The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Brochure Series of Architectural
Illustration, Volume 01, No. 08, August 1895, by Various

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Title: The Brochure Series of Architectural Illustration, Volume 01, No. 08, August 1895
Fragments of Greek Detail

Author: Various

Release Date: November 12, 2006 [EBook #19769]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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THE BROCHURE SERIES

OF ARCHITECTURAL ILLUSTRATION.

VOL. I. AUGUST, 1895 No. 8.

FRAGMENTS OF GREEK DETAIL.

The Art of Greece during the fifth century, B.C., was developed in an
amazingly short time from a condition of almost archaic rudeness to that
of the greatest perfection which the world has ever seen.

At the close of the Persian wars the Athenians, under Pericles, began
rebuilding their city and perfecting themselves in all the arts of
civilization, and their progress in the next half century will always be
a subject for wonder. It is especially wonderful that works of art of
the character produced at this time should have been the outcome of
political maneuvering: for if Plutarch is to be credited the scheming of
Pericles to obtain and hold possession of the government of Athens was
the immediate cause of the erection of these marvellous monuments. In
order to increase his influence with the common people Pericles devoted
the treasure which had been contributed by the other Greek cities for
defence against the barbarians to the beautifying of Athens, and to
furnishing them with games and amusements, and especially to the
erection of the group of temples upon the Acropolis, in this way
distributing patronage and keeping his people employed much as a modern
political "boss" does the same in our day.

The Parthenon, which is esteemed the grandest of all monuments of Greek
art, embodying as it does the highest achievement in sculpture and
architecture, was built just after the middle of the fifth century,
although the precise date at which it was begun and finished is
uncertain. The Erech