Page:History of Architecture in All Countries Vol 1.djvu/403

 Bk. IV. Ch. V. DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE. 371 Ponipeian peristyles are to the porticoes of the Parthenon. But though doubtless far inferior to tlieir originals, those at Pompeii are direct imitations of true Greek decorative forms; and it is through them alone that we can form even the most remote idea of the exquisite beauty to Avhich polycliromatic architecture once attained, but which we can scai-cely venture to hope it will ever reach again. One curious point which has hitherto been too much overlooked is, that in Pompeii there are two perfectly distinct styles of decoration. l' ;J'BiillliilH:iiill ili'!iiJlilliiil]!J .lllll./il:uiiJM:ihiii.,:iil!.ililliilli^^ .i'l!/,^.MV■::;::,:':'^M:.v^1ll,.^l1:l7|!!'Ej|!i|1!ll^LHl;l.i^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 248. Wall Decoration at Pompeii. (From Kosengarten.) One of these is purely Etruscan, both in form and color, and such as is only found in the tombs or on the authentic works of the Etruscans. The other is no less essentially Greek, both in design and color ; it is far more common than the Etruscan form, and is always easily to be distinguished from it. The last-mentioned or Greek style of decoration may be again divided into two varieties ; one, the most common, con- sisting of ornaments directly copied from Greek models ; the other with a considerable infusion of Roman forms. This Romanized variety of Greek decoration represents an attenuated and lean style of architecture,