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THE CIVIL ENGINEER AD ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[Sept. 



painter, wliatevcr supposed monopoly it would hare given to professional 

 artists, would have deprived the public of workmen, instructed to execute at 

 a cheap rate common carvings and decorations. Whatever the sculptor 

 academician may arrogate to himself as his province, he does not undertake 

 a cheap tomb-stone or chimney-piece ; and there is therefore no reason why 

 the public are to have no choice between a costly work of art, and a work 

 without any art at all. 



It will he one result of the establishment of a body of cheap workmen in 

 art, that the man of taste will be able to suggest his own design; and thus 

 there will be a greater application of intellect and taste than can be contri- 

 buted by the artists alone. Hitherto we have been dependent for our ap- 

 plied taste on the body of artists, and we can expect no greater progress than 

 we have made with such a body, which is little in comparison with what 

 might be effected by the co-operation of the great mass of the educated com- 

 munity. To arrive at this will be to arrive at a new era in art, and it will 

 likewise supply a great defect in our artistical economy as it now stands ; 

 it will bring to bear that refined scholarship and education, in which our 

 artists almost without exception are lamentably deficient. How few artists 

 in the present day are able to take their stand as scholars and men of learn- 

 ing by the side of Michael Angelo and Leonardo da Vinci, to say nothing of 

 artistical proficiency .' 



There is a strong call for the home application of art among us, but this 

 can never take place until it ceases to be an extravagant luxury, and becomes 

 an accessible pleasure. If a gentleman of scholarly tastes and refined educa- 

 tion have the disposition to suggest the decorations and furniture of his 

 house, he has not the pecuniary means of accomplishing it. He must at 

 high rates choose furniture as cabinet-makers choose to give it, chimney 

 pieces made by machinery, wood carving from the patent process, statues 

 in terracotta, mouldings in cannabic, papier mache, or leather; everything 

 on the stereotype plan, and yet at prices for which be should be able to have 

 something original. 



What could be more pleasing to one of good taste than to have, from his 

 own suggestions or designs, and at a moderate price little above that of 

 mechanical or ready-made articles, the furniture of a room, the chimney 

 pieces, fire-grates, carpeting, and decorations made in harmony with his own 

 habits, associations, and sympathies, the events of his life, the feeling of his 

 home circle, or the traditions of his family ? One who has the power may 

 just as well have for emblem ami design his own armorial bearings, his own 

 loved flowers, or even favourite objects, as be dependent on the good 

 graces of the manufacturer, whose object is peihaps to sink individuality 

 for generality. Wherever gentlemen, even under present circumstances, 

 liave the means, a preference is always shown to individualise themselves. 

 It is much more agreeable to go into a room in whiih the decorations are so 

 formed than where they have no relevance. If family crests and badges are 

 introduced in a cornice, or animals or flowers are adopted in ornament 

 which recall perhaps some distant climate where honour has been achieved 

 or wealth attained, there are ideas communicated to the mind beyond even 

 the pleasure from well designed and well executed artistical productions, 

 and the mind likes what is most practical, most individual, and most human. 



Pursuing the train of these reflections, we have little doubt, and with the 

 evidence there is, we ought perhaps to say no doubt, that it was the co- 

 operation of all intelligent minds which among the Greeks and Romans 

 gave a catholic impulse and progression to art. The suggestions of a Pericks 

 must have been of value to Phidias; the inspiration of Michael Angelo was 

 refreshed by his associations with the learned of his day ; the companionship 

 of Johnson and Goldsmith had its charm on the works and writings of Sir 

 •loshua ; and we believe that the energies of Barry may be upheld by his co- 

 partnership with those who are most eminent in scholarship, most refined in 

 taste, and most illustrious in political action. Looking at our group of 

 tombs it is not displeasing to imagine that sometimes the design was prompted 

 by the mourner, or was a trilute to the feelings of the deceased ; that there 

 wa8 something higher than the compliance with a form of society, or the 

 self-satisfaetioa of paying a last debt, and accepting a free discharge from all 

 further claims on sympathy or remembrance. If the ready wit of the carver 

 sometimes prompted the design, we may allow that quite as often the hal- 

 lowed feelings attendant upon affliction and death may have influenced the 

 inspiration ; at any rate, on looking around us we cannot recognise our English 

 church-yard characteristic — " To headstone as per pattern.' 



Among the urns is a small one to which we should like to refer, but which 

 is now unnumbered. It is a square block, has a bas-relief of a husband and 

 wife, each a half length in profile, looking at the other. The design of the 



comb in the wife's head is worthy of notice, it is in shape something like 

 the crest of a helmet. The execution of these figures is good. 



No. 12 is a sepulchral vase or bowl of alabaster uninscrihed, which is ele- 

 gantly covered with foliage. It was found in a tomb near Naples. 



No. 22 is a square block with a carved top. One face of the square ii 

 carved, and bears a tablet surrounded with ivy foliage, freely designed. It 

 is dedicated to Claudia Fortunata, by her husband, and was at one time in 

 Sir Hans Sloane's collection. As these urns were for holding the ashes of 

 the dead, they mostly have a top, which in the case of cubic blocks, is de- 

 signed like a pediment with returned ends, 



A tablet to Cornelia Servanda (13) has a female figure in relief sitting or 

 lying on a couch, so that her face is shown. On each side of the couch is a 

 larger sized medallion, half length. The size of the tablet is about 18 inches 

 by 16. This small space is well filled by the several parts of the design, and 

 is much more pleasing than the tablets usually seen on our church walls, and 

 having more surface than work. 



Letter-cutting seems to be the chief art in tomb-making here, and even in 

 this mechanical pursuit we have not gone beyond the ancients. Most of the 

 Greek votive inscriptions in the Elgin room are by professed letter-cutters, 

 and are remarkable for their sharpness, neatness, and regularity. The lines 

 are straight and equidistant, the characters uniformly cut and placed in exact 

 accordance with each other. On the Roman tombs the inscriptions are often 

 cut by the workmen, and are not so regular. 



No. 11 is an urn of a flat square altar-shape. It is dedicated to Julia 

 Attica, and was formerly in the Burioni Villa. The composition is very 

 pleasing, though the details are inappropriate. The top forms as usual a 

 pediment. 



No. 27 is a square altar-shaped urn, dedicated by Marcus Junius Hamillui 

 to himself and his wife. Junia Pieris. The size is about a foot cube. The 

 composition represents a pediment supported by two pilasters, and is, like 

 some others, of an architectural character. The pilasters are filled in with 

 foliage. Within these there is an oblong tablet bearing the inscription, and 

 supported by two gritBns. Underneath the tablet, and between the griffins, 

 is a wreath surrounding a medallion. 



The urn of Pompeius Justinanus (No. 7), is original. It may be called a 

 slice of a cylinder fluted, and having in front a large tablet with dentelated 

 ends. The labour on this is not much, but it is recommended by the singu- 

 larity of the design. 



No. 4 is dedicated to Vernasia Cyclas, the wife of a man of liberal rank. 

 This is one cube placed on the top of another, with a pediment cover. The 

 composition shows much variety of detail. The pediment is supported by 

 two jointed torches flaming, and which rest on lions' claws. The upper part 

 of the space within is occupied by the tablet, which is inscribed. Hanging 

 over this is a festoon of flowers, the ends of which fall down nearly to the 

 bottom of the composition. Below the tablet is a doorway with a pedi- 

 ment ; within are the figures of the husband and wife in high relief. The 

 whole rests on a moulded base, but which is perhaps modern. 



No. 18 was presented, in 1837, by Mr. Mackinnon, M.l'. It is dedi- 

 cated to Tiberius Claudius Lupercus, a freedman. It is a square block 

 with a pediment top. Wilhin the front of the pediment are two birds 

 pecking at a vase. The corners of the cover have a honeysuckle orna* 

 ment. The face below is filled with an inscription within an oaken 

 wreath, which is held up on each side by a winged genius, forming like- 

 wise a support to the corner. The plinth is moulded, but is modern. 



No. 1 is remarkable for being solid and without any inscription, and 

 therefore it can never have been used. It is a square block, having on 

 its front a bas-relief of a figure leaning on a couch and ofTering a fillet or 

 wreath to a boy. This is said to represent a funeral feast. This unfinished 

 urn was likewise presented by Mr. JMackinnon. 



No. 8 is a square block dedicated to Titus Titulenus Isanrieus, for- 

 merly in the Mattel collection. It has on its front a relief of a figure re- 

 clining on a couch, and below it an inscription. The pediment is en- 

 riched. 



No 23 is a square block urn, with a plain pediment top. In this case, 

 there is no artistic decoration, and the simple inscription is the only matter 

 of interest about it, for the means of him who raised it were most likely 

 less than his aflVction. The inscription, which is in large letters covering 

 the front, is — "To Lucretia, who lived xii years and viii months. Her 

 father raised this to her manes." 



No SG is an uru dedicated to Decius Albiccus Cilicinus. It is a flat 

 cubic block, with u high pediment top, which is enriched with a vase at 

 which twu ra^eus are pecking : they are freely carved. 13elow is a tablet 



