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THE REDISCOVERY OF ANTIQUITY; The Role of the Artist,
10 Acta Hyperborea 2003. Edited by Jane Feifer, Tobias Fisher-Hansen and Annette Rathje. Museum Tusculanum Press, University
of Copenhagen, 2000. Distributed in America by ISBS, International Specialized Book Services, Inc., 920 NE 58th Ave., Suite
300, Portland, OR 97213-3786, USA, (503) 287-3093. Price: $44.00.
ACTA HYPERBOREA is a periodical, and this particular
issue "No. 10" is a 510 page compilation of articles by Danish classical archaeologists. The papers were originally given
at a symposium, then, revised and put together in a very large book. Writers include archaeologists, art historians and artists.
Contributors tell about the building of collections of classical statues, vases and other art objects in various countries
of Europe. There were a few far sighted individuals who knew such collections would help the culture of their countries greatly,
but such works are very expensive.
Only the aristocracy could obtain. Artists helped greatly by drawing and painting the
antiquities in Italy. The editors tell briefly about the articles in their introduction. Some of the articles are as follows:
Between Scylla and Charybdis. Concerning the Artist's Perception of Antiquity by Morten Straede...Michelangelo and Greek
Sculpture by Seymour Howard...The Artist's Contribution to the Rediscovery of the Caesar Iconography by Susanne Peiper (the
reader will be interested in seeing plates of many sculptures of Caesar - originals and copies; the author sorts all of these
out). Another article is Between Art and Archaeology; Johannes Wiedwelt in Rome (1754-1758) by Marjatta Nielsen. Still another
is An Ornament of the Mind -- C.J.C. Reuvens and His Ideas about the Benefits of Archaeology to Art and Society in the Netherlands,
by Ruurd Halbertsma...and many more articles.
This issue, No. 10, is very significant in the world of archaeology...using
the tool of art in studying the antiquities and helping society. Anyone doing research on art and society will find this
of much interest. There are still some archaeologists/anthropologists here in the US who look upon lithic material and other
objects as totally functional. I knew this was off base even when a kid, when Dad and I found some beautiful works, surface
collecting. One chert point I found had a colored anomaly in the shape of a bull's eye perfectly centered in a point. And,
of course, symmetry itself is an art type. Physicists are even interested in symmetry and books have been written on the
subject.
Some of the points we found such as the Hidden Valley type were made by a genius artist. Not all of
this style are this good.
By the way, Franz Boas, who many anthropologists call"The Father of Anthropology"
was interested in art. He did a book: "Anthropology and Art."
Here in the US I have seen some very great color
murals of the Acropolis and Parthenon done by French artists. This was for a travelling exhibit on democracy done by the
Greek government. So, a museum, government or organization anywhere can have a wealth of good antiquity by sending over an
artist, and much less expensively at that.(No. 10 inspired this).
So, No. 10 is a wonderful collection of articles
that I personally will be studying and inspired by for a long time, and know others will too. I may have to do another review
in fact as I continue to excavate this large work.
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I first learned about sharp Danish archaeologists when I came across a little book: "The Muljberg Dwelling Place" by J. Troells-Smith
of the Bog Section of the Danish National Museum. This copy was republished by the Smithsonian. They are true Sherlock Holmes
type archaeologists. Now I am learning that their classical archaeologists are excellent also. RM
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