Page:A History of Art in Ancient Egypt Vol 1.djvu/183

 General PRiNcirLEs of Form. 99 An appearance of incomparable gravity, of solemnity, is also stamped upon it by the small number of openings for the admission of light of which it makes use, and also by their arrangement. Compared to our modern architecture, in which windows play such an important part, that of Egypt is prison- like in its gloom ; but, in consequence of its rare openings and their small size, it presents more imposing walls than any other style. One of the essential arrangements of Egyptian architecture is shared by many other countries, that of the p07'tico, by which we mean an alternation of voids and solids in certain well defined iryg[Ini:!jlTUjjj(.j]g^^ Fig. 6i. — General appearance of an Egyptian Temple.* proportions, either for ornamenting the exterior and providing a covered way, or for dividing the halls of the interior and supporting their roofs. The relation between voids and solids in any style of architecture is one of the most vital characteristics. bases. Their height is far less than their largest horizontal diameter. The pyramid of Cheops, for instance, is 233 metres along one side of its base, and only 146 in height, i.e., its base is to its height as 8 to 5. All Egyptian monuments, even the most lofty, are more remarkable for the ground they cover than for their height [except the monoliths ! — Ed.], and this extension of their bases gives them an appearance of absolutely eternal durability." ^ This illustration has been compiled in order to give a general idea of the more persistent characteristics of the Egyptian temple.