Page:A History of Art in Chaldæa & Assyria Vol 2.djvu/407

 Textiles. 3 6 9 The principle of the decoration as a whole is almost identical with that of the bronze platters. A central motive is surrounded by parallel bands of ornaments in which groups of figures are symmetrically disposed. Outside this again are narrow borders composed of forms borrowed chiefly from the vegetable kingdom, such as conventional flowers and buds, palmettes, and rosettes. The figures are strongly religious in character ; here we find winged genii, like those about the palace doors, adoring the sacred tree, floating in space, or playing with lions (see Fig. 253) ; in Ë m%* mm ■»f- MM it m 1 / /A ))).' À Fin. 255. — Embroidered pectoral ; from Layard. another corner the king himself is introduced, standing between two monitory genii, or in act of homage to the winged disk and mystic palm. All these images are skilfully arranged, in compartments bounded by gracefully curving lines. The designer has understood how to cover his surface without crowding or confusion, and has shown a power of invention and a delicate taste that can hardly be surpassed by any other product of Mesopotamian art. There is no trace of the heaviness to which we alluded in our section on jewelry. VOL. II. 3 B