Page:History of Art in Phœnicia and Its Dependencies Vol 2.djvu/127

 CONDITIONS AND MATERIALS. 105 In the field of religious notions and of the art by which those notions are interpreted, Cyprus played a part analogous to that described in speaking of the textiles and useful vegetables given by Asia to Europe. Her action may be studied with the greatest ease and completeness in her sculpture, and the task is greatly helped by the discoveries of which she has been lately the scene, as well as by the decipherment of her inscriptions. The ancient authors tell us little about the Cypriot civilization, especially during the earlier periods, while we could hardly guess at the existence of her plastic art from anything they say. The few examples of those artists who found their way westwards are confounded with objects of a quite distinct provenance. But to-day, although her architecture has almost completely perished, Cyprus is represented in all the great museums of Europe, and in the most important collection in America, by numerous figured monuments whose origin is known, monuments which already make up more than one rich series. From her ruins and grave- yards a whole art has emerged, and that an art very curious and national, an art of whose existence Winckelmann had no suspicion, an art whose interest and importance was not even suspected by Gerhard, who was living less than two decades ago. 3. Conditions and Materials, The foreign influences by which the art of Syria was affected made themselves felt in Cyprus also. Cypriot sculpture, which may be readily distinguished from that of Phoenicia by a skilful eye, was modified by Asia, in part directly, in part through Phoenician agency. The peculiar characteristics of Cypriot art are not to be sought for exclusively, or even especially, in the clay statuettes. In these little objects a complete resemblance between Syria and Cyprus may often be traced, and the likeness is easily explained. Such small objects could be easily carried about, and either in their final shapes or as moulds could be exported readily to distant countries. The definition of a local style may be more safely based on lapidary sculpture. Thus, if we carefully examine a few Cypriot statues in a museum, we shall have little difficulty in recognizing their con- geners when we meet them elsewhere. In some ways they VOL. II.