The very finest figural art reveals more than just
the appearance of an ancient people: it offers a
glimpse into their soul. In the expression, the
pose, the attitude of a sculpture, we can detect
the hopes, passions and dreams that guided a
vanished culture. At times, these images seem
exotic, distant, rare as a jungle flower.
Sometimes they hit us with the shock of
recognition: we realize that the essentials of
human existence have changed little with the
centuries. This superb figure of unusual size was
placed in an ancient tomb to accompany the
deceased through eternity and to convey the
grief of the living. Though he remains mute, we
feel he communicates important facts about the
world that created him.
- (PF.1475)
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