1843.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JGl RNAL. 



2L7 



to the observant eye, and the contemplative mind. The apartments though 

 of sufficient area, might be too low or too long for their width to be elegant 

 or noble, though sufficient light were obtained it might find its way through 

 very ill-proportioned windows ; the entrance though wide enough, might be 

 inelegantly low or absurdly high ; the vestibule though large enough for 

 mere use and appropriately situate, might not be in keeping with the spacious 

 saloons. Yes, a design though correct in all the above particulars, might 

 prove to be abundantly too expensive for execution, or when executed, use- 

 less ; because, forsooth '. there was no staircase to the upper floors ; or, if a 

 palace, no state rooms in which to hold the levees. 



That design, however, which gives appropriate size to all its parts justly 

 assauges them, preserves the beauties of eurithmic and symmetric propor- 

 tion without outraging propriety ; incurring irrational expenditure, or omitt- 

 ing any of the essential features, is as excellent as the rules of art can make 

 it, and requires only a due infusion of natural talent or genius to render it 

 perfect. 



Whence it follows that the text of Vitruvius in this part, at least, is not 

 as Shultz. and others, his lickspittles, have cailed it, " sophistical twaddle put 

 together by an ignorant compiler,' but a beautifully perfect, concise, and 

 consistant explication of the subject in all the views in wiiich it can be re- 

 garded, and worthy of our highest admiration. 



THE NATIONAL ADVANTAGES OF FRESCO PAINTING. 



Abstract of a Paper by James Thomson, Fellow. 



The Institute has been already favoured with two very interesting papers 

 on the subject of Fresco painting. One by Mr. Parris (Journal, vol. 5. p. 95.) 

 conveying many useful suggestions on the practical working of it ; the pre- 

 paration of the ground or plaster best adapted to the purpose, anil the 

 colours of which the chemical properties alone will combine with the mate- 

 rial, without risk to the artist who uses them. Another by Mr. Severn 

 (Journal, vol. 5., p. 188 & 310), setting forth in most animating terms the 

 works of the Italian masters. No sooner was the art of Fresco painting thus 

 introduced, than Mr. Thomson was led to consider the importance of it to 

 architecture in particular — to the art in general, and as he was prepared to 

 show, to the nation at large. He thus continues : — First, its advantages to 

 architecture in particular. In this a great and primary benefit is, that it 

 applies itself to those broad spaces of the interiors of buildings, which, if 

 decorated in any other way, either become monotonous, or (if not mono- 

 tonous), too laboured and costly to be often indulged in : and secondly, 

 to supplant the meretricious style of modern decorations. At present em- 

 bracing these two objects — the filling up of the internal surfaces of building, 

 and the exclusion of details that are foreign to the edifice — I would observe : 

 That the simplicity and purity of fresco painting demand the sober dig- 

 nity of architectural forms and proportions, and would he utterly at variance 

 with the tawdry patchwork of every day practice. To place a fresco of 

 Michael Angelo's, Raffaele, or A. Del Sarto, in a modern gilded frame work, 

 would at once exhibit the impertinence of such an association ; and there are 

 special reasons for this. The superior transparency of fresco pictures causes 

 them to reflect light, while oil paintings absorb it; and again, the former in 

 which, simple colours and grand outlines only are admissible, can dis- 

 pense with such accessions, while the other by its extremes of depth 

 (amounting frequently to blackness) and high lights, introduced at pleasure, 

 requires the aid of some such boundary. A gilt framework is almost 

 indispensable to an oil picture — while to a fresco (on account of its own 

 brilliancy) it is not only unnecessary, but almost injurious, I shall illustrate 

 this, by quoting examples well known to all who have visited the continent. 

 In three of the most admirable works of the Italian school — and each of 

 them by masters of rival excellence, Michael Angelo, Raffaele, and Guido — 

 scarce any gilding has been employed. For instance, in the ceiling of the 

 Sistine Chapel; the ceiling of the Farnasine Palace; and the "Aurora" in the 

 Ruspigliose Palace at Home : in neither of these do we find gilding to be much 

 if at all existing. But there are other points to establish the affinity of fresco 

 painting to architecture, and it is to be found in the necessary proportions of 

 parts to each other, so that they may not only be good in themselves, but as 

 integral parts of a uniform whole. To explain this, we must now refer to 

 the labours of another great painter, A. Carracci, and place his great work at 

 the Farnese Palace, beside the still greater production to which I have before 

 alluded, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. In the former will be found that 

 however bold and versatile are the decorations, there is an absolute want of 

 subordination of parts to each other; the oblong forms (intended to be prin- 

 cipal) are nearly equalled by the square ones — and the square compartments 

 are almost overpowered by the medallions. There is a struggle as it were 

 for preponderance, even the figures contained in each of the latter panels 

 appear to occupy a secondary place. Now let us turn to the Sistine Chapel. 

 We here find all the parts, whether panels, pilasters, or figures, to subserve 

 the principal objects. Here are the Prophets seated on pedestals in sober 

 majesty, and they are surrounded by figures in every variety of attitude — 

 and snch attitude indicative of some important office — yet all contributing 

 by their subordination to the dignity of the sacred seers. The side com- 

 partments are here decidedly less than the central, and the medallions are 

 comparatively small. And then how charmingly does the artist's eye direct 

 the allusion. Some of the figures are 12 feet high, others not more than 3 

 feet, and though close beside each other, no confusion results. One is 



turned into bronze, another into stone, and the third represents life ; but 

 the artist had yet another and another handmaid — perspective and foreshorten- 

 ing, a branch of perspective, and aerial perspective. But if in point of beauty 

 fresco painting stands unrivalled, what shall we say of its durability ? It 

 has been urged that the damp air of this country is unfavourable to it, that 

 our walls steaming with condensed vapours would soon cause the labours of 

 the artist to suffer damage and ultimately disappear. Now what have we to 

 oppose to this ? If fresco was like stucco paintinc, the objection would 

 hold — the latter lies upon the surface ; but as the former is indurated, and 

 becomes a part of the material of the stucco itself, we know that is liab'e 

 to no such contingency, but that on the contrary it is the most lasting of 

 any style of painting whatever except it he enamel. We will prove this by 

 past experience and analogy. True it is that the climate of Italy will afford 

 us no criterion — but its fatalities will. 



We are all more or less acquainted with the elegant frescos of Pompeii. 

 These delicate productions are, we know, after a lapse of more than 1800 

 years, preserved to us in all their pristine freshness ; now, it cannot be urged 

 that their buried state was favourable to them, or if it cculd, it would be 

 to establish another advantage over oil painting. What pictures in oil, 

 whether on canvass or copper, could have stood the test which they have > 



The most important division of the subject, is — the economy of Fresco 

 paiuting as compared with the present waste by gilding. Adam Smith, 

 in his " Wealth of Nations, says, " In the manufactories of Birmingham 

 alone, the quantity of gold and silver annually employed in gilding and 

 plating, and thereby disqualified from ever afterwards appearing in the ahape 

 of those metals, is said to amount to more than j£5'0,000 sterling. 



It is not here intended to object to the judicious use of gold, but to 

 the abuse of it ; nor either to the cost of gilding, but to the actual 

 waste by gilding plaster and composition, and every description of worthless 

 material. But, lest it should be supposed that the withdrawal of gilding 

 from our interiors should have the effect of throwing large number of work- 

 men out of employ, Mr. Thomson proceeded to show that it would be the 

 sure means of giving occupation to hundreds and thousands that now seek in 

 vain for it. The moment the use of gilding is restricted, increased aid of 

 ornamental painting will be required, and the art of Polychromy will be 

 revived ; and it will, also, require further aid from the carvers, aud some- 

 times the chasers. Mr. Thomson then proceeded to make some remarks on 

 the vast quantity of gold used for gilding, and the number of hands engaged. 

 and the cost. He then explained by what means fresco should be advanced, 



" The first legitimate source," observed Mr. Thomson, " appears to me 

 to be in our churches, because the talent of our countrymen could not be 

 better engaged than in the suitable advancement of their Christian temples. 

 The next source that suggests itself for the promotion of fresco painting is, 

 our Art Unions. They cannot, indeed, draw lots for frescos before they 

 exist ; nor can they be ready made as easel pictures for competition, but 

 they can do this : they can give encouragement to that lofty branch of art 

 which is capable of being transferred to fresco by engravings, duplicates of 

 which are secured to the candidates. The third, and not the least import- 

 ant means of its advancement, I would refer to, is — individual patronage. 

 I would remind those whose exalted station can alone derive lustre by the 

 services they are able to render their country — I would remind them, how 

 much it may be in the power of one noble house to effect." 



We have it in history, and that of the dark ages, that " when Italy was 

 torn by intestine factions, and war raged through the length and breadth of 

 the land, that even this turbulent epoch was most glorious to the fine arts. 

 In the midst of battles — engaged in the mortal struggles for the existence of 

 his country, we find M. Angelo constructing the defence of his native Flo- 

 rence — fighting on the ramparts, and at the same time producing those mat - 

 vellous specimens of art which have immortalised his name. 



" Coeval with him we have the bright galaxy of talent which illumined 

 Italy, so that, in the course of nature, one person might have lived to see 

 them all. Born with Titian in 1477, he might have passed his life with 

 Michael Angelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raffaele, Corregio, Georgione, Tintoretti, 

 Bassano, Paul Veronese, Gilio Uomagno, and Andrea del Sarto — he might 

 have outlived them all, and, even within the ordinary limits of human life, 

 have witnessed the close of M. Angelo's brilliant career in the year 15G3. 

 Such was the rich harvest, which left but slender gleanings to succeeding 

 ages. It had shot up and ripened in the midst of storms, and seemed, like 

 the palm tree, to gather strength from the difficulties opposed to its growth 

 —to spring with vigour iu proportion to the strength employed to hear it 

 down." 



It is added—" The stimulus which gave it life and energy to brave these 

 adverse circumstances — was the encouragement and foresight of one enligh- 

 tened family — The Family of the Medici." 



WILTSHIRE TOPOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. 



The third Anniversary Meeting of this Society was held on Saturday, the 

 third of June, when the Loud Bishop of Salishury presided. 1( v 

 reported that " the first volume of the society's publications would be ready 

 for the members early in July — that it would contain the Rev. J. E. Jack- 

 son's History of Grittleton, and Mr. Britton's Introductory Essay on Topo- 

 graphy, with Glossaries to Domesday Book, and other Archaeological Re- 

 cords, &c; and that the volume was exclusively for the u mcmbers of the 



