PROTOGENES  , a

Greek painter, born in Caunus, on the coast of Caria, but resident in Rhodes during the latter half of the 4th century B.C . He was celebrated for the minute and laborious finish which he bestowed on his pictures, both in drawing and in colour . Apelles, his great rival, standing astonished in presence of one of these works, could only console himself bysaying that it was wanting in charm . On one picture, the " Ialysus," he spent seven years; on another, the " Satyr," he worked continuously during the siege of Rhodes by Demetrius Poliorcetes (305–304 B.C.) notwithstanding that the garden in which he painted was in the middle of the enemy's camp . Demetrius, unsolicited, took measures for his safety; more than that, when told that the " Ialysus just mentioned was in a part of the town exposed to assault, Demetrius changed his plan of operations . Ialysus was a local hero,the founder of the town of the same name in the island of Rhodes, and probably he was represented as a huntsman . This picture was still in Rhodes in the time of Cicero, but was afterwards removed to . Rome, where it perished in the burning of the Temple of Peace . The picture painted during the siege of Rhodes consisted of a satyr leaning idly against a pillar on which was a figure of a partridge, so life-like that ordinary spectators saw nothing but it . Enraged on this account, the painter wiped out the partridge . The " Satyr " must have been one of his last works . He would then be about seventy years of age, and had enjoyed for about twenty years a reputation next only to that of Apelles, his friend and benefactor .

Both were finished colourists so far as the

fresco-painting of their day permitted, and both were laborious in the practice of drawing, doubtless with the view to obtaining bold effects of perspective as well as fineness of outline . It was an illustration of this practice when Apelles, finding in the house of Protogenes a large panel ready prepared for a picture, drew upon it with a brush a very fine line which he said would tell sufficiently who had called . Protogenes on his return home took a brush with a different colour and drew a still finer line along that of Apelles dividing it in two . Apelles called again; and, thus challenged, drew with a third colour another line within that of Protogenes, who then admitted himself surpassed . This panel was seen by Pliny (N.H. xxxv . 83) in Rome, where it was much admired, and where it perished by fire . In the gallery of the Propylaea at Athens was to be seen a panel by Protogenes . The subject consisted of two figures representing personifications of the coast of Attica, Paralus and Hammonias . For the council chamber at Athens he painted figures of the Thesmothetae, but in what form or character is not known . Probably these works were executed in Athens, and it may have been then that he met Aristotle, who recommended him to take for subjects the deeds of Alexander the Great . In his " Alexander and Pan " he may have followed that advice in the idealizing spirit to which he was accustomed . To this spirit must be traced also his " Cydippe " and " Tlepolemus," legendary personages of Rhodes .

Among his portraits are mentioned those of the

mother of Aristotle, Philiscus the tragic poet, and King Antigonus . But Protogenes. was also a sculptor to some extent, and made several bronze statues of athletes, armed figures, huntsmen and persons in the act of offering sacrifices .