1847. 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



337 



THE MUSEUM OF ECONOMIC GEOLOGY. 



CWith Two Elevations, Plate XVII. J 



That species of astylar campositioD which is now generally qualified as 

 the ItaliHQ " palazzo" mode, admits of very great variety and freedom of 

 design, and of no less diversity of character in regard to the degree of 

 finish and decoration bestowed upon it ; which latter may be carried if 

 required to the point of the most intense richness. Unfortunately, how- 

 ever, variety of design in regard to minor features and detail, — which 

 constitutes almost the only species of variety a mere plane street facade 

 admits of, — seems rather to have been shunned than aimed at; it has been 

 so either without due study or else too timidly. The new Museum we are 

 now noticing has, therefore, caused us somewhat of an agreeable surprise, 

 there being much in it that is quite out of the beaten track. In one 

 respect, it certainly performs more than was to be looked for, since it gives 

 as two totally distinct pieces of architecture, its two fa9ade3 contributing 

 a very marked architectural feature to separate streets— viz., to both 

 Jermyn-street and Piccadilly. That neither front bespeaks the actual 

 purpose of the building at all distinctly must be admitted, for there 

 is more of Clubhouse physiognomy, especially in the Jermyn-street 

 front, than of what expresses such a public institution as a Museum. It 

 will besides be objected perhaps by some, that the Piccadilly front is 

 defective as a front, there being there neither entrance nor the appearance 

 of any, but the entrance must be sought for in another and far less public 

 street. Another circumstance, which, if not exactly a fault, is not in 

 accordance with the laws of composition for what shows itself as a dis- 

 tinct facade, is that the Piccadilly front having an even number of aper- 

 tures (six) on a floor, presents no central feature. Still there is merit 

 enough to counterbalance, or more than counterbalance, what only very 

 rigorous criticism indeed is likely to take exception to. 



To begiu with the Jermyn-street front, as the entrance one, although the 

 design consists of what seem, when described in words alone, very 

 commonplace features and arrangement, it exhibits a far greater than 

 usual degree of artistic treatment. In fact, the door, or we should term it 

 portal, is almost an unique example here, — noble and even imposing for 

 its amplitude, and though simple in its general composition, singularly 

 rich in design. An example of the kind was much wanted among us, 

 the entrance doorways and doors, even in our principal public buildings, 

 l>eing, if nut all of them exactly insignificant, deficient in grandeur. Even 

 the best of our clubhouses are not distinguished by any excellence in 

 regard to such feature ; in some of them, on the contrary, the entrance 

 doors are altogether of the most ordinary character. iMr. Pennethorne, 

 then, has taken an equally decided and happy step forwards in astylar 

 composition, hy making his door the focus of it as it were,— the prin- 

 cipal feature in it of all, on which the eye rests with contentment and 

 satisfaction, it finding there sufficient to interest and detain it. In 

 addition to richness of the architectural dressing, the doors themselves 

 will be decorated by elaborately carved panelling ; wherefore we purpose 

 showing them and the doorway, together with some other details, drawn on 

 a larger scale. The opening of the door measures 6 feel C inches, by 16 

 feet high, and the entire composition 11 feet by 23 feel, which proportions 

 are as remarkable as the dimensions are unusual, — that is, except in one 

 or two buildings where a single large doorway, or else a central one ac- 

 companied by two lesser ones, is placed within a portico or other columnar 

 composition. There is, as far as we are aware, but one other astylar 

 fafade which is at all remarkable for the importance given to the door, 

 namely, the Hall of Commerce, in Threadneedle-street, unless the large 

 door in the west front of the Bank may also be (j noted as an instance; 

 although with regard to the latter, it should be observed, it belongs to what, 

 if in that part of it it may be termed astylar piece of architecture, is not a 

 fenestrated one. Both those examples, however, are of very plain design, 

 more especially with regard to the doors themselves. Exquisite taste of 

 embellishment, together with perfect completeness of decoration, is to be 

 found in the doors within the portico of St. Pancras' Church, which ought 

 to have led not, indeed, to direct imitation — and they themselves are only 

 direct imitations — but to similar laudable ambition on other occasions. 



Perhaps it will be thought that we dwell, if not too long, too exclusively 

 upon that single feature in the Jerymn-street front of the building; yet 

 hardly can its value be too forcibly insisted upon, more especially as there 

 is nothing in the mere name of " door," as in that of " portico," to charac- 

 terise or appear to characterise a design when merely spoken of. Yet we 

 would readily give \ialf-a dozen of our usual Doric or Ionic porticoes for 



No. 122.— Voj_ X.— November, IS47. 



one such a portal as that we are noticing. It gives a decided physiognomy 

 to the whole fafade ; which, if that were taken away, becomes comparatively 

 tame and uninteresting. This last remark may seem to imply something 

 like an unfavourable opinion as to the general design, taken independently 

 of that single feature. Yet it ouf ht nut to do so, seeing how many build- 

 ings we have whose sole merit — or we should rather say whose architec- 

 tural pretension altogether — consists in its having a few columns put up 

 against it for a portico, and without which there would frequently be no- 

 thing whatever at all answering to even the most ordinary notions of de- 

 sign. There are, besides, many Gothic buildings whose fronts would be 

 almost vacant and featureless were it not for a doorway or portal which 

 imparts interest, and sometimes a very peculiar and piquant charm to the 

 whole. For making this observation we are not to be understood as in- 

 lending to insinuate that it so far holds good here, that, with the exception 

 of the door, the other features possess very little value or interest. Many 

 of ihem, on the contrary, alford evidence of laudable study of detail, and 

 highly commendable attention to those minuter but not least precious 

 touches in design, which bespeak the artist. 



The Piccadilly fa9ade — but no, we will reserve that till our next num- 

 ber, when we hope to be able to enter into some description of the designs 

 for the interior also. 



HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE IN GREAT BRITAIN. 



A Brief Sketch or Epitome of the Rise and Progress of Architecture 

 in Great Britain. By James Elmes. 



" Epitomes are helpful to the memory, and of good private use." 



Sir Henry Wotton. 



(Coniinued from page ZQ2.J 

 About the same time that James Wyatt flourished under the patronage 

 of George III. and the leading aristocracy of England, the leash of archi- 

 tectural brothers, the Adelphi Adams, arose and took their ground on the 

 architectural battle-field, with distinguished success. They have re- 

 corded their relationship in the Anglo-Hellenic term of the Adelphi build- 

 ings, between the Strand and the Thames ; and their names by Robert, 

 James, John, and .4dam streets, Adelphi. One of these, the author and de- 

 lineator of" Dioclesian's Palace at Spalatro," had travelled to, and enriched 

 his country's literature by his description of that once gorgeous assemblage 

 of architecture, sculpture, and painting. Like Wyatt, he endeavoured to in- 

 troduce a new style, but it was not derived from so pure a source. Neither 

 of these able men were imbued with so manly a taste as Jones, Wren, 

 Lord Burlington, and Kent; the latter of whom has been before noticed in 

 connection, as an artist, draughtsman and painter, with Lord Burlington. 

 In fact, he was not solely an architect, but the able and not always tasteful 

 assistant to his noble patron. As a painter, he may be classed with the 

 Verrio, La Guerre, Thornhill, and Knelier schools. He was considered a 

 man of taste, was an able landscape gardener, and was much consulted as 

 such by the nobility and gentry of his time. As editor of Jones's architec- 

 tural works, and joint editor with Ripley and Ware of " Sir Robert Wal- 

 pole's seat at Houghton, in Norfolk," he showed great industry and talent, 

 particularly in the correct way in which he delineated the ornamental de- 

 tails. From his intimacy with Lord Burlington and other distinguished 

 men, he was often consulted by the fashionable world upon affairs of art; 

 and is said to have sent a lady to court in a brocaded silk dress of his de- 

 sign, upon which were wrought temples, statues, fountains, triumphal 

 arches, in all the glories of the five orders of architecture; making the lady 

 a walking Palladio in petticoats, and her hooped rotunda a veritable tem- 

 ple of the Cytherean goddess. He was also occasionally employed as an 

 illustrator of books, among which was Touson's edition of " Gay's Fables." 

 lu these bis professional knowledge is shown to advantage in his interior 

 of the theatre which forms the head-piece to the fable of the two monkeys ; 

 who, gravely seated in one of the stage boxes, are criticising the efforts of 

 the rope-dancer on the stage to imitate their agility, asking — 

 ** Ho,v can these clumsy tbiDgs, like me. 

 Fly H-ittl a boHod from tree to tree ?" 



The interior of the library wherein are the learned elephaot and the boolc- 



4i 



