equently depicted. Humanity and
actual Greek life came in for its share. Single figures, still-life,
_genre_, caricature, all were shown, and as painting neared the
Alexandrian age a semi-realistic portraiture came into vogue.

The materials employed by the Greeks and their methods of work are
somewhat difficult to ascertain, because there are few Greek pictures,
except those on the vases, left to us. From the confusing accounts of
the ancient writers, the vases, some Greek slabs in Italy, and the
Roman paintings imitative of the Greek, we may gain a general idea.
The early Greek work was largely devoted to pottery and tomb
decoration, in which much in manner and method was borrowed from Asia,
Phoenicia, and Egypt. Later on, painting appeared in flat outline on
stone or terra-cotta slabs, sometimes representing processional
scenes, as in Egypt, and doubtless done in a hybrid fresco-work
similar to the Egyptian method. Wall paintings were done in fresco and
distemper, probably upon the walls themselves, and also upon panels
afterward let into the wall. Encaustic painting (color mixed with wax
upon the panel and fused with a hot spatula) came in with the
Sikyonian school. It is possible that the oil medium and canvas were
known, but not probable that either was ever used extensively.

There is no doubt about the Greeks being expert draughtsmen, though
this does not appear until late in history. They knew the outlines
well, and drew them with force and grace. That they modelled in strong
relief is more questionable. Light-and-shade was certainly employed in
the figure, but not in any modern way. Perspective in both figures and
landscape was used; but the landscape was at first symbolic and
rarely got beyond a decorative background for the figure. Greek
composition we know little about, but may infer that it was largely a
series of balances, a symmetrical adjustment of objects to fill a
given space with not very much freedom allowed to the artist. In
atmosphere, sunlight, color, and those peculiarly sensuous charms that
belong to painting, there is no reason to believe that the Greeks
approached the moderns. Their interest was chiefly centred in the
human figure. Landscape, with its many beauties, was reserved for
modern hands to disclose. Color was used in abundance, without doubt,
but it was probably limited to the leading hues, with little of that
refinement or delicacy known in painting to-day.

ART HISTORY: For the