Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/668

 542 The Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal. [Feb., with corslets and helmets, gaping with open mouth, with coats of mail, lances, pikes, balberts, brown-bills, battle-axes, petronells and culverings ; and, in King Charles's time, muskets and pistols." But those feudal times, which called for halls like these, have passed away in Europe ; and in our country have never had a place, nor ever will : so that we can just smile at the past; and draw comfort from the future. The desire of every one amongst ns, who builds a house for his family, is to secure as much of display as he can afford to pay for ; but, above all other considerations, that of comfort is his ob- ject. To produce this desired effect, then, it becomes the duty of the archi- tect to seize every opportunity of com- bining the two, and thus making his de- sign at once satisfactory to the owner and the observer. STATUAIIY AS AN AID TO ARCHITECTURE. QCULPTTJRE of the human figure ^3 does not appear to command that attention amongst our American archi- tects, which its position in the Fine Arts so naturally calls for. Yet no one can deny its power of attracting atten- tion. Why, then, is it not used, more generally, by the profession ; seeing that their end, aim, and object, is to draw observation to their work ? More- over, Sculpture is, in itself, so sugges- tive, so life-giving, as it were, that archi- tecture has a Promethean auxiliary in it, of no common power. In the proportioning of statues to the elevation, at which they stand, consists the great beauty they confer on the general design. And, perhaps, the se cret, of the human form divine being denied a place on almost all of our Amer- ican fronts, lies in the danger of wrong proportions, for the figure, having a bad effect on the whole. But, if justly propor- tioned how complete will be the effect of the human figure upon the design. Our architects seem afraid to venture on the introduction of this embellish- ment. But why ? Possibly thej r may think, that their clients will become res- tive, as considering themselves saddled with an unnecessary expense. We think not. Our wealthy citizen, who desires to build in elegant taste, is very far from being illiberal ; and, as well as he accepts his architect's ideas on one sub- ject, so will he be perfectly willing to receive them on all others, that go towards rendering the structure he takes pride in one to redound to his credit. We particularly refer to sculptured figures on exteriors of buildings, as practised in Palladian architecture. As there is no fairer model of correct proportion, than a perfect human figure, so there is no more appropriate embel- lishment for a design, whose aim is, to produce that same delightful feeling, in the observer. If the appearance of sculpture is pleasing to the eye, and the embodiment of a design be likewise satisfactory, how complete must the combination be, of those beautiful sis- ters of the Fine Arts. We desire to see our sculptors increase and multiply ; and our architects to lend a generous aid to this effect. The one art will, with a kindred spirit, aid the other ; and both draw forth the national taste. Our country is rich in artistic talent; and the marble, so, fitting for our climate's requisitions, is by us, in abundance. Where, then, is the obsta- cle ? There is none ! Let our profes- sional brethren prove their love for sculpture, by introducing Statuary freety, but ever judiciously, on their elevations; and generations of Powers, Crawfords, and Hosmers, will stamp their names, in the future, to the honor of Architecture and America.