39. Chap. 39.-Artists Who Have Painted In Encaustics Or Wax, With Either The Cestrum Or The Pencil.

CHAP. 39.—ARTISTS WHO HAVE PAINTED IN ENCAUSTICS OR WAX, WITH EITHER THE CESTRUM OR THE PENCIL.

It is not agreed who was the inventor of the art of painting in wax and in encaustic.[1] Some think that it was a discovery of the painter Aristides,[2] and that it was afterwards brought to perfection by Praxiteles: but there are encaustic paintings in existence, of a somewhat prior date to them, those by Polygnotus,[3] for example, and by Nicanor and Arcesilaüs,[4] natives of Paros. Elasippus too, has inscribed upon a picture of his at Ægina, the word e)ne/xaen;[5] a thing that he certainly could not have done, if the art of encaustic painting had not been then invented.

1. See Chapter 41 of this Book, where the difficulties attending this description will be considered.

2. See Chapter 36 of this Book.

3. See Chapter 35 of this Book.

4. Possibly the artist of that name mentioned by Athenæus, B. x., as a tutor of Apelles. If so, he must have flourished about the ninety-seventh Olympiad.

5. Elasippus "inburned" this picture, i. e. executed it in encaustic. From the Attic form of this word, it has been conclnded that he was an Athenian. The spelling of his name is very doubtful.