Fine as is the artistic5 taste of the Indians of Mexico to-day, it is far behind that of the people whom Cortez found there. According to history and tradition, their work in the precious metals surpassed that of any of the goldsmiths of Europe; they fashioned gold and silver into the shape of plants, birds, fishes, and quadrupeds, and their imitations were marvellously correct in all their details. All this art seems to be lost, with the exception of the working of silver filigree, which still holds high rank. Cortez sent to Spain some exquisite6 specimens7 of Aztec work in gold and silver; and the cupidity8 of the King, impelled9 by the necessities of the Government, put all these precious works of Occidental art into the melting-pot, the resort of the modern burglar when he wishes to remove the trace of his depredations10.
WAX MODEL OF WATER-CARRIER.
All through their journey in Mexico the youths had been impressed with the little figures, modelled out of wax or clay, representing the various people of the country and their
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occupations. These statuettes are made by uneducated savages11 with hardly any tools, colored with native pigments12, and baked in the sun or in primitive13 ovens. Water-carriers, porters, muleteers, mozos of all names and kinds, flower-sellers, beggars, street peddlers, basket-makers—all and many more are represented. The figures are generally covered with cloth tinted14 of the appropriate colors; but if not so tinted, the colors are wrought15 into the plastic material of which the figure is composed. Our young friends bought a goodly supply of these figures, and had them carefully packed for transportation. Fred thought they were fully16 equal in artistic design and workmanship to any of the figures they had seen in Japan, China, or India representing the trades and occupations of the far East.
点击收听单词发音
1 filigree | |
n.金银丝做的工艺品;v.用金银细丝饰品装饰;用华而不实的饰品装饰;adj.金银细丝工艺的 | |
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2 conservatory | |
n.温室,音乐学院;adj.保存性的,有保存力的 | |
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3 antiquities | |
n.古老( antiquity的名词复数 );古迹;古人们;古代的风俗习惯 | |
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4 warfare | |
n.战争(状态);斗争;冲突 | |
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5 artistic | |
adj.艺术(家)的,美术(家)的;善于艺术创作的 | |
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6 exquisite | |
adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的 | |
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7 specimens | |
n.样品( specimen的名词复数 );范例;(化验的)抽样;某种类型的人 | |
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8 cupidity | |
n.贪心,贪财 | |
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9 impelled | |
v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10 depredations | |
n.劫掠,毁坏( depredation的名词复数 ) | |
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11 savages | |
未开化的人,野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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12 pigments | |
n.(粉状)颜料( pigment的名词复数 );天然色素 | |
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13 primitive | |
adj.原始的;简单的;n.原(始)人,原始事物 | |
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14 tinted | |
adj. 带色彩的 动词tint的过去式和过去分词 | |
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15 wrought | |
v.引起;以…原料制作;运转;adj.制造的 | |
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16 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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