Page:A History of Art in Ancient Egypt Vol 1.djvu/208

 122 A History of Art in Ancient Egypt, Polychromy is thus a help to our eyes in those countries where a bhnding light would otherwise prevent us from appreciating the structural beauties of their architecture. It is by no means peculiar to Egypt, but that country was the first to employ it upon rich and vast undertakings, she employed it m.ore constantly and more universally than any other people, and she carried it to its logical conclusion with a boldness which was quite unique. The Egyptian habit of sprinkling figures over every surface without regard to its shape, its functions, or those of the mass to which it belonged, was also peculiar to themselves. Upon the round shaft of the column, upon the bare expanse of the wall, these figures were multiplied and developed to an extent which was limited only by the length of the wall or the height of the column. They were generally painted in bands of equal height, separated one from another by a narrow fillet which indicated the plane upon which the groups of figures had a footing. There is no visible connection between the bands of figures and the structures which they ornament ; right and left, above and below, they spread over every surface and pay no attention to the joints and other struc- tural accidents by which they are seamed (Fig. 85 and PI. III.) It may be said that these joints were invisible until the passage of centuries had laid them bare by destroying the stucco which, especially w^here sandstone or limestone was used, once veiled the surface of the bare walls. ^ Doubtless this is true ; but even in a climate such as that of Egypt, the architect could not believe that a ^ Wilkinson thought there was always a layer of stucco, even upon the beautiful granite of the obelisks {Manners and Customs of the Ancioit Egyptians^ 2nd ed., 1878, vol. ii. p. 286.) His statement must be treated with great respect. During his long sojourn in Egypt he examined the remains of the ancient civilisation with great care and patience, but yet we think his opinion upon this point must be accepted with some reserve. There are in the Louvre certain sarcophagi and other objects in hard stone, upon which traces of colour are clearly visible on the sunk beds of the figures and hieroglyphics, while not the slightest vestige of anything of the kind is to be found upon the smooth surface around those carvings. But it is certain that granite was often stuccoed over. Mariette has verified that it was so on the obelisk of Hatasu at Thebes; both from the inscription and the appearance of the monument itself he came to the conclusion that it had been gilded from top to bottom, and that the gold had been laid upon a coat of white stucco. "The plain surface," he says, "alone received this costly decoration. It had been left slightly rough, but the hieroglyphs, which had their beds most care- fully polished, preserved the colour and surface of the granite." {Itineraire, p. 178.) As for buildings of limestone or sandstone, like the temples of Thebes, they are always coated