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Notices of Books

RUMPF (A.) Stilphasen der spatantiken Kunst. Ein Versuch. [Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Forschung des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen, Abh. Heft 44.] Koln & Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag, 1957. Pp. 52, with 40 plates. DM. 9.80. The author of this book is a classical archaeologist, and he looks at the period as one in which the living tradition of classical art still played a major role. Among the conflicting influences, classical themes and the classical conception of form continually reemerge; the period is thus revealed as continuing those tendencies which are apparent in art throughout the whole Imperial period. The Philhellene reaction of Hadrian's day finds a close parallel, if on a far lesser scale, in the works of pagan 'Kleinkunst', such as the diptych of the Symmachi and the Nicomachi in the late fourth century A.D. Looked at in this light the period takes on a new interest for the classical archaeologist who has tended to regard it as outside his proper orbit. In its accepted limits, the Late Antique runs from the reign of Diocletian to that of Justinian. R.'s purpose is to give an account of its main stylistic phases within a framework of fixed chronological points. In this he succeeds very well; the fixed points are numerous and the stylistic groupings are convincing. It is the first time that such an analysis has been attempted for the whole period, and the book must become a valuable introduction to the study of related problems—the development of Christian iconography, the foundations of the Byzantine style and other themes which are not touched upon. The classical tradition which seems to be dead in the uncompromising ugliness of the Tetrarchy style emerges to something like a Renaissance in the early fourth century. This revival is not only apparent in form and subject but enters deeply into the spirit of such a work as the stele of a boy from Ostia {La Critica d'Arie, 1938, pp. 49-56) which might well have found a place in this book. With this 'Renaissance' belongs a revived taste for works of classical antiquity, both originals and copies. R.'s dating of the famous Dioscuri of Monte Cavallo to this period is interesting and should probably be accepted, but there is doubt about the Jupiter Verospi and the statuette of Athena from Epidaurus might be second rather than fourth century. The contrary tendencies in the art of the period are well illustrated in the reaction to the decadent classicism of the late fourth century. The strength and boldness of the figures on the Probus diptych are a refreshing change from the feeble prettiness of the earlier phase. This interplay of classical and nonclassical elements gives life and interest to the art of a civilisation in confusion and decline, and it is not until the final abandonment of the idea of a unified empire that the driving force of classical antiquity becomes wholly alien to the art of the time. No doubt the book is oversimplified. The stylistic phases of the period are probably not as closely fixed chronologically nor the artistic unity of the Empire at the time so certain a fact as R. gives us to believe, but broad outlines of stylistic change in the period are clearly explained and must be accepted. The exposition is excellent and the bibliography very full. The pictures are very adequate for purposes of rapid comparison and make up in quantity—there are 189 in all—for what they lack in quality, and, as R. says, most of the objects are well illustrated in accessible books.