All the following excerpts from Winckelmann's Storia delle Arti el Disegno Presso gli Antichi are given in translation (and in Italian) in: Alexander Walker, Beauty: Illustrated by an Analysis and Classification of Beauty in Women (London, 1852), ch. xviii., The Greek Ideal of Beauty, pp. 315-21:
“Taken in either sense [of action or of passion], expression changes the features of the face, and the disposition of the body, and consequently the forms which constitute beauty; and the greater the change, the greater the loss of beauty. Therefore, the state of tranquillity and repose was considered as a fundamental point in the art. Tranquillity is the state proper to beauty.
“The handsomest men are generally the most mild and the best disposed.
“Besides, tranquillity and repose, both in men and animals, is the state which allows us best to examine and represent their nature and qualities; as we can see the bottom of the sea or rivers only when the waves are tranquil and the stream runs smoothly.
“Therefore the Grecian artists, wishing to depict, in their representations of their deities, the perfection of human beauty, strove to produce, in their countenances and actions, a certain placidity without the slightest change or perturbation, which, according to their philosophy, was at variance with the nature and character of the gods. The figures produced in this state of repose expressed a perfect equilibrium of feeling.
“But as complete tranquillity and repose cannot exist in figures in action, and even the gods are represented in human form, and subject to human affections, we must not always expect to find in them the most sublime idea of beauty. This is then compensated for by expression. The ancient artists, however, never lost sight of it: it was always their principal object, to which expression was in some sort made subservient.
“Beauty without expression would be insignificant, and expression without beauty would be unpleasing; but from their influence over each other, from combining together their apparently discordant qualities, results an eloquent, persuasive, and interesting beauty.”
Some of these remarks are true and beautiful; but the great object of the Greeks in suppressing the convulsions of impassioned expression, was the bestowal of grace, the highest quality in all representation. . . . the Greeks suppressed impassioned expression only to bestow the highest degree of grace. Those, therefore, who complain of this, show themselves ignorant of the best object of their art. . . .
“Repose and tranquillity may be regarded as the effect of that composed manner which the Grecians studied to show in their actions and gestures. Amongst them, a hurried gait was regarded as contrary to the idea of decent deportment, and partaking somewhat of expressive boldness. . . . Whilst on the other hand, slow and regulated motions of the body were proofs amongst the ancients of a great mind.
“The highest idea of tranquillity and composure is found expressed in the representations of the divinities; so that from the father of the gods to the inferior deities, their figures appear free from the influence of any affection. The greatest of the poets thus describes Jupiter as making all Olympus tremble by merely moving his eyebrow or shaking his locks. . . . All the figures of Jupiter are not however made in the same style. . . .
“In representing the figures of heroes, the ancient artist exercised equal care and judgment; and expressed only those human affections which are suitable for a wise man, who represses the violence of his passions, and scarcely allows a spark of the internal flame to be seen, so as to leave to those who are desirous of it, the trouble of finding out what remains concealed. . . .
“Niobe and her daughters, against whom Diana shot her fatal arrows, are represented as seized with terror and horror, in that state of indescribable anguish, when the sight of instant and inevitable death deprives the mind of the power of thought. Of this state of stupor and insensibility, the fable gives us an idea in the metamorphosis of Niobe into a stone; and hence Æschylus introduces her in his tragedy as stunned and speechless. In such a moment, when all thought and feeling cease, in a state bordering upon insensibility, the appearance is not altered, nor any feature of the face disturbed, and the mighty artist could here depict the most sublime beauty, and has indeed done so. Niobe and her daughters are, and ever will be, the most perfect models of beauty.”
No comments:
Post a Comment