Page:A History of Art in Ancient Egypt Vol 2.djvu/142

20 A History of Art in Ancient Egypt. endeavour to give expression. In spite of the great apparent diversity of their forms, we are enabled to perceive that the Egyptian orders obeyed an unchanging law of development, and that certain characteristic features persistently reappear through all their transformations. We must attempt to define these laws and characteristics, as, otherwise, we shall fail to make the originality of Eyptian art appreciated, we shall be unable to classify its successes, or to mark with accuracy the limits which it failed to pass. Fig. 95- — Capital from the -Hork of Thothmes at Karnak. Fig. 96. — Arrangement of architraves upon a capital. From the plans and elevations of Lepsius. Between the square pier with neither base nor capital of the early Empire and the graceful columns of the Ramesseum there is a difference which marks ages of progress. The general form of the support became gradually more complex and more refined. As occurred elsewhere, it was divided into parts, each of which had its proper duty and its proper name. The base was distinguished from the shaft, and the shaft from the capital. Each of these parts was shaped by the sculptor and clothed in colour by the painter. For long centuries the architect never relaxed his efforts to perfect his art. The simple and sturdy prismatic column gave way to the