Professor Waldstein's Lecture.

Every seat and every available inch of the aisles in the large lecture-room in Boylston Hall was filled with eager listeners yesterday evenings, when Dr. Waldstein delivered his second lecture on Greek art.

The question which the lecturer in tended to answer was what influences brought about the sudden and phenomenal advance in Greek sculpture between 520 and 360 B. C.; how it came about that the fetters of conventional archaism were broken through and room given for the display of higher genius and greater skill. Chief among the causes that wrought this change was the introduction in the fourth century of the nobler material marble, to supersede the wooden, chryselephantine, and bronze images of earlier ages. Marble, with its new qualities, made a distinct impression on the development of the artistic composition of sculpture. Improvements in the art of modelling with clay, the introduction from Samos of bronze castings, whereby the metal got the direct impress of the modeller's hand, the inevitable influence of painting and architecture on sculptural work are to be counted as primary causes of the new era of development.

With much sagacity, Dr. Waldstein pointed out that the broadening and nationalization of the Greek religion, which men like Peisistratos brought about, the increased prominence of national politics, and the reaction in the mother country of the more unconventional lines of art pursued in the colonies, did much toward freeing Greek sculpture from the bonds of crude conventionalism and orthodox archaism.

In the next lecture the influences of the growth of the athletic games on Greek art will be discussed at greater length.