Page:An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.djvu/1143

Rh interiors of their town houses ; reserving all external magnificence for their palace-like villas in the country.

2215. Elegance and Grace, in objects of art, are terms generally understood to imply lightness of form, or delicacy of proportion, as contrasted with inelegance; that is, heaviness or clumsiness of form, and want of proportion. The terms lightness and heaviness are frequently applied to buildings by general observers ; but they seldom convey any definite ideas to the mind. The term liglitness seems to be commonly applied to elevations, in cases where the openings are more numerous, in proportion to the plain spaces of the wall, than usual ; and, when the contrary is the case, the term heaviness is made use of. The same idea may be extended to the intercolumniations, and proportions of the columns of porticoes, and to various other parts of buildings. 2216. Effect is a painter's term, and in some cases it is synonymous with the word result ; but in others it refers only to the light and shade of a picture or a building. Where there is a striking prominent part or principal light in a building, supported by a broad receding mass or a mass in shade, the effect is said to be good ; but a building so plain in its principal front as to produce no striking lights and bold shadows is said to have no effect. The Italian manner of placing wuidows close together in series, and, alternating with these, large blank spaces without any openings (see § 1929.), produces a result which, in building, may, to a certain extent, be considered analogous to the effect of light and shade in painting. 2217. Harmony is a term transferred from music to Architecture, and implies such a composition of lines and forms as will produce a powerful, a varied, and an agreeable whole. Where great contrasts exist among the parts, and yet all of them are in accord, the effect is harmony ; and this is the highest result, with reference to organic impressions, that can be produced in an edifice, short of, or next to, the beauties of decoration and character. Harmony, therefore, supposes unity, contrast, variety, order, proportion, and various other subordinate beauties. Notwithstanding this, however, harmony in Architecture, as in music, may exist independently of ornamament or of any distinctive character. 2218. Ornament or Decoration, in Architecture and furnishing, is the addition of something, not necessary to unity of expression, but added solely for the purpose of enrichment. Considered in an abstract point of view, the effect is produced by a certain degree of variety, and intricacy of outline ; and, by blending, in a harmonious manner, lights, shades, and colours. The ornaments in exterior Architecture may be considered as exclusively sculpturesque ; but those of the interior include colours, gilding, and mirrors, and may be called scenic. The too general distribution of ornament, or richness, on an elevation or a piece of furniture, is destructive of that simplicity and repose, which is necessary to the full enjoyment of any scene ; but, on the other hand, when decoration is judiciously introduced, and correctly executed, it gives an air of high finishing and completeness, which leaves in the mind of the spectator nothing to be desired. Every thing in a building, or a piece of furniture, may be considered as ornament, which does not form a necessary part of the construction. In this point of view, the Hues and mouldings of architraves and cornices, the facings of windows and doors, and the pro- jecting mouldings of chimney-taps and other parts of dwelling-houses, may all be con- sidered as ornaments ; and, as they necessarily ai-ise out of the construction, they mav be termed ornaments of the simplest, hut, at the same time, of the most appropriate kind. A step higher in the progress of ornament or decoration, consists in the introduction of carving or sculpture, such as foliage and flowers, on the members of architraves and cornices, or other appropriate ornaments. The introduction of sculptures in high or low relief, in sunk or raised panels, or other compartments prepared on purpose to receive them, constitutes a third step. The last step is that of introducing vases and detached figures, in suitable situations, such as on the summits of pediments, or as terminations for piers, pilasters, columns, &:c. ; and these may be considered the noblest ornaments of all, since they are without any other use than as such. This scale of ornament will enable any one clearly to understand in what ornament consists ; and it will also show the propriety of consistency, in the degree of ornament to be applied. For example, in a very plain elevation of a house, without facings to the windows, or a porch to the door, or a terminating cornice to the wall, it would be an improper style of decoration to add vases or statues. The first step in ornamenting such an elevation would be, to add facings or architraves to the doors and windows ; next a porch, and a cornice under the roof, or near the top of the walls. After this was done, if a degree higher in the scale of orna- ment should be considered desirable, perhaps vases might form terminations to the sup- porting pillarsof the porch, or projecting balconies might be added to some of the windows. Instead of proceeding in this manner, we frequently find Architects, when they are called upon to decorate a naked elevation, introduce ornaments of the highest class, such as sculptures or vases ; while all appropriate ornaments, such as finishings to windows