Page:History of Art in Primitive Greece - Mycenian Art Vol 1.djvu/545

 5'8 Primitive Greece : Mvcenian Art. decided advance, are still entirely covered with bands of many colours. These, however, are now studded with white dots (Fig. 210), now marked with perpendicular stHse (Fig. 211), or separated the one from the other, here by roundels (Fig. 212), there by rosettes and chaplets composed of heart-shaped leaves (Fig. 213). It is only in exceptional cases that the painters of these frescoes contented themselves with such simple forms ; what they seem to have delighted in were circling, sweeping, and —Fragment of slab from the broken lines, that would show off their dexterity and sureness of hand. Around a small dark circle, strongly relieved against the background, they drew spires and mighty curves of a more or less complicated nature (Fig. 214). Somewhat undefinable are forms with a general resemblance to the lozenge, except that their lines are sinuous instead of being straight (Fig. 215); circles, and a species of comb or rake occupy the centre of these cartouche-like figures (Fig. 216).