Page:A History of Architecture in All Countries Vol 2.djvu/363

Rh Bk. VIII. (' ir. III. TOSCANELLA. 347 at Pisa, owes its celebrity to the richness of its niches and canopies, and to the sculpture which they contain. In this the Italians were always at home, and probably always surpassed the Northern nations. It was far otherwise with architecture, properly so called. This, in the age of the pointed style, was in Italy so cold and unmeaning, that we do not wonder at the readiness with which the Italians returned to the classical models. They are to be forgiven in this, but we cannot so easily forgive our forefathers, who abandoned a style far more beautiful than that of Italy to copy one which they had themselves infinitely surpassed ; and this only because the Italians, unable either to comprehend or imitate the true principles of pointed art, were forced to abandon its practice. Unfortunately for us, they had in this respect in that age sufficient influence to set the fashion to all Europe. ToSCANELLA. On the boundary line which separates the Guelfic froni the Ghi- belline influence, there exist at Toscanella, near Viterbo, two churclies of great beauty of detail ; but which, as might almost be predicated from their situation, defy any attempt at classification. They are not Gothic, for they have no vaults, nor does their style suggest any vaulting contrivances. They are not Romanesque, for the tracery of their cir- cular windows, their many-shafted doors, and generally their details, are such as to indicate a Northern rather than a Roman affinity. Still less is there any trace of Byzantine work about them. Under these circumstances, it is better to treat them as exceptional, than to attempt to srive them a name which misrht mislead without conveying any correct information. The elder of these two churches, Sta. Maria, was erected in the beginning of the loth century (1206?), but is so unlike most buildings of that age, that it is usually ascribed to the 6th or 7th. On a close examination, however, all its details are found to be full of advanced Gothic feeling, though used with Romanesque forms. The pillars are rude Corinthian, with a Gothic abacus. They are widely spaced, having no vault to support ; and the mouldings of the arches are what we should call " Transitional Early English." Externally the fa9ade is too plain to be quite pleasing, but this arises from its depending originally on painting for its decoration — some traces of which still remain, but the greater part has perished. 776. PlanofSta. Maria, Toscanella. (From Gailhabaud.) Scale 100 ft. to 1 in.