The first seulptora whose names are recorded are Dmdalfis, &riffle, and Endoeus. The earliest person called Dadalus was descended, according to the ancient traditions, from a royal stock, being grandson of Ereetheus, king of Athens. He is said to be the first sculptor who ventured to separate the legs of his statues. He also was the inventor of the saw, the axe, lever, &c. It is impossible to say how much fable and exaggeration have been admitted into the accounts of this remarkable discoverer ; and it is equally vain to attempt to distinguish the inventions of the earlier artificers who bore this name, from the improvements introduced at subsequent times by others so called. Da dales was in all probability a general title, for some time, given to any distiuguished mechanist or figure-maker, as figures of a certain style or character were denominated Dmdala (ciaf5aAa). Pausanias (ix. 3, fic.) says "the ancients called wooden figures Thedala ; " and he adds, that he thinks it likely that the artist was called after the works, rather than by his own name ; thus making Dredalus a title or surname. The same author was shown some wooden statues attributed to I/socialite, which he admits were not beautiful, but he says there was in them a certain air of grandeur (ii. 4). Sniilis was a native of .Egina, and the son of Euclides. He was said to be contemporary with Diedalus, and he made a statue of Juno at Samos. Endoeus was an Athenian, and a scholar of Dadalits, and. according to ancient writers, executed various important works. Pausanias (vii. 5) speaks of a colossal statue in wood of 3Iiuerva Polies, which was preserved in his time in the temple of Erythres in Ionia. It was a seated figure. Other statues by this artist are also mentioned, executed in stone and in ivory.
A mere list of the earlier Greek sculptors can throw little light upon the state of the art ; more especially when the existence of many of those whose names are handed down to modern times may fairly be queetioned, at least as to the dates assigned to them ; and of their skill we certainly possess no authentic examples.
About 869 B.C., Phidon of Argos is said to have the first money in Greece, in the island of sEgina. Some extremely rude and simple coins of that island are extant; the device is a tortoise; and from the very primitive style of execution, they are thought not to be very remote from the period alluded to. It has been supposed that the employment of metal for sculpture took place soon after the striking of money under Phidon ; and about this time we find mention made of statues of brass or bronze.
Among the sculptors recorded in the annals of art is Gitiadas of Sparta, of whom there were works remaining at Lacethemon at the time of Pausanias (lib. iii. 17). Gitiadas exercised the profession of architecture as well as sculpture. Learchus also, a sculptor of Ithegium, is placed about this date. Pausaniaa mentions a bronze statue of Zeus at Lacedxmon, which was said to be by Learchus, and he calls it the most ancient statue in that material known to exist.
The next names of importance that occur in the history of art are Telecles, Rhcecus, and Theodorus, to whom sculpture seems to have beeu indebted for various and great improvements. Their reputation for skill was so high, and their innovations in the practice of art so important, that they were even called inventors of some branches of it, which, however, it is obvious must have been known long before they appeared. Such, for instance, was the case with modelling, or the plastic art, which Pliny (` Hist. Nat?, xxxv. e. 12), recording without examination all that be read, says was attributed to them ; though he himself declares that this discovery was claimed by or given to Dibutades of Corinth. Rhnscua and Theodorus were born at Samos. (` Pena', viii. 14.) There appear to have been two sculptors of the latter name; one the son of Illnecus, the other of Telecles.
architect as well as statuary, is said by Hcrodotus 60) to have built the temple of Hera at Samos. He was also considered the author of a statue, of a female, which the Ephesians called Night. Pausanias says that ho was unable to find any bronze work of Theoderua ; but Pliny alludes to several by an artist of that name. Theodorus, the son of Telecles, was considered the inventor of an art which was rarely exercised by the ancients, that of casting figures in iron. According to llerodotus, Theodorua engraved the celebrated rim; of Polycratea, tyrant of Samoa. He is also said to have made one of two magnificent vases which were presented by Cnesna, king of Lydia, to the temple at Delphi. It has been argued from this circumstance that Theodorus must have lived at a later date than that usually assigned to him. But it is not stated that the vase was made expressly for Crcesus. It is more probable that it was among the treasures of the king, and from its age, the reputation of its maker, and its intrinsic value, might have been thought worthy of dedication. Theodorus is noticed by Pliny for a work of great delicacy and minuteness, a statue in brass of him self, holding in one hand a file, alluding probably to his profession ; in the other a quadriga, so small that a fly might cover it with his wings. With respect to the dates of the above artists, Pliny says they lived long prior to the expulsion of the Bacchiashe from Corinth, an event which occurred in the thirteenth Olympiad, about 659 n.c. It is conjectured, therefore, that Maxus, and the first and second Theodolite, lived between 800 and 700 years n.c.
The introduction of casting in metal forms an interesting epoch in the history of art, and it is to be regretted that our information with respect both to time and place, that is, the part of the country in which it was first practised by artists of Greece and Asia Minor, is so limited. The fact of Learehus of Rhegium being recorded as one of the earliest statuaries would lead to the inference that the art was known in Italy before it was adopted in Greece.