Part 8

Excepting the terms pycnostyle and aræostyle, which are useful as expressing the greatest degree of closeness or of openness of intercolumniation consistent with well-proportioned arrangement, the others may be dispensed with. To designate one mode as _eustyle_, _par excellence_, is very much like saying that the proportions assigned to it, viz. 2·30′ or 2½ diameters, are the very best, and all the rest comparatively defective; according to which doctrine, the _monotriglyphic_ mode of intercolumniation usually employed by the Greeks in their Doric temples, and which answers to the character of pycnostyle, is not so well proportioned as what is emphatically called eustyle. Let it be whatever it may, as expressed in terms of the diameter of the columns, intercolumniation should always deserve the name of eustyle, or _well-proportioned_, by being such as satisfies the eye, and contributes to the particular character that befits the occasion and harmonizes with the other proportions of the structure. Pycnostyle, or _close spacing_, carries with it the expression of both richness and strength, the solids or columns being very little less than the voids or intercolumns. Aræostyle, or _wide spacing_,—and _ditriglyphic_ Doric intercolumniation may be called such,—produces an effect of openness and lightness, but also partakes of meagreness and weakness, owing to the want of sufficient apparent support for the entablature,—a very frequent fault in Modern Architecture, where frugality as to columniation has often been allowed to produce a degree of poverty which contrasts very disagreeably with that of the decoration affected by the Order itself. Intercolumniation ought to be made to depend in some measure upon the nature of the composition: a tetrastyle portico, for instance, or a distyle in antis, admits of wider intercolumniation than would be suitable for an octastyle, because pycnostyle, where there are only three intercolumns, would produce too great narrowness of general proportions for a portico.

Hardly is there need for observing, that be their proportions what they may, the intercolumns in a colonnade or portico must be all alike; nevertheless in a Grecian Doric portico there is, as we have seen, some difference, the two extreme intercolumns being there narrower by the width of half a triglyph. There is, besides, another exception from the general principle, for the centre intercolumn of a portico was frequently made somewhat wider than the others, in order to mark the entrance, and the better to display and afford greater space for access to the door within.

One mode of columniation and intercolumniation which remains to be spoken of, is that which has sometimes been practised by Modern Architects, and combines the two extremes of pycnostyle, or still closer intercolumniation, and aræostyle. This consists in coupling the columns and making a wide intercolumn between every pair of columns, so that as regards the average proportion between solids and voids, that disposition does not differ from what it would be were the columns placed singly. Although denounced by some critics, more especially Algarotti, as altogether licentious and indefensible, and although it is not to be especially recommended, or indeed practicable on every occasion, the coupling of columns may, under some circumstances, be not only excusable, but advisable and proper. As is the case with almost every thing else in matters of art, all depends upon _how_ it is done, and whether with or without sufficient reason. That there is no classical authority for it, is no valid reason against it; in the constitution of the ancient temples there was nothing to require or _motive_ it. It may be conceded, however, that coupled columns, forming a prostyle surmounted by a pediment, are objectionable; because where so strong a resemblance to the antique model is preserved in other respects, a departure from it in regard to the disposition of the columns has a disagreeably disturbing effect.

Having gone through the Classical Orders, and explained their elements and constitution, we have performed as much as we purposed, or as we promised. Within the same compass we might, no doubt, have touched upon a great deal besides that belongs to the study of Greek and Roman Architecture, by restricting ourselves to bare matter-of-fact, and suppressing all comment, and so treating the subject drily and superficially. Proceeding upon the principle of _multum haud multa_, we have aimed at nothing more than to initiate the reader in such manner as to excite interest in the subject, and stimulate to further inquiry. Should we have effected that, and should we have disabused him of the prejudices and contracted notions generally entertained in regard to the Orders, or else armed him against them, we shall have accomplished the _multum_—the main point of all. _Much_ shall we have taught, and much will he have learnt, should he now reject the fatal doctrine of the Five Orders, and relinquish it to school-boys and school-masters,—to the plodders who work by pattern, and design by rote and by routine. Much, very much indeed, will have been learnt, by the reader, should he have learnt or have been put in the way of learning, to look upon those various compositions in the three several styles of columniation, which are called Orders, not with the eyes of a Builder or a Mechanic, but with the intuition and the feeling of an Artist; in short, to look upon them as general _types_ to be diligently studied, and then imitated with congenial gusto.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

We here make one alphabetical arrangement serve the double purpose of an Index referring to the pages where the respective matters are treated of, and of a Glossary affording explanation, or further remark, as may be, where required. This latter is by no means to be considered a complete or general Glossary of Architectural Terms, but merely as an accompaniment to the present Treatise, and a specimen, perhaps, of what is still a desideratum, namely, a _real Lexicon_—that is, one which explains _things_ as well as terms—of Ancient and Modern Architecture, similar to what has been provided with regard to the Mediæval Styles of the Art.

ABACUS.—The _plate_ or shallow block forming the uppermost member of a capital is so called for the sake of distinction, for when a similar one is placed beneath the base of a column, it is called a _plinth_. The Doric abacus is spoken of at page 14, and is here shown in a plan of the capital and architrave; _a a a a_ being the angles of the soffit or underside of the abacus which overhang the echinus _e e e e_; and _s s_ the soffit of the architrave. From this, the relation between the abacus and architrave, and how much the former exceeds or projects out beyond the latter, will be better understood than by the engraving at page 14, where the capital is shown only in _elevation_.

The next figure is still more indispensable for understanding the conformation of the Ionic capital. (See page 32.) Here the abacus shows itself only in front at _f f_, over the two voluted faces, the rest being concealed by the baluster sides _b b_ of the capital, which extend beyond the abacus, and convert the general plan into more than a square. Although the channels and other details of the baluster sides are omitted, and only their general shape shown, the engraving explains how those sides are _reduced_ (p. 33) by being hollowed out or curved concavely on the plan.

In the next, or Corinthian Order, a similar curvature is given to the abacus itself on all its four sides; the capital of this Third Order having that in common with the First one, that it is quite regular. One great point of difference between the Doric and Corinthian abacus is, that in the former the angles are unsupported, and overhang the circular body of the capital, while in the Corinthian they are extended outwards diagonally, as _a a a a_ in the figure, and supported by the _caulicoli_ or small volutes, which they in turn serve to cover. The letters _f f f f_ indicate the rosettes or flowers on the four faces of the abacus.

ÆSTHETICS—ÆSTHETIC.—A modern architectural writer condemns these terms as ‘silly and pedantic’ ones that have ‘lately come into use in the Arts,’ and as ‘useless additions to the nomenclature’ and language of art-criticism. In what respect ‘Æsthetics’ is at all more pedantic than ‘Optics,’ ‘Mathematics,’ ‘Physics,’ and other words of a similar class now familiar to English ears,—although they are all of them essentially Greek,—or more pedantic than a great many architectural terms which are not only Greek but altogether technical, it is not easy to divine; while as to silliness, there seems to be far greater silliness in rejecting, or objecting to, than in adopting terms which are not only highly expressive and convenient, but have found their way into every European language, from that of Russia to that of Spain.

The term Æsthetics implies the perception and the study of those qualities which constitute the beautiful and artistic, and form the finer essence of all productions of Fine Art. It carries with it, therefore, a more exact and philosophic meaning than the word Taste. In its adjective form, in which it more frequently occurs, it is particularly useful, as no adequate epithet can be substituted for ‘Æsthetic.’ Thus we speak of the ‘æsthetic sense,’ of ‘æsthetic feeling,’ or ‘study,’ or ‘principles,’ &c.; but we cannot say the ‘tasteful sense,’ or ‘tasteful study.’ As to the species of study just alluded to, no term may be required to designate it, because study of the kind is generally dispensed with for Architecture, an historical and technical knowledge of it being deemed sufficient, without any acquaintance with those comprehensive _æsthetic_ principles of the Art which can guide us where technical rules stop short, and mere rules abandon us to error or to doubt.

ANTÆ, Doric, 22.

————, Ionic, 40.

ANTEFIXÆ.—Called by some, _Greek Tiles_,—upright ornamental blocks placed at intervals on the cornice along the side of a roof, to conceal or rather terminate the ridges formed by the overlapping of the roof tiles.

ARÆOSTYLE.—The widest mode of intercolumniation, 78.

ASTRAGAL.—A small convex moulding. The term is applied chiefly to that which is employed to separate the capital from the shaft of a column.

ASTYLAR.—From the Greek privative α, and στύλος (stylos), a column: columnless or without columns, a term that expresses the absence of columns or pilasters, where they might otherwise be supposed to occur.

ATTIC.—This is usually defined to be a small Order placed over a principal one; from which it might be supposed that it differed from the Orders in general chiefly by being applied on a smaller scale; instead of which it has nothing of columniation and trabeation in it. There is far greater analogy between an attic and a stylobate, or continuous pedestal, both of them consisting of base, a dado or die, and a simple cornice, and the difference between them consisting chiefly in their application, the stylobate being below, and the attic above the Order. Attics are either plain or pilastered accordingly as the building itself is astylar or the contrary; but what are called attic pilasters are no more than slight _breaks_ or projections on the general surface, with the mouldings above and below breaking round them, without any sort of capital, but just after the manner of pedestals: their faces, however, are sometimes distinguished from the intermediate surfaces by being panelled and otherwise enriched, as is done, for instance, in the façade of the new Treasury Buildings: another mode of decoration is to place either a statue, or else a caryatid figure, before each break in the front of the Attic, an example of which occurs in the Strand front of Somerset House. When introduced only over particular portions of a façade, such as the centre or extremities, the Attic is an exceedingly useful element in composition, inasmuch as it serves not only to give such parts greater importance, but also to produce play of outline or sky-line; whereas, if continued throughout, it is apt to produce heaviness as well as monotony, and some degree of feebleness of expression also, its cornice forming, in comparison with the principal cornice below, but a very insignificant finish to the general structure.

AXIS.—An imaginary line through the centre of a column, &c., or its geometrical representation. Where different members are placed over each other, so that the same vertical line, on the elevation, divides them equally, they are said to be on the same axis, although they may be on different planes. Thus, triglyphs and modillions are so arranged that one coincides with the axis or line of axis of each column. In like manner, the windows or other openings in the several stories of a façade must all be in the same respective axis, whether they are all of the same breadth or not.

BALUSTER side of Ionic capital, 33.

BED-MOULDINGS.—This may be understood as a collective term for all the mouldings beneath the corona or principal projecting member of a cornice, which, without bed-mouldings, would appear too much like a mere shelf.

CABLED fluting, 60.

CAPITAL.—The capitals of the columns constitute the principal and most obvious indicial mark of the respective Orders. For those of each of the Three Classes or Orders a certain character conformably with the rest of the Order is to be observed; but that attended to, further restriction is unnecessary. Between several examples, all decidedly referable to one and the same Order, very great special differences occur, and there might easily be a very great many more. Although the capital itself is indispensable, it is so only _æsthetically_, and not out of positive necessity. The necessity is only artistic: decoration of the kind there must be, but the express mode of it is one of those matters which should be left to design, to which it properly belongs. Capitals are just as legitimate subjects for the exercise of taste and invention as any thing else in decorative design. The capital is only an ornamental head to the column, and therefore admits of being as freely designed as any other piece of ornament, on the conditions of its being accordant in character with the rest of the Order, and of forming an agreeable transition from the shaft of the column to the architrave.

CARYATIDES.—Anthropostylar pillars or human figures (usually female ones) employed instead of columns to support an entablature. Such figures ought always to be perfectly free from all _attitudinizing_, and to appear to support their burden without any effort. Some very matter-of-fact critics object to caryatides as being at the best only beautiful absurdities; as if statues so applied were particularly liable to be mistaken for living persons subjected to a more severe punishment than that of being posted up in a niche, or on the top of a building.

COLUMNIATION, 68.

CORINTHIAN, or Third Order, 53; Lysicrates example, 55; Tivoli, 65; ‘Composite,’ or Ionico-Corinthian, 62.

CORNICE.—Doric, 21; Ionic, 42; Corinthian, 61.

CORONA.—That part or member of a cornice which projects out over and protects the bed-mouldings (see _Bed-Mouldings_), and throws off the rain from the rest of the entablature.

CYMATIUM.—A moulding whose section or profile is convex below and concave above. See _Mouldings_.

DADO.—The general plane surface of a pedestal or stylobate between the upper and lower mouldings.

DENTELS.—The series of small upright blocks introduced among the bed-mouldings of a cornice. They are supposed to be peculiarly characteristic of the Ionic cornice, but are also employed for the Corinthian one, beneath the modillions, which latter are the principal characteristic of the Corinthian cornice, as dentels alone of the Ionic.

DIAMETER.—The lower diameter of the column is taken as the _proportional_ measure for all the other parts and members of an Order, for which purpose it is subdivided into 60 parts, called minutes, or into two _modules_ of 30 minutes each; but the module is quite an unnecessary distinction, not being, like the diameter, the constant measure of any one member of the Order, and the use of it merely adding to the terms of computation. It is surely much more simple and convenient to write 1·40′, meaning 1 diameter and 40 minutes, than 1d. 1m. 10′. Being proportional measures, diameters and minutes are not fixed ones, like feet and inches, but are variable as to the actual dimensions which they express—larger or smaller, according to the actual size of the diameter of the column. For instance, if the diameter be just 5 feet, a minute, being ¹/₆₀, will be exactly 1 inch; if 2½ feet, the minute will be half an inch; or if the diameter be only one foot, the minute is ¹/₆₀ of a foot, or ⅕ of an inch.

DIE.—See _Dado_.

DIMENSIONS.—In architectural description, some positive dimensions or approximation to them should always be stated. Such mere epithets as _large_, _lofty_, _spacious_, &c., mean nothing,—convey only an exceedingly vague, general idea according to the particular notions of those who employ them; and, like all epithets, they are liable to the most shameful abuse.

ECHINUS.—A large convex moulding, generally of elliptical or eccentric contour in the Greek style, and forming the quarter of a circle in the Roman. The echinus is the indicial mark of and constitutes the principal portion of the Doric capital, the other being the abacus; at least the term echinus is applied especially to that member of the capital, although in many Greek examples its profile has scarcely any convexity, but more resembles a portion of an inverted cone (18). In Roman and Modern Architecture the echinus is usually called the _ovolo_. See _Mouldings_.

ELEVATION may be defined to be the _upright plan_ of a building, or any part of a building, showing its exact form and dimensions as they actually exist; whereas in perspective the forms are shown not as they exist, or are in themselves, but merely as they appear to the eye, according to the station of the spectator. Elevations are of two kinds, viz. _geometrical_ and _perspective_. In the former, the whole is projected upon the same _plane_, the remote parts are shown of their full size, and distance can be expressed only by shadow thrown upon the second plane by parts in the nearest one; whereas Perspective elevation partakes of parallel perspective, and the parts beyond the first plane are shown diminished by distance, and also come into view, although they may be behind others on the first plane by which they would be concealed in a geometrical representation. For instance, supposing a portico to have a second row of columns in the same axes as those in front, that circumstance would not be at all apparent in a geometrical elevation, but could be understood only by means of the plan, the inner columns being concealed by those before them; but in a perspective elevation they would show themselves, as would also the ceiling and floor.

ENTABLATURE.—The horizontal portion of an Order; the _trabeation_ or system of beams supported by the columns. There may, however, be entablature without columns,—where the latter are suppressed, as on the flanks of an _apteral_ temple; or omitted entirely, as in _astylar_ building. For the entablatures of the respective Orders, see pages 18, 41, 60.