Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/522

 426 The Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal. [Jan., pointed gables, furnished with spear- head terminals. The store section is divided from the superstructure by a cornice supported by half-round Gothic columns, with caps, elongated frieze, and consoles. The den- tiled cornice being composed of string courses, fasciae, &c, and the consoles being foliated. The superstructure is composed of three sections separated by piped pilasters with bands, foliated caps, &c. sustaining the main cornice, with foliated consoles. The attic has a circular dormer, with Gothic hood and ornamented finial. The roof is ornamented with iron combing, in character with the style. The win- dows of the store section are flat-pointed Gothic ; and those of the superstructure are continuous, and in two stories, Gothic headed, divided in the stories by ornamental paneling, and with pointed hood mouldings. The whole is calculated to present an unique appearance, being sparinglj' orna- mented — in order not to run up the cost unnecessarily — jet sufficiently so to produce a desirable effect. ITALIAN VILLA. THE beauty and elegance of the Ital- ian style — together with its ap- propriateness and ready adaptation to every kind of building, both as regards construction and ornamentation — have made it a very favorite style in this country, as well as in England. For suburban residences, and villas, it stands pre-eminent among all other styles, as it can be made to suit the taste or the caprice of any, either the lively or the dull, the sombre or the gay. Its existence dates back to the Four- teenth century ; but it can hardly be said to have prevailed to any extent, until the Fifteenth century. Hence it has been sometimes called the Cinque- cento Style, the origin of which has been described to be as follows : Cinque-cento means, literally, Jive hundred; but it is used as a contraction for fifteen hun- dred, or rather for one thousand five hundred, by the omission of the word mille, thousand. The Fifteenth century was that in which Brunelleschi was so instrumental in establishing his new style : hence its use in this sense. To Brunelleschi and his brethren of the art — who flourished between his time and that of Michael Angelo ; and who composed what is called the " Cinque- cento School" — we are indebted for the perfection and refinement of Italian Architecture ; for in our day, beyond mere variations in detail, little is changed from what were the leading principles of the style, as handed down by them. The works of Alberti, Serlio, and Pal- ladio, treating on the subject, which were translated into many European languages, soon effected a radical change in the art of building ; and, through the active instrumentality of such men as Inigo Jones and Christopher Wren, the style became an accomplished fact, throughout Europe, soon after the mid- dle of the Seventeenth century. It has ever since retained its hold upon the tastes and feelings of the people ; and, as we have before remarked, is unri- valled, especially in its adaptation to the requirements of Suburban archi- tecture. Most generally Italian villas have an irregularity of outline from every point of view. The roofs are never steep ; and the eaves are always heavy and pro- jecting, being supported bj r brackets and cantalivers of diversified patterns. The chimnej^s are very prominent ; and serve to give greater variety and effect Lo the outline. The windows are double,