THE STYLE OF THE EMPIRE. 



489 



building formed a rectangle surrounded by a Corinthian peristyle, under 

 shelter of which transactions can be carried on in the open air. The 

 hipped roof, within which is contained the high coved ceiling of the hall, 

 is constructed of iron, and covered with copper, and no wood was used 

 in the structural parts of the building. 



Elevations. That the effectiveness of this simple and sensible design 

 is not greater is principally due to two causes. In the first place it is 

 virtually a temple design, but the excessive proportion of the width to the 

 breadth, viz., about 2 : 3 as against i : 2 or 2 : 5 in most ancient temples, 

 emphasised by a great expanse of hipped roof, gives it an unpleasantly 

 sprawling effect. In the second place, the austere simplicity of Bron- 

 gniart's design was lost by the substitution of a Corinthian for an Ionic 

 order, with a view to obtaining greater height without respacing the 



460. PARIS : THE BOURSE FROM SOUTH-WEST. 



bases, which were already in position. To criticise the peristyle, on the 

 ground that it makes two storeys appear one, is beside the mark. Just 

 as, in the case of a church, the architect has the choice of making either 

 the lofty one-storeyed nave, or else the divisions of aisle, triforium and 

 clearstorey, tell in his facade, so here he had the choice between express- 

 ing in the elevations either the high central hall or the two storeys of 

 offices. He very naturally chose the former motive as the more essential 

 in preference to the latter, which is in the nature of an accessory. 



THEATRES. The whole period, even including the years of revolu- 

 tion, but excepting a few years following 1807, when an imperial decree 

 limited the number of playhouses, was fertile in theatre architecture ; 

 but though much ingenuity was shown, little of permanent architectural 

 .interest was produced. 



