Page:History of Art in Primitive Greece - Mycenian Art Vol 2.djvu/367

 314 Primitive Greece: Mycenian Art. were frequent enough to have put into the mind of the native artist that here was an opportunity for freely imitating Egyptian scarabs. One of the commonest subjects treated by these en- gravers was the group composed of some victim on which the lion had made his spring — stag, ram, or bull — as in Plate XVI. 21, for instance. It is the same with the stag brought down by the hunter, and the wild bull careering in woody stretches (PI. XVI. 8, 10). Pendants to these are to be found at Mycenae and Vaphio (Figs. 413 ; 419, 18), whilst the pair of lions front- ing each other on either side of an altar (PI. XVI. 11), the two goats erect on their hind-legs (Fig. 419, 23), are but varieties of a group which recurs again and again on bas-reliefs and intaglios (Pis. XIV., XVI. 20; Fig. 421, 25). If the cuttle- fish is portrayed but once on a gem of doubtful origin (PI. XVI. 4), we are aware that it has furnished the Mycenian decorator with one of his favourite themes. The two fishes introduced into the field alongside of the mollusk in question re-appear on a Vaphio intaglio (Fig. 424, 2). It is now the turn of the remaining gems to make good their right to be comprised in this category ; but there will be no necessity to dwell at any length on them. Such representations as a conflict between two warriors (Fig. 421, 7), or a man standing between two goats erect on their hind-legs (Fig. 425, 7), or a boar's chase (Fig. 421, 13), or a lion devouring an antelope (Fig. 421, 9), or hunting a stag (Fig. 425, 3), or the portrayal of a man apparently hovering in mid-air above the animal, but whom the artist conceived running by the side of the beast, (Fig. 425, 12), are not of a kind to arouse our suspicions. In point of fact, the primitive perspective of this last intaglio dates the piece.^ A female dog is sucking her pups (Fig, 425, i). Where is the anomaly ? Was there an outcry because a cow was discovered feeding her calf, and a doe her fawn ? We see a man carrying a big fish suspended from a string (Fig. 425, 4) ; none the less the theory has been advanced that the natives of that period ate no fish. But on what ground do they rest their assumption ? This they have forgotten to tell us. At any rate, the general outline and costume of the fisherman are precisely similar to those of the best-authenticated Mycenian figures. One is tempted to see deities in a certain number of these images ; ^ Arr/i. Anzei^er^ 1890.