Page:An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.djvu/1145

 EXPRESSION OF STYLE. ll'^l safest manners of introducing novelty, without any violation of established precepts, is by the revival of ancient styles of art ; by which is produced what is at once new and vet familiar, instead of what is new and at the same time strange. Hence, the satisfaction that has, for some time past, been produced, in this country, by the revival of the Gothic style, in external elevations, and by its application to modern uses in internal finishino- and furniture. More recent examples of the same kind will be found in the present taste for the Elizabethan style, and for that of Louis XIV. in furnishing. To imitate freshness in an old building by renovation, or the appearance of age in a new buildino- by weather stains, are both sources of novelty, of no great value certainly, but still suitable for occasional use. For example, the general effect of an old ruin may be increased by renovating, and producing an appearance of freshness in a small part of, or in some appendage to, it. In a line of detached villas newly built, all exactly of the same form, material, and style of finishing, one may be rendered strikuigly diflerent from all the rest, solely by weather stains. 2221. Other Terms of Art might here be introduced, and their application to Archi- tecture explained; but to do justice to the subject would require much greater space than would be admissible in this volume : it would, indeed, require a volume itself The truth is, that all the works of man are only manifestations of himself, representing the qualities of his own mind, moral and intellectual, good or bad, ignorant or refined. Hence, most of the terms that are applicable to manners and to mind are applicable also to art ; and a building or a picture may exhibit beauty, deformity, boldness, timidity, strength, weakness, nobleness, meanness, grandeur, littleness, wisdom, folly, reason, caprice, and many other qualities. For example, the projections of the cornice of a building carried rather farther than usual would be considered bold, and give that character to an elevation ; carried too far, they would be considered rash ; and not far enough, timid. Walls thick in proportion to their height indicate strength ; and the contrary, weakness. Dimensions and proportions of all the parts, and especially those which regard height, larger than what are usual, produce an impression on the mind analogous to nobleness ; and smaller than usual, and especially as regards height, mean- ness : to be mean, a building must be low. The expression of grandeur is easily understood ; that of littleness is produced by comparative smallness of dimension applied to objects generally seen large. The want of wisdom will be conspicuous in any building, the expression of which does not satisfy the mind as well as the eye ; for example, if the artist appears to have bestowed too much strength or skill on one part, and too little on another. The folly of an Architect would be conspicuous, were he to sacrifice the main body of a building to any inferior part, as for instance to the portico ; or to attempt to build and ornament a cottage in imitation of a palace. Nothing is more common in the works of Architects even of genius, such as Vanbrugh and Borromeo, than caprice. It is the business of a critic, after he has allowed the full effect to be produced on him by the first impressions of an object, to search for its defornaties as well as its beauties ; and to point out the one to public attention, as well as the other. 2222. Relation. After the critic has applied all the preceding principles to any edi- fice, and various others of the same nature, which will readily occur to a thinking mind, it remams for him to examine it in its several relations. If it is seen in the same view with other buildings, it must be considered not merely as a whole by itself, but also as forming a whole in connection with the other buildings which are near it. In this point of view, an edifice may be so plain in itself, as to exhibit little or no variety or intricacy; and yet, when viewed along with the other buildings, it may produce one general combination of harmonious forms. For example : suppo'se a line of five or six detached but nearly adjoining houses, already existing, each house broken into several parts, and that an Architect were required to add an additional house at one end of, or any where near, the line ; it might reasonably become a question with that Architect, whether it would not be advisable for him to render the additional house one simple and grand mass, so as to form with the whole line, when taken together, a predominating and principal part. In like manner, in judging of a building of any particular age or country, the circumstances of that age or country at the time, require to be taken int4 consideration. In judging of the modern buildings of Italy, for instance, it must not be forgotten that almost all the modern Italian Architects were painters as well ai Architects ; and that almost the whole of their public buildings are addressed more to the eye than to the reason. In judging of the buildings of the reign of Louis XIV., it must be considered that the great object of the Architects was to follow the taste of the court, which was that of extravagant decoration. In judging of the taste of churches, and of sumptuous public buildings in all countries, it must not be forgotten that the great object was to excite the admiration and the astonishment of the spectator. In judging of those public buildings in Britain, in the Grecian style, which were erected previously to the publication of Stuart's Athens or "Wilkins's Magna Gra-cia, it C 11