Identifier: handbookofarchae00west (find matches)
Title: Handbook of archaeology, Egyptian - Greek - Etruscan - Roman
Year: 1867 (1860s)
Authors: Westropp, Hodder M. (Hodder Michael), -1884
Subjects: Art, Ancient Archaeology
Publisher: London, Bell and Daldy
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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asso-rilievofor a subdued light. Egyptian.—Bas-relief was in general use among the Egyptians.It was employed to decorate the front of the propyla of their templesand of their tombs. The style of relief peculiar to the Egyptianswas the intaglio rilievato, or koilanaglypha, as termed by the Greeks.The flat surface of the stone was cut into, and thus formed the out-line of the object to be represented. Within this sunk space theEgyptian artist contrived to raise the figure by cutting it deepest allround the edge, and allowing it to rise in a curved form towards thecentral parts, so that there was no salient point beyond the originalplane. The degree of elevation given to this sunk relief is verydifferent in various specimens: in some it is scarcely perceptible,while in others the central parts of the relief are almost on a level 202 HANDBOOK OF ARCHEOLOGY. with the tablet. The figures were always sculptured in profile.The sepulchral tablets frequently afford examples of bas-reliefs. An
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EGYPTIAN ALTO-RILIEVO. example of alto-rilievo will be found in a stele, or sculptured monu-ment, in the British Museum, which represents the monarch, Thot-mes III., supported by the god Muntu, and the goddess Athor. Etruscan.—The earliest known examples of Etruscan bas-reliefs arethe cippi, or so-called altars of fetid limestone, from Chiusi and itsneighbourhood. They show an archaic style of art. Bas-reliefs BAS-RELIEFS. 203 also of an archaic style are found on the facades of the rock-hewnsepulchres, but chiefly on sarcophagi and cinerary urns. Thecinerary urns of Volterra and Perugia are of a later period, and havemore of a Eoman than a Greek character. Greek and Roman.—Bas-reliefs were executed by the Greeks fromthe earliest period of art, and by the Eomans especially in theearly period of the Empire. The same diversity of style will be

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