Page:General History of Europe 1921.djvu/142

 94 General History of Europe A WALL-PAINTING AT POMPEII SHOWING THE SACRIFICE OF IPHIGENIA The works of the great fourth-century artists have all perished, but it is supposed that the later house decorators and wall-painters of Italy copied the old masterpieces. Hence the scene here shown probably conveys some impression of old Greek painting. The scene shows us the maid Iphigenia as she is carried away to be slain as a sacrifice. The figure at the left, standing with veiled face, suggests, as often in modern art, the dreadfulness of a coming catastrophe, which human eyes are unwilling to behold. Note the skill with which human limbs are made to show thickness and roundness representations of the gods which we have from the hand of Phidias, the gods and goddesses of Praxiteles appear as very lovely and ideal human beings, who stand at ease in graceful attitudes with care-free faces. 142. Painting and Discovery of Perspective. The introduc- tion of painting on wooden tablets made it possible for people of