GREECE. The pre-Hellenic Greeks seem to have used rypsuun and plaster reliefs and wall paint ings in similar fashion to the Assyrians. and the Greeks of the historic period at first show signs of Oriental influence in the violent colors applied to gable. frieze, and metope sculptures. without the Oriental appreciation of color harmimy. The polychromy of Greek architecture and sculpture gradually, however, gave way to the use of plain seulpt ore and to a reliance on the play of light and shade by mean,: of projecting moldings and members in place of pure surface decoration. Simplicity of method, reticence of style. plas ticity of composition, and delicacy of coloring were their eharaeteristies. Color was subordinated to form. and the decorated surfaces were broken lip usually into small units. The predomi nance of external over internal effects helped to minimize the importance of Greek mural decora tion.
Romp. The Romans returned. with different methods and a different style, to the Oriental and Egyptian idea of colored instead of plastic mural adornment, which received great impor tallrc from their development of vast interiors.
They adopted three principal media. with increas ing heaviness as the Empire advaneed—wall painting in fresco. mosaic painting. and marble The molding of in low nu-lief in the stucco covering of walls and ceilings may he considered chiefly as an adjunct to the painted decoration. The most character istic Qf these three treatments was the use of rich Oriental and African marldes. The interior of temples, Imperial thermre and palaces, basilicas, and other buildings were covered to a considerable height in this way. while private houses were generally confined to fresco work. (See Plate of Pompeian Mural Decoration, under DECORATIVE ART.) \lDra1 decoration on stucco was often microscopic in scale. small compart ments, and small scenes being juxtaposed without much central interest, and by attempts at per spective effects and different planes the effort was made to counteract. the confining effect of the walls of a room; to substitute pictures one could look into for flat decorated surfaces. See ROMAN ART.