Page:History of Architecture in All Countries Vol 1.djvu/491

 Bk. II. Ch. I. PROVENCE. 459 tunnel-vault unbroken by any intersection throughout the whole length of the nave. The side-aisles are roofed with half vaults, form- ino- abutments to the central arches — the advantage of this construe- tion being, as before explained, that the tiles or paving-stones of the roof rest directly on the vault without the intervention of any car- pentry. Internally also the building displays much elegant simplicity and constructive propriety. Its chief defect is the darkness of the vault from the absence of a clerestory, which, though tolerable in the l)right sunshine of the South, could not be borne in the more gloomy Nortli. It was to correct this, as we shall afterwards perceive, that in the North the roof of the aisles was first raised to the height of that of the central nave, light being admitted through a gallery. Next the upper roof the aisles were cut away, with the exception of mere 319. Loiigitmiiiial and Cross Section of Fontifroide Cliurcli. (From Taylor and Nodier.) Strips or ribs left as flying buttresses. Lastly, the central vault was cut up by intersections, so as to obtain space for windows to the very height of the ridge. It was this last expedient that necessitated the adoption of the pointed-headed window. It might never have been introduced but for the invention of painted glass, but this requiring larger openings, compelled the architects to bring these windows close ujt to the lines of the constructive vaulting, and so follow its forms. In the South, however, i)ainted glass never was, at least in the age of M'hich we are now speaking, a favorite mode of decoration, and the windows remained so small as never to approach or interfere in any way with the lines of the vault, and they therefore retained their national and more beautiful circular-headed termination. The modes of introducing light are, however, undoubtedly the most defective part of the arrangements of the Provencal churches, and have given rise to its being called a " cavern-like Gothic," i froni the gloom of their 1 Wood's "Letters of an Architect," vol. i. 163.