24. HISTORICAL SYNOPSIS OR ITALIAN ART. From the time of Constan tine to that of Justinian the Latin nations have garnered the inheritance of former ages and transmitted it to the modern world. Beneath many a layer of Hellenic art in Imperial Rome may be found meagre, crude and simple efforts which, on the decline of Roman splendor, fairly represented the artistic potentiality of the Latin race. By constant remolding these became the consecrated forms of Pisano and Giotto, just as on the decadence of Roman culture the noble and dignified language of Cicero and Tacitus was forgotten in the vulgar expressions of a common speech which by slow transformation became the language of Dante. So this art of rustics and peasants, obeying no classical rules. was nevertheless influenced and enriched by all the prevailing Graeco-Roman forms whose types were in evidence everywhere; in the workshops of stone-cutters in Rome and in the provinces, even as far as the southern boundaries of the Roman and Phoenician colonies in northern Africa. The conservative spirit of the people of the Middle Ages clung to this nucleus of art; for it was a precious legacy from Rome to the young and almost savage West. Simple and modest productions of Christian art also con tributed to this legacy. In the Catacombs were depicted humble memories of splendid secular life as well as tender renditions of Bible stories or of scenes suggested by the imagina tion of the early Christians.
Both Eastern and Western Christians had, in common, artistic traditions when representing Biblical themes. Some of these symbolical types, and the very lines of their composition, were used to and through the Middle Ages. Many artistic types of this period are lacking in imagination, borrowing nothing from the antique; yet despite time's additions and modi fications, despite the restraints imposed on them, they are clearly early Christian types. • Again, there are Etruscan elements that enter into the arts, just as the Romance lan guages possess groups of words derived from old Italian dialects. These indigenous artistic elements can be traced through centuries; for they were not annihilated by meeting even a triumphant rival nor by any Occidental immi grant. A study of the relations of Etruscan
to Roman art reveals a series of important facts as we trace in them the vestiges of Etruscan civilization, reminding us of the de tritus of mountains which goes to form the fertile soil of the valleys.
From Byzantium — which was in close con tact with the immortal art of ancient Greece and from Syria, Asia Minor and Egypt there came westward, but chiefly into Italy, niany new, rich and splendidly vital forms that were handed down from generation to generation, like songs and legends.
German elements produced no important de viations. The Roman tongues became richer in warlike words; but barbarians, like the Lom bards, who had no individual architecture, could -not make any contributions to art. When Roman art lost its majestic dignity, barbarians came to dress it with many-colored vestments resplendent with rubies and other precious stones, brilliant clasps and necklaces of glass and amber set in gold. The arrival of the Lombards in Italy marked the period of ex treme decadence; now began the use of animal forms in decoration, hitherto peculiar to Ger many, distinctly medirval in character with pro cessions ofhons, dolphins, serpents, lions, leopards and centaurs. The pictorial treatment of everything was rigid and formal ; human beings, wild beasts and plants were equally un recognizable.
From the 7th to the 11th century Italian art slowly elaborated the traditions of decadent times, repeating uncertainly and often childishly hereditary forms. There was no revival dur ing the Lombard rule. Before the revolt of the Iconoclasts, Italian art had reached the ex treme limits of decay; and at this period By zantine art could not have found a refuge in Italy. Feeble, persecuted and condemned by those who should have supported it, the art of Byzantium lacked energy to impress itself any where. The zeal of the Iconoclasts helped, nevertheless, to advance art; for some ancient types became steadily more and more obscure. mysterious and detached from everyday life. Naturalistic decorations supplanted sacred rep resentations; and multitudinous animal forms, even pictures of hunting and fishing, were re tained by mediaeval artists.