Page:History of Art in Primitive Greece - Mycenian Art Vol 2.djvu/286

 Representations of Human Life. 233 not be applied except with great difficulty to a circular vase, of so feeble a diameter as to scarcely allow the hand to get through the narrow aperture. The tool lacked space and re- bound. To have succeeded in such conditions as these in producing so true a shape is nothing short of marvellous. Again, the inner plate or lining seen here implies that exceptional care was bestowed on these goblets. If the goldsmith laid upon himself this additional burden, for which we should vainly seek another example among the similar objects yielded by the Mycenian graves,^ it was not merely to make the walls of the vases stronger, but also to endow them with greater refinement and a more pleasing appearance. The rugged surface and its unsightly hollows, corresponding with the reliefs of the design, were concealed by the fine, smooth gold-leaf, which enhanced the rich effect. To the foregoing remarks, relating to the practical knowledge which is displayed here, we have nothing more to add, save that the work begun with the hammer and chaser was gone over and finished with the burin. Those parts requiring special markings, such as the hair, coiled ropes, leaves, stems of palm trees, etc., were worked with a fine point. We must now turn, none too soon, to the study of the subject, or rather subjects — for the theme varies from one vase to another — which are represented on the Vaphio goblets. We will begin with the cup which bears the scene enclosed by a double band (Fig. 362). The central bull gives us the clue to the whole picture. He has been scared by the tally-ho of the beaters, and has rushed into the toils of a great hunting-net, tied to a couple of trees right, and left. Thrown on his haunches, he roars in mad fury, and strains his head to the skies as he vainly struggles to free himself. Warned just in time by his brother's misadventure, a second bull has cleared the net with a formid- able leap, without touching ground ; he turns to the right and effects his escape, no one pursuing. Two men have dashed forward to arrest a bull who is rushing furiously to the left, but both have come to grief. One has. been caught and tossed in mid-air, whence he falls on the brute's back ; the other has apparently not been tossed, but has been transfixed and hurled ^ The cups from the Mycenae graves, having no second plate, show the hollows of the raised pattern, as will be seen by reference to Schliemann's book.