第131章

From the constant use of this pictorial representation, there grew up thebut slightly-modified practice of picture-writing -- a practice which wasfound still extant among the Mexicans at the time they were discovered. Byabbreviations analogous to those still going on in our own language, themost familiar of these pictured figures were successively simplified; andultimately there grew up symbols, most of which had but distant resemblancesto the things for which they stood. The inference that the hieroglyphicsof the Egyptians thus arose, is confirmed by the fact that the picture-writingof the Mexicans was found to have given birth to a like family of ideographicforms; and among them, as among the Egyptians, these had been partially differentiatedinto the kuriological or imitative, and the tropical or symbolic: which were,however, used together in the same record. In Egypt, written language underwenta further differentiation, resulting in the hieratic and the epistolographicor enchorial: both derived from the original hieroglyphic. At the same timefor proper names, which could not be otherwise expressed, phonetic symbolswere employed; and though the Egyptians never achieved complete alphabeticwriting, yet it can scarcely be doubted that among other peoples phoneticsymbols, occasionally used in aid of ideographic ones, were the germs outof which alphabetic writing arose. Once having become separate from hieroglyphics,alphabetic writing itself underwent numerous differentiations -- multipliedalphabets were produced: between most of which, however, connexions can stillbe traced. And in each civilized nation there have now grown up, for therepresentation of one set of sounds, several sets of written signs, usedfor distinct purposes. Finally, through a yet more important differentiationcame printing; which, uniform in kind as it was at first, has since becomemultiform. §124. While written language was passing through its earlier stagesof development, the mural decoration which formed its root was being differentiatedinto Painting and Sculpture. The gods, kings, men, and animals represented,were originally marked by indented outlines and coloured. In most cases theseoutlines were of such depth, and the object they circumscribed so far rounded,as to form a species of work intermediate between intaglio and bas-relief.

In other cases we see an advance upon this: the spaces between the figuresbeing chiselled out, and the figures themselves appropriately tinted, a paintedbas-relief was produced. The restored Assyrian architecture at Sydenham exhibitsthis style of art carried to greater perfection: the persons and things represented,though still barbarously coloured, are carved with more truth and in greaterdetail; and in the winged lions and bulls used for the angles of gateways,we see advance towards a completely sculptured figure; which, nevertheless,is still coloured and still forms part of the building. But though in Assyriathe production of a statue proper seems to have been little, if at all, attempted,we may trace in Egyptian art the gradual separation of the sculptured figurefrom the wall. While a walk through the collection in the British Museumwill afford an opportunity of observing transitions, it will bring into viewmuch evidence that the independent statues were derived from bas-reliefs: newly all of them not only display that lateral attachment of the arms withthe body which is a characteristic of bas-relief, but have the back of thestatue united from head to foot with a block which stands in place of theoriginal wall. Greece repeated the leading stages of this progress. As inEgypt and Assyria, these twin arts were at first united with each other andwith their parent, Architecture; and were aids of Religion and Government.

On the friezes of Greek temples, we see coloured bas-reliefs representingsacrifices, battles, processions, games -- all in some sort religious. Onthe pediments we see painted sculptures partially united with the tympanum,and having for subjects the triumphs of gods or heroes. Even when we cometo statues that are definitely separated from the buildings to which theypertain, we still find them coloured; and only in the later periods of Greekcivilization, does the differentiation of painting from sculpture appearto have become complete. In Christian art there occurred a parallel re-genesis.

All early paintings and sculptures throughout Europe were religious in subject-- represented Christs, crucifixions, virgins, holy families, apostles, saints.

They formed integral parts of church architecture, and were among the meansof exciting worship: as in Roman Catholic countries they still are. Moreover,the early sculptures of Christ on the cross, of virgins, of saints, werecoloured; and it needs but to call to mind the painted madonnas and crucifixesstill abundant in continental churches, to perceive the significant factthat painting and sculpture continue in closest connexion with each other,where they continue in closest connexion with their parent. Even when Christiansculpture become separate from painting, it was still at first religiousand governmental in its subjects -- was used for tombs in churches and statuesof saints and kings; while, at the same time, painting, where not purelyecclesiastical, was applied to the decoration of palaces, and after representingroyal personages, was almost wholly devoted to sacred legends. Only in moderntimes have painting and sculpture become entirely secular arts. Only withinthese few centuries has painting been divided into historical, landscape,marine, architectural, animal, still-life, etc., and sculpture grown heterogeneousin respect of the variety of real and ideal subjects with which it occupiesitself.