84 



The Country House 



the already growing boldness of relief was carried even into the round, in cases 

 where this was possible. 



German craftsmen evidently believed in paint, as many of these carvings were 

 thus embellished. It is doubtful if such a treatment would add anything to 

 the already beautiful texture of the oak, unless perhaps the colours were much 

 diluted and used as a sort of stain. Even then they were better used sparingly, 

 so as not to overbalance the natural textural beauty. 



Some of the most charmingly individual examples of Gothic treatment are 

 to be found in northern Tyrol, where the German influence is strong. It is 

 wood architecture pure and simple, with a great freedom of artistic line and 



handling. Door posts, heavy and crude, 

 run to the ceiling, and across the door 

 head runs a shelf, with little or no pro- 

 jection beyond the posts. A carved 

 panel surmounts this, and small bands 

 of geometric carving enrich the edge of 

 the post-like architrave. The door itself, 

 with its flattened Tudor arch, is per- 

 haps two panels in height, perfectly 

 plain, and devoid of any moulding save 

 for the chamfered edges of stiles and 

 rails. 



Some examples have the upper 

 corners of the door clipped, and are 

 solid, with fine specimens of ornamental 

 strap hinges and locks. The archi- 

 traves are well-designed Gothic mould- 

 ings, which follow the outline of the 

 door. Often, too, in the later works, 

 where the wall is plastered above the 

 wainscoting, the Gothic door head took 

 on elaborate forms of wood carving, 

 boldly relieved against the plastered wall. 

 These are but a few of the many and 

 varied treatments. 



The English in their charming 

 little half-timber houses usually treated 

 the door in a very simple manner. 

 Carving was only occasionally, and then 

 sparingly, used on exterior door posts. 

 The natural wood, which was generally 

 oak, was counted upon for effect. 



In the more elaborate edifices of the 

 Elizabethan style, perhaps the most com- 

 mon form of exterior door was that of 



bourway on the lines of the Renaissance, with an influence of _, /"< i T i r i 



the Elizabethan the I udor Gothic. Its chief character- 



