582 GREEK HORIZONTAL CURVES IN MAISON CARREE AT NIMES. 



ill the Maison Carree and set tliem down to the score of masonry dis- 

 pla(;ement, a fact so common in old buildings tbat the first thought of 

 every architect and builder would naturally be that the timbers of the 

 roof had thrust out the cornice and that the curve was not in the 

 original construction. This is why I took pains to arm myself, when at 

 Nimes, with certificates from the ofticial architect of the city and from 

 his predecessor in office, the latter being especially familiar with the 

 roof and upper masoniy of the Maison Carree, to the effect that these 

 curves are in the masonry construction, although these gentlemen had 

 not previously observed the fact. 

 Herewith are the certificates: 



"The undersigned, Eugene Chambaud, ex- architect of the city of 

 Nimes, after examining the curved lines of the Maison Carree with Mr. 

 Goodyear, has veritied the existence of these curves as being in the said 

 construction, with the proviso that the curve on the east fiank has been 

 exaggerated by a thrust of the roof timbers, but also verifying the fact 

 that there has also been a curve on this side in the original construction, 

 considering that the line of bases in the engaged columns is curved on 

 this side as it is on the other, and that there has been no thrust here; 

 considering also that the movement (owing to thrust) is far from hav- 

 ing been sufficiently great to produce the curve of the cornice. He con- 

 siders the theories of Mr, Goodyear regarding the perspective effects of 

 the curves as a reasonable one, and remarks that the theory regarding 

 the perspective effect of a convex curve is new but possible. He has 

 observed with hiin that the variations of intercolumnar spacing on three 

 sides of the monument would undoubtedly have a perspective effect, 

 according to Mr. Goodyear's ideas. The Joints of the cornice on the 

 west side where there is a curve of 114 centimeters, as measured by Mr. 

 Goodyear, are intact with one exception, which is not important for the 

 question of the curve. "E. Chambaud. 



"KiMES, February 23. 189V 



"February 2U, 18l»l. 



"The measures herewith have been taken with the assistance of Mr. 

 Augiere, architect of the city of Kimes. He witnesses to having 

 observed the curves with Mr. Goodyear, and he verifies the fact that 

 there has been no thrust in the cornice of the west fiank. As professor 

 of persjiective he wishes to say that he considers the theory of Mr. 

 Goodyear regarding the perspective effect of a convex curve in plan 

 new but reasonable. As to the effect of a concave curve in plan it is 

 familiar to experts in perspective. "A. Augiere." 



I must add that on one side of the Maison Carree the curve has been 

 exaggerated by a subsequent movement of the masonry, and that on 

 this account I confined myself in measurements for the cornice to that 

 side where the masonry is in thoroughly good condition. For measur- 

 ing the cornice curve I employed tin roofers, who scaled the building 

 by roj)es and dropped a plumb line to the pavement below. The curves 

 of the cornice, wholly due to niasonry construction, are in horizontal 

 planes convex to the position of the spectator, and measure about 5 

 inches. 



