L’art grec dans l’Histoire naturelle de Pline l’Ancien

Valérie Naas : Greek art in Pliny the Elder’s Natural History. Because the majority of original Greek works of art, as well as the writings of the artists and those of Greek critics have disappeared, Pliny’s Natural History has become our primary ancient source for the understanding of this art. It is, therefore, important to determine both the contributions and the limits of Pliny’s work. Although source research (Quellenforschung ) has clarified the origins of the material compiled by Pliny, both the method of classification of this material and the specifically Roman tastes of the encyclopaedist have received less attention. The suite of the mimesis serves as a chronological axis, strengthened by the accounts of personal relationships between artists that illustrate various anecdotes. Pliny’s text, which targeted the Roman public, treated only the most beautiful Greek works of art exhibited in Rome. Mention is made of some fifty bronze statues, some one hundred marble statues and some thirty paintings in public collections (private collections were condemned as a display of individual vanity). Both his ethical and civic approach to art places Pliny the Elder within the Roman tradition, torn between a fascination with and a reserve towards Greek art.Naas Valérie. L’art grec dans l’Histoire naturelle de Pline l’Ancien. In: Histoire de l'art, N°35-36, 1996. Réception, diffusion. pp. 15-26