Public-domain ebook
by Clara Erskine Clement Waters
Language: en10,792 downloads on Project Gutenberg
Subjects
In: History - Other·Architecture·Art
Public-domain ebook sourced from Project Gutenberg #25632.
Clara Erskine Clement Waters’s A History of Art for Beginners and Students is a survey of classical sculpture that opens with vivid, almost theatrical descriptions of individual statues. She guides the reader through the tragic drama of a wounded sister and her protective brother, then moves on to recount the deeds of sculptors such as Leochares, Lysippus, and Chares of Lindos, linking each work to its mythic or historical context. The passage blends factual detail, dates, locations, and attributions, with a narrative tone that emphasizes the emotional power of the figures, inviting the reader to imagine the scenes that inspired ancient artists.
Written in the late‑19th‑century scholarly style, the book combines meticulous research with a lyrical, descriptive voice. Its language is formal yet accessible, making it appealing to students of art history, amateur enthusiasts, and anyone who enjoys a richly illustrated account of ancient Greek and Roman art. Those who appreciate a blend of factual scholarship and evocative storytelling will find Waters’s approach both informative and engaging.
Fig. 45.—The Eldest Daughter . Fig. 46.—A Niobid. I cannot give pictures of all the figures, but one of the most interesting is this brother and sister. She is wounded, and he endeavors to raise his garment so as to shield her and himself from the deadly arrows which pursue them (Fig. 44). This figure of the eldest daughter is very beautiful. An arrow has pierced her neck, and the right hand is bent back to the wound. The face is noble and simple, and has been a favorite model to Guido Reni and other Italian masters (Fig. 45). Fig. 46 shows one of the older sons, who, though wounded and fallen on one knee, still looks toward his slayer with an air of defiance. There is a world of interest connected with these statues, and they move us with a variety of emotions. …
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