Page:History of Art in Primitive Greece - Mycenian Art Vol 2.djvu/314

The Human Figure as Dkcohativk Element. 261 Eyebrows, mouth, forehead, nostrils, and ears are marked with strokes made with the point on the gold-leaf. Though not exactly identical, these heads bear a strong likeness to each other, and their profile does not greatly differ from that beheld on the ivories (Figs. 359, 373) ; with this difference, that here the line formed by the forehead and nose is not always quite straight In some of the faces this line is broken at the root of the forehead, and the shape of not a few noses is almost aquiline. The upper and lower lip are closely shaven, and we are somewhat surprised to perceive about these busts the so-called American beard. For variety's sake, no doubt, some beards are pointed and fall under the chin. The wealth of hair is parted into three long curls, which tumble Fio. 378. — Ivory plaque. Actual size. about the neck and shoulder. These three pig-tails, with curly ends, re-appear in a clay vase which was picked up in the passage leading to the grave next to the one where the silver goblet was discovered (Fig. 375). It is but a small fragment on the surface of which we descry the head, arm, and upper part of a man's body, apparently dressed. The drawing is singularly rude, yet we think we divine a pointed beard, and the helmet-cap of our silver vase. The attraction which the female form exercised on the Trojan potter induced him to try his 'prentice hand in reproducing it The mature art of the primitive epoch showed no less predilection for the physical charms of woman ; which it not unfrequently introduced, and sometimes with the happiest results, into the decorative scheme of its more elaborate works. As a rule, the artificer shows her clothed in a tight-fitting tunic, with a petticoat trimmed with