Page:A History of Architecture in All Countries Vol 2.djvu/316

300 300 ITALIAN ARCHITECTURE. Part II. of Cologne or of York Cathedral. The architect is once more at liberty to work out his own designs without reference to anything beyond the exigencies of the edifices themselves. The plan, indeed, is still a S 5 10 21. /.o 60 80 100 iZOlttb 736. Section of Church of San Antonio at Piacenza. (From Osten.) reminiscence of the Romanesque ; but so are all the plans of Mediaeval cathedrals, and we may trace back the forms of the pillars, the piers, and the arches they support, to the preceding- style. All these are ultimately derived from Eoman art, but the originals are forgotten, and the new style is wholly independent of the old one. The whole of the church, too, is roofed with intersect- ing vaults, which have become an integral part of the design, giving it an essentially Gothic character. On the outside, but. tresses are introduced, timidly, it is true, but so frequently as to make it evident that already there existed no insuperable objection to increase either their number or depth, as soon as additional abutment was required for wider arches. The windows, as in all Italian churches, are small, for the Italians never patronized the art of painting on glass, always preferring frescoes or paintings on opaque grounds. In their bright climate, very small openings alone were requisite to admit a sufficiency of light Avithout dis- 737. Section and Plan of Baptis- tery at Asti. (From Osten.) Scale 50 ft. to 1 in.