 01. 85, 3. The Pro- pylfea built 85, 4 to 87, 1. The stone theatre was begun (^era to veaelv Tcc t'KQta) 70, 1, but the upper portions were not completed until the financial administration of Lycurgus (109—112). The Peisianactic Hall was formed into a picture gallery, Hoix.i'An, about 79, 3. The Odeion was built by Pericles for the Panathenasa before 84, 1. See the author's Commentatt. de Phidia i. §. 5. The cost of these buildings was consi- derable ; the Propylsea cost (together with all their appurtenances) 2012 talents (Harpocration); Thucydides ii, 13. says nothing in contradiction to this. 102. While in these works of architecture a spirit of art 1 was unfolded which combined grace with majesty in the hap- piest manner, the plastic art, emancipated by means of the free and lively spirit of democratic Athens from all the fetters of antique stiffness, and penetrated by the powerful and magnifi- cent genius of the age of Pericles, attained through Phidias the same culminating point. However, in conformity with 2 the character of the elder Hellenians, the admired master- pieces of that time still bore the impress of calm dignity and unimpassioned tranquillity of soul. The spirit of Athenian 3 art soon acquired the sway throughout Greece, although art was also cultivated in the Peloponnesus in great perfection, especially among the democratic and industrious Argives. 3. Athenian artists about 01. 83, (De Phidia i. 14) worked for the Delphian temple [N. Rhein. Mus. i. s. 18.] and the Phidian school about the 86th 01. adorned Olympia and EUs with sculptures. On the state of Argos, see the author's Dorians ii. p. 147. Lewis and Tufnell. 103. The Peloponnesian war, from 01. 87, 1 ex. to 93, 4, 1 destroyed in the first place the wealth of Athens, the ex- penses of the war having exceeded the amount of revenue, and at the same time tore asunder the bond which united the Athenian school with the Peloponnesian and other artists. Of deeper infiuence was the internal change which occurred 2 during the Peloponnesian war, not without considerable co- operation from the great pestilence (01. 87, 3) which swept away the manly race of old Athenians and left a worse behind. Sensuality and passion on the one hand, and 3 a sophistical cultivation of the understanding and lan- guage on the other, took the place of the solid manner of thinking, guided hy sure feelings, which was a character- istic of earlier times. The Grecian people broke doAvn the bulwarks of ancient national principles, and, as in public life, so also in all the arts, the pursuit of enjoyment and the desire for more violent mental excitement, pressed more prominently into view.