Page:A history of architecture on the comparative method for the student, craftsman, and amateur.djvu/140

 82 COMPARATIVE ARCHITECTURE. terrace and supporting an unusual entablature on which rests the marble coffered roof. All the figures face southwards, the three western leaning on their right (outer) legs, and the three eastern on their left, thus correcting the same optical illusion as in the Parthenon and other temple fa9ades. (The second Caryatid from the west is in the British Museum, being replaced in the building by a terra-cotta copy.) The exterior, constructed in marble from Mount Pentellicus, owes much of its character to the sloping site and unusual and irregular disposition of the three porticos, unlike in character, height, and treatment. The north portico is an example of a very rich treatment of the Ionic order. The capital has a plaited torus moulding between the volutes once inlaid with colored stones or glass, and bronze embellishments were formerly affixed to other parts of the capital. The spiral of the volute appears to have been finished by hand and is enriched with inter- mediate fillets, while the cushions (sides) have hollows and pro- jections carved with the bead and reel ornament (No. 41, l, m, n, o). The abacus is enriched with the egg and tongue ornament. The neckings of the columns are carved with the " anthemion " (palmette) ornament, which is also applied to theantae (No. 44 i-), and carried round the entire building under the architrave. The shafts of the columns have an entasis, and the upper torus of the bases have plaited enrichments. The order of the eastern portico is very similar although less rich. The angle columns in each portico have the volutes arranged so as to show on both faces. The main building is crowned with an entablature 5 feet high, with the usual triple division of archi- trave, frieze, and cornice, with water-leaf and egg-and-tongue enrichments. The skyline was enriched by the acroterion orna- ments of the pediments and the antefixae of the marble roofing slabs. The frieze to the porticos and main building was formed of black Eleusinian marble, to which the sculptured figures of white marble were attached by metal cramps, a method of showing up the sculptured figures which in other temples was frequently gained by the use of color. The pediments appear to have been devoid of sculpture. The west wall was provided in Roman times with four Ionic half-columns, angle antae and three windows. The Erechtheion has passed through various vicissitudes. It was transformed into a church in the time of Justinian, and after the Turkish annexation it was converted into a harem. In 1827, during the Greek revolution, the north portico and coffered ceiling and portions of the rest of the building were destroyed, only three of the Caryatides remaining in position. In 1838 the walls were partially rebuilt in their present state, and in 1845 the Caryatid portico was re-erected. In 1852 a storm damaged the building, overthrowing the upper half of the western wall and engaged Roman columns.