Page:History of Art in Primitive Greece - Mycenian Art Vol 2.djvu/338

 Animal Representation. 285 running at full speed is well seen in the annexed drawing (Fig. 406). Elsewhere he is pictured devouring a boar or bull (Fig. 407), whilst an ivory plaque from a Mycens rock-cut grave shows how individual could be the handling of this theme in the hands of the native artist (Fig. 408). In this instance the griffin is crouching, wfth wings outstretched ; his head is turned in such a way that the artisan was unable to show the egret-wise appendage, which elsewhere falls on the back. I'lo. 410.— Ivory sphinx. Actual siic. So, too, the sphinx is of Egyptian origin ; but one is tempted to think that he came to Hellas by way of Syria, where his image underwent modification, and became somewhat more compli- cated. Winged sphinxes are very rare in Egypt, where they are met with exceptionally, and then with very long wings, which overshadow the back part of the body, the ends hanging down as if broken.' The composite animal, whether in Phcenicia, Assyria, or Mycenae, is always given wings turned back on them- selves {Figs. 409-411). His bust is not that of a woman; yet the smooth chin and soft contour of the face belong rather to ^ History of Art.