PAINTING, litsroav or. It is to be sup posed that painting was among the earliest ef forts of human ingenuity, for the love of imi tation would naturally suggest the idea of re presenting the surrounding objects which en gaged the attention and interested the affec tions. Thus it is that the savages painted their own bodies, by means of puncturing the akin, and infusing different colours into the punctures, and that they painted on their shields different figures, according to the fancy of the bearer. So, likewise, we find that the Mexicans were in the habit of representing their warlike exploits by means of picture writing, which were something similar to the hieroglyphics of the Egyptians, that served to represent sacred objects for religious pur poses. The first step beyond the rude outline was an attempt to complete the imitation by applying colours, which at first was effected by covering the different parts of the figure with different colours, after the manner of our coloured maps, as was done by the Egyptians, and is still practised by the Indians and Chi nese.
Painting was partially cultivated by the Egyptians, but was not carried to any perfee tion, because they principally employed them selves in the representation of the monstrous objects of their worship, rather than in depic tering natural or real objects : in consequence, their natural figures were very stiff and un seemly, the legs being drawn together, and the arms pasted to the sides, like the mummies which they copied. Their painters were like wise very much employed on earthen vessels or drinking cups, or in ornamenting barge; and covering with figures the chests of mum mies. Pliny also informs us that the Egyp tians painted the precious metals, which doubt less consisted in covering gold or silver with a single colour. The Persian; as well as the Arabians, had some idea of mosaic; but the art was cultivated by those people for domestic purposes. Among the Indian; painting is confined principally to the repre sentation of their idols and monstrous objects of worship, but the painters of Thibet are re markable for the delicacy of their strokes, in which they might vie with the Greeks, al though deficient in every other particular. The
Chinese are remarkable for the brightness of their colours, but this is the only perfection they can boast of Their figures are as unlike nature as possible, devoid of expression and of proportion. The Etrurians were the first people who appear to have excelled in this art. Many specimens of Etruscan painting have been preserved, which consist of long painted frizes, and pilasters adorned with huge figures. The paintings are executed on a ground of thick mortar, and many of them are said to be in a high state of preservation. There are likewise many Campanian vases extant, which are wonderful proofs of the perfection of the art at a very early period among these people. As to the origin of painting among the Greeks, it is not easy to define the period of its commencement. The Greeks themselves, according to Pliny, speak of Polygnote as their first painter of eminence, who flourished in the 90th Olympiad, or 424 years before Christ. That painting in dry colours existed in the time of Homer is certain from several descriptions to be found in his Iliad and Odyssey: from the same source we also learn that they were then acquainted with basso relieve, of which the buckler of Achilles was a specimen. Polygnote was followed by Xeuxis and Parrhasias, whose skill in imitation is said to have been 'such, that he first deceived the birds by painting cherries so exactly, and the latter deceived his rival. Apelles, Protogenes, and Euphranor, contributed to raise the art to its highest perfection.
The Romans derived their skill in painting from Etruria, but the art remained very long neglected while the people were engaged in conquests, and struggles for liberty. From the building of the city to the time of the em perors, there is mention only of two who ex celled in painting, namely, Fabius, surnamed Pictor, and Pacivins the nephew of the tragic poet Ennius. In the time of the emperors, painting, as well as the other arts, flourished. A colossean figure, 120 feet long, was painted by order of the Emperor Nero, which is the first painting on cloth mentioned among the ancients.