Page:History of Architecture in All Countries Vol 1.djvu/534

 502 FRENCH ARCHITECTURE. Part II. we possess, what the exact ordinance of tliis church was were it not that some other contemporary churclies in the same style still remain to us. Among these, one of the most perfect is the cathedral at Autun, formerly the chapel of the dukes of Burgundy, commenced about the year 1060, and consecrated 1132. The arrangement of its nave is extremely similar to that of Cluny, with these differences, that at Autun the great vault is slightly jiointed, and attached to the piers of the nave are pilasters instead of three-quarter columns. In the ante-church, however, at Cluny, the same pilastered arrangement occurs. This is the characteristic of the true Burgundian style, and ^o peculiar is it, and so classical, that some antiquaries have not hesi- tated to consider it as a bad imitation of Gothic forms belonging to the 15th or 16th centuries. In fact the fluted columns or pilasters, their Corinthian capitals, and the wliole arrangements are so emi- nently classical as almost to justify the doubt in those who are not familiar with the history of the southern styles of France. There can, however, be no doubt as to the age of these exaini)les, and as little as to the models from which they are copied, for in this very city of Autun we have two Roman gateways (one of which is repre- sented in Woodcut l^o. 217), and there are others at Langres and elsewhere, which, except in the pointed arch and other constructive ])cculiarities, are almost identical with the style of these churches. AVhether from want of familiarity with this style, or from some other cause, it certainly is not pleasing to our eyes, and we therefore turn with pleasure to the ruder but more i)urpose-like inventions of the purely Gothic architects of the same age. Amon^• these the ])rovince affords no more beautiful specimen than the nave of the church of Vezelay, which possesses all the originality of the Norman com- bined with the ele- gance of the Southern styles. In this speci- men the pier arches are wide and low, there is no triforium of any sort, and the windows are small. The vault is formed by immense transverse ribs, cross- ing from pier to pier, and forming square conijiartments, each divided by plain inter- secting arches without ribs, and rising considerably in the centre. This certainly is an im- 3711. Section . . l-"ruiu i>idioii"s " Aiinales ArchSologiques.")