Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 7.djvu/333

Rh building again became in a great degree independent, and were no longer confined to those forms or modes of decoration to which the notion of such a frame-work had given rise.

VII. Unconstructive Forms.—Forms which do not indicate a possible construction, and could not stand of themselves, naturally occur in this After-Gothic style, in which the ornaments are applied to parts without regard to the whole, and are such as caprice and the love of novelty, not the conditions of construction, produce. Such unconstructive forms are vaults with pendents (as St. George's Chapel, Windsor). Such unconstructive forms in the After-Gothic of Germany, are noted by M. Kallenbach, in the cases of arches with their concavity upwards (lxxix), and by Mr. Willis in the tracery of windows (Archit. of M. A., p. 61.)

The Ogee arch, so copiously used in our own Decorated Style, is an unconstructive form, if considered as an arch; and indeed with us it is scarcely ever the arch of an opening, but is commonly the canopy to such an arch, or the head of a niche. The eye appears to accept this form with pleasure in such cases, as a result of the principle of upward growth combined with the arch; and hence crockets and a finial are requisite to its good effect. On the other hand, crockets and finial upon a principal frame-work arch are inappropriate. The ill effect of crockets so applied may be seen in the restored nave of Cologne, where the pier arches are crocketed. It is said that the old work disclosed traces of such crockets having been features of the original design; but it can hardly be doubted that they greatly disfigure the building.

The free or hanging feathering so common in French porches, and which occurs also in Germany, is likewise unconstructive; but it is obviously treated as an appendage to the arch which it adorns, adhering to that, and not requiring support.

Among unconstructive forms we must place the spire of Strasburg, which, being hollow within, is made to appear as if composed of horizontal and vertical elements, and really has the joints horizontal in the external ornamental part. But in the ribs which form a pyramid within this ornamental work, and really support the structure, the joints are of course perpendicular to the length of the ribs.

VIII. Recapitulation.—Resuming what has been propounded with reference to the transition from the Pure Gothic