PAINTING, the nrt of representing objects to the eye on a flat surface by means of lines and rolo•, with n view to convey ideas and awaken emotions. See Anr. As one of the tine arts. painting occupies a prominent place; some claim for it the first place, as combining the chief elements—namely, form, light and shade. and color. As compared, however. with music noel poetry. it lacks the important element of movement, the representation being confined, in a great measure, to one aspect and one instant of time. In its ruder and more elementary forms, in which the primary design was to communi cate ideas, painting is perhaps the oldest of the arts, older, at all events, titan writing (see ALPDABET, HTEIWOLYPIIICO; and, as a vehicle of knowledge, it possesses this advantage over writing—that no dexcnption, however minute, can convey so accurate and distinct an idea of an object as' a pictorial representation, much less make so 4 vivid an impression. Besides this, it is not limited, as writing is, by differences of lan guage, but speaks alike to all nations and all ages.
The great antiquity of painting is proved by remains discovered in Egypt, and by reference to it in ancient writings. It has been ascertained that as early ns the 1911, c. D.C.. the walls and temples of Thebes were decorated by painting nod sculpture. Ezekiel, who prophesied about 598 years me., refers to paintings in Jerusalem after the manner of the Bnhvlonians and Chaldeaus. Though no specimens have come down to us. it is evident that paintings of the highest excellence were executed in Greece. This is proved by what is recorded.of them, for the subjects of many of those mentioned required the putting forth in a high degree of all the qualities requisite for the production of the greatest historical works. such as form, grouping, expression, fore-shortening. From the immense sums given for paintings, the care with which they were preserved in tem ples and other public buildings, and from the fact of the high state of sculpture at contemporary periods, as proved by well-known works now extant, it may be deduced that painting, which, like sculpture, is based on design or drawing, must have occupied an equally high position. Even the imperfect specimens of painting discovered in Pompeii, where the style and influence of Greek art may be traced to some extent, lead to conclusions highly favorable to the high position of painting in classic times. The chief schools of painting in Greece were those of Sicyon, Corinth, Athens and Rhodes.
The first great artist of whose works there is any authentic description, and front details of which an idea may be formed of his attainments, is Polyguotus of Thasos (for. 420 n.e.), who painted, among other works, those in the Pcecile, a celebrated portico at Athens, and the Lesche, or public ball at Delphi.
The works of Apollodorus of Athens (flor. 408 B. C.) are described and highly praised by Pliny. Zeuxis, the pupil of Apollodorus; Eupompus, Androcides. Parrhasius (q.v.) the Ephesian, and Timanthes of Sicyon, prosecuted painting with distinguished success, and by them it was carried down to the time of Philip, the father of Alexander. Of the same period was Pamphilus, celebrated not only for his works, but as the master of the artist universally- acknowledged as the greatest of the ancient painters, Apelles (q.v.), who was born probably at Colophon, and flourished in the hatter half of the 4th c.
He was highly esteemed by Alexander the great, and executed many important works for that monarch. Protogenes of Rhodes was a contemporary, and may be styled the rival of Apelles, who greatly admired his works. His picture of Inlysus the bunter and the nymph Rhodes was preserved for many years in the temple of Peace at Rome. Art in Greece had now reached its highest point; its course afterwards was downwards.
In Italy art was followed at a very early period by the Etruscans, and, according to Pliny, painting, as well as sculpture, was successfully practiced in Ardea and Lantivium, cities of Latium, perhaps more ancient than Rome. The finest specimens of Etruscan art, however—as the paintings on tombs, and the remains of armor and tictile ware ornamented with figures, evince unmistakably the influence of, or rather are identical with Greek art. According to Pliny it was introduced from Corinth about 650 B. C. No great national school of painting ever flourished in Route, for though the names of Romans who were painters are cited, the principal works of art that adorned the tem ples and palaces of Rome were obtained from Greece, and it is probable that many of the paiutings executed there were by Greek artists. When the seat of empire was transferred to the cast, such art as then remained was carried with it, and in a nets phase was afterwards recognized as Byzantine art—a conventional style, in which cer tain typical forms were adopted and continually repeated. This mode has been pre served, and is practiced in church-painting in Russia at this present time.