language of Greek vases, says Professor Percy Gardner, depends on the answer. The truth probably lies between the two alternatives. As an illustration of the Iliad (vi. 467, etc.)—one of the most beautiful and famous passages in literature-the painting is altogether inadequate; the characteristic points are not caught. But the vasepainters seldom set themselves to illustrate poems. The design was there before the meaning, and the literary allusion was an adaptation. We may say, therefore, that this is an ordinary scene, but that the painter had the Iliad in his mind (see an interesting article in J.H.S., ix. p. 11; on the general subject see p. 378).

E 159 (hydria).—This vase is interesting both for treatment and subject. The drawing is good. Notice, for instance, how carefully the artist has drawn the hands and feet, the nails being faithfully rendered. These are points about which many of the painters were frankly decorative or conventional. The brown inner markings on this vase are very elaborate. The subject seems to be a variation on that of maidens carrying pitchers, of which we have seen so many examples among the black-figure vases. Three athletes are carrying water from the fountain in vases like the one before us. The water runs from a lion's head of admirable execution. The next scene would doubtless be the bathing, as shown on the kylix E 83, p. 384. The dedication name on the vase- -Megacles—is interesting in connection with the dating of vases (p. 360). A Megacles is known to have been ostracised in 487 B.C. (the actual record remains), and on a vase at Athens the name Megacles has been erased in consequence and another substituted (J. H.S. xii. 366).

E 316 (amphora).—The drawing here is fine, and the attitude of Athena is interesting. The goddess of wisdom is shown in a reflective mood: her elbow resting on her knee, and her chin on the bent fingers of her hand.

E 307 (amphora).—A curious little Athenian interior, finely drawn. A woman is looking at a monkey, who squats facing her on a high cube or box-possibly his crib—and tied by a cord.

Lastly, a red-figure kekythos from Eretria (acquired in 1899) is of special interest in connection with its "kaλós" inscription. A young woman is hurrying out of an open door. "There is no indication on the vase of what or of whom she is in pursuit, but the outstretched hands would seem to imply that the desired object is not far distant. In front of her, and almost as if issuing from her lips, is the name Alcmæon, and below this the word kaλós. She is probably calling out 'Alcmæon,' and thus the vase is one of those very rare instances where the subject appears to have a direct connection with the name inscribed." Possibly the picture is intended to show us a girl hurrying to write upon the wall of the Ceramicus the name of a lover: see above, p. 359 (see an article by Isabella A. Dickson in J.H.S. xix. 202). The name of Alcmæon has historical interest as that of the son of Megacles (see E 159 above); the family was one of the most distinguished at Athens (Herod. vi. 125).

CHAPTER XX

THE FOURTH VASE ROOM

(Vases of the Decadence: 4th-3rd cent. B.C.)

"The multitude of figures introduced, the complexity of the composition, the inferiority and carelessness of the design, the flourish and lavishment of decoration-in a word, the absence of that chasteness and purity which gave the perfect style its chief charm, indicate these vases to belong, if not always to the period of decadence, at least to the verge of it."-WESTROPP.

IN this room are arranged the later examples of Greek vases in the red-figure style. Perhaps the best way to form a clear idea of the difference between the later and the earlier red-figure vases is to compare a conspicuous specimen of each period. Let us look, for instance, in the Third Room at the "Meidias Vase" on Pedestal IV. This is itself, as we have seen, a somewhat florid example of the best period. But the visitor will feel at once how greatly it differs from such a vase as that on Pedestal XII. in this room (F 278). At a first glance the vase here may seem the more effective; but if we examine the two vases more closely, we shall speedily observe that the work on the earlier one is far more delicate and refined. This, then, is the first characteristic of the later vases. The chief thing now aimed at by the potters and painters was splendour and general effect, rather than intrinsic beauty. First, therefore, the later vases are larger. Payne Knight, one of the connoisseurs to whose taste the British Museum owes many of its best antiques, had a theory that beauty and magnitude could not exist together in works of art. That is an exaggeration, but it is, as Ruskin says, one of the primal merits and decencies of Greek work, in all the arts, that it was on the whole singularly small in scale. The vase-painters of the decadence increased the size of the vases, but sacrificed, as we shall see, much beauty

the later vases.

in doing so. Secondly, in order to increase the general effect colouring was much more freely introduced. We have seen in the last room how beautifully, and yet sparingly, white and gold were used (Pedestal III., E 424). In the vases of the later period large masses of white are introduced, and yellow is copiously used for enhancing details. Simplicity and refinement give way to exaggeration and showiness. Next, it will be noticed that the whole vase is covered either with figures or ornaments. The neck and the handles are decorated, and floral ornaments fill all the unoccupied spaces. This is very characteristic of We have seen how in the archaic vases (Ch. XVII.), as indeed in most early expressions of art, there was a horror of vacant spaces. Rosettes and other floral ornaments were scattered about, always in an unmeaning, and often in an incongruous fashion. Then the painters learnt the secret of selecting appropriate subjects, and of so designing them as, with suitable ornamentation, to cover adequately the surface of the vase. Now we find the old fashion returning, and ornaments strewn about for the mere sake of filling space. In the case of the best vases of the late period, such as the one before us (F 278), the general effect is undeniably fine. The vase is a blaze of decoration from head to foot, and there is some grace in the forms. But even on the best of these vases the drawing is very inferior in refinement and delicacy to the earlier work.

In some respects, however, it should be noted that there is an advance in technical skill. The figures are drawn in front or three-quarters, instead of only in profile; effects of perspective are sometimes introduced (F 352, p. 412); and there are attempts at shading (F 542, p. 415). On the other hand, many of the old "shorthand" conventions are continued. Landscape is represented by rocks or trees. A woman's apartment is indicated by a door-sash, a gymnasium by a pair of dumb-bells. On some of the vases the influence of painting is clearly marked; in some, as we shall see, the decorator seems to have imitated well-known pictures of the time (e.g. F 479, p. 417). Even, however, in the better vases of the late period the drawing is careless. In the poorer specimens it is coarse in the extreme, and the latest of the painted vases are devoid of any artistic merit whatever. "The extreme degradation to which vase-painting of this period fell, seems to be due, not so much to the general decay of the arts among the Greeks, as to the fact that the vases were no longer made by able artists, but

were turned out in large quantities from the hands of an uneducated class of artisans. This was probably partly owing to increasing wealth and love of display, which created a demand for gold and silver plate, rather than for the cheaper but more artistic beauty of painted clay."

To these remarks on the artistic characteristics of the vases of the decadence, a few notes may be added on their history and, incidentally, on the subjects represented upon them. It will be observed that nearly all the vases in this room came from South Italy. During the period when they were produced (400-200 B.C.), the political power of Athens was at an end, but Greek culture had spread far beyond the boundaries of Greece. Vase-painting seems to have more particularly found a home in the Greek colonies in Italy. Some of these cities, such as Tarentum-the "gay Tarentum" of Macaulay's Lay -surpassed the Greek cities themselves in luxury and splendour. Many of the vases here collected were produced for purposes of display in funeral rites, and the splendour of such funeral appurtenances may give us an idea of the magnificence and luxury in which the people lived. It is this gay and luxurious life which is for the most part reflected on the vases. The myths of Olympus and the legends of the Greek heroes have to a great extent disappeared. The more distinctively Attic subjects, such as the birth of Athena and the exploits of Theseus, which meet us at every turn in the second and third vase rooms, will not be found in this Italian room. Toilet scenes and genre motives are now the prevailing subjects, and over all is the presence of Eros, the god of love. Sometimes scenes of courtship may be intended, but more often the drawings are mere fancy pictures, like the Dresden shepherdesses of a later age. On another large class of vases the subjects are directly connected with funeral rites. Where myths are used as the subject for decoration, they are frequently taken from plays of Euripides; subjects demanding violent and emotional scenes are specially in favour. Some of the vases have subjects taken from the comic stage. The farces -scenes from which appear on some of the vases here--were very popular in South Italy. It was during the performance of one of them in Tarentum that the Greeks saw the Roman fleet entering the harbour, 302 B.C.

The classification of the vases in this room is explained on the printed labels to the various cases. Five main divisions