Book vii

., Chap. 5.

“In other apartments--that is, in those of Spring, Autumn, and Summer, as also in the atrium and peristylium--the ancients have established certain methods of painting. A picture is the representation of things that are, or may be, as men, buildings, ships, and other things; of which the copy, by having the exact form and outlines of the real body, assumes the likeness. The ancients, who originally instituted this manner of decoration, at first imitated the varieties and marks of marble incrustation, then cornices, disposing between them divers silacious and miniaceous coloured ornaments. They proceeded afterwards to represent edifices with columns and pediments projecting; but in spacious places, such as exedræ, on account of the amplitude of the walls, they represented the fronts of scenes in the tragic, comic, or satyric manner; and ambulatories, being of a great length, they ornamented with landscapes, expressing the appearance of particular places, painting harbours, promontories, sea coasts, rivers, fountains, canals, temples, groves, mountains, cattle, and shepherds; in some places, also, large paintings of figures, representing the gods, or fabulous histories, the Trojan war, or the wanderings of Ulysses, and other subjects of a similar kind, which are conformable to the nature of things.

“But these subjects, which our forefathers copied from nature, are now, by our depraved manners, disapproved; for monsters, rather than the resemblances of natural objects, are painted on the stucco, reeds are substituted for columns, and for the pediments, fluted harpaginetuli, with curling foliage and volutes; also candelabra supporting the forms of little buildings, their pediments rising out of roots, with numerous volutes and tender stalks, having, contrary to reason, images sitting on them; so also the flowers from stalks have half figures springing therefrom, with heads, some like those of men, some like those of beasts, which things neither are nor can be, nor ever were: and this new mode so prevails that those who are not judges disregard the arts--for how is it possible for reeds to support a roof--or candelabra buildings and the ornaments of pediments--or stalks, which are so slender and soft, sitting figures--or the flowers of stalks produce half images? Yet men, being accustomed to the sight of these absurdities, do not censure, but are pleased with them, without considering whether they be proper or not; the judgment, depraved by habit, examines not whether they be according to propriety and the rules of decor; for pictures should not be approved unless they be conformable to truth, even although they be well executed, they ought, therefore, to be immediately condemned unless they can bear the trial of rational examination without being disapproved.

“Thus at Tralles, when Apaturius of Alabanda had excellently well painted a scene in the little theatre, which with them is called the Ecclesiasterion, and instead of columns had placed statues and centaurs, supporting the epistylium, the circular roof of the dome, and projecting corners of the pediments, and ornamented the cornice with lions’ heads, all which have reference to the roofing and eaves of edifices; above these, nevertheless, in the episcene, domes, porticos, semipediments, and all the various parts of buildings were again painted; wherefore upon the appearance of this scene, when by reason of its enrichment it was found pleasing to all, and they were ready to applaud the work, Licinius, the mathematician, then advanced and said, ‘the Alabandines are sufficiently intelligent in all civil affairs, but for a trifling impropriety are deemed injudicious; for the statues in their gymnasium are all in the attitude of pleading causes, while those in the forum are holding the discus, or in the attitude of running or playing with balls; so that the unsuitableness of the attitudes of the figures to the purposes of the places, throws a public disgrace upon the city. Let us then take care that by the scene of Apaturius we are not deemed Alabandines, or even Abderites; for who among you places upon the tiles of the roofs of your houses columns or pediments? These things are placed upon the floors, not upon the tiles. If then we approve in painting what cannot be in fact, we of this city shall be like those who, on account of the same error, are deemed illiterate.’ Apaturius dared not to reply, but took down the scene and altered it so as to be consistent to truth; after which it was approved. I, with the immortal gods, would restore Licinius to life, that he might correct this folly and fashionable disfigurement of our stucco work; but why a false overcomes a just mode it will not be foreign to the purpose to explain.

“The ancients, with labour and application, endeavoured to make their works be approved by the excellences of art; this is now supplied by the beauty of colours, and the use of those of the most costly kind; and that value which was formerly given to works by the skill of the artist, is not desired since the expense of the proprietor supplies its place. Who among the ancients is known to have used minium otherwise than sparingly and as a medicine? But now it is everywhere laid over the whole wall; it is the same with crysocolla, ostrum, and armenium, which, when laid, although without any art, appear very brilliant to the sight, and they are so costly, that it is usually specified in the articles of agreement that they shall be purchased by the proprietor, and not by the contractor.”

Pliny, also, who perished, it must be remembered, dining the conflagration of the cities (see page 8), affords some curious testimony to the popularity of this mode of decoration, and of one particular painter, Ludius. He says,