44 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. [Febhuart, 



MODEL OF THE PARTHENON. 



Tlie principles of pure taste are best taught by examples. One single 

 specimen of ilie sublime and beautiful will exhibit the nature of it more 

 clearly than whole folios of discussion about the abstract idea. It is for 

 this reason that we must look to the actual restoration of works of ancient 

 architecture, to their original purity as the principal means of elevating the 

 public taste. That architecture has made rapid advances during the last 

 few years, and has attained a higher position than it formerly held in popu- 

 lar estimation, is undeniable ; but it is still far from its true place, and not 

 until the works of the architect become, as they once were, works of na- 

 linnal importance, not until architecture be restored to perfect purity and 

 be tlioroughly purified of all taint of barbarism and all the stains con- 

 tracted during the debasement of the arts, will those who labour now so 

 zealously for the Revival of the Art, have thoroughly accomplished their 

 great task. 



The Parthenon is universally esteemed by the architectural student as 

 the exemplar of one of the two great modes of architecture recognized 

 amongst us. The perfection of Classic An— the complete realisation of 

 its true principles— the last appeal of architectural discussion must be 

 looked for amongst the ruins of the Acropolis— whatever disputes we may 

 have respecting the true spirit of classic architecture must be ultimately 

 settled by reference to this great authority. So that it is impossible to 

 overrate the importance of ascertaining clearly the precise nature of the 

 original architecture of the Parthenon. It is the his;hest architectural 

 Pandect; the true and right understanding of the code of laws which it 

 embodies must be the sole foundation of all modern Commentaries. 



In examining the results of Mr. Lucas's talent and labours now de- 

 posited in the British Museum, we criticise a work which is calculated to 

 woik an important (ffect on the public laste. The model of a restoration 

 of the Parthenon, placed where it is universally accessible, aflbrds to the 

 people a type of that of which they possess no actual specimen — pure 

 Grecian architecture. Of the thousands who will inspect this model, 

 there will be scarcely one, even of the most unrefined and uueducated, who 

 will not be led to admire the wonderful beauty of the temple represented — 

 for this is the distinguishing feature (is it not, rightly considered, the being 

 criterion ?) of perfect architecture, that its beauties are apprehended by 

 the simplest understanding, and yet for their full appreciation task the 

 energies of the most erudite observer. It may well be imagined that many 

 of those who look with admiration on the representation of the masterpiece 

 of Grecian art will enquire how it comes that we have nothing so perfectly 

 beautiful in our country, as we may reasonably hope that the eye becomes 

 more and more familiar with the principles exhibited in tlie Parthenon, it 

 will grow more and more dissatisfied with those of modern works in which 

 these principles are most flagrantly violated. 



We intend to confine our notice of Mr. Lucas's works to the architec- 

 tural considerations. A criticism of the elaborate sculpture which the 

 models exhibit does not come immediately within our province, except in 

 so far as the arrangement of the sculpture all'ects the architecture of the 

 building. 



With respect to the external architecture of the Parthenon there are 

 happily but few opportunities for controversy. The remains are in a suffi- 

 ciently perfect condition to exhibit in a clear and indubitable manner, all 

 the great features of the exterior of the temple. With respect to the in- 

 terior, however, our knowledge is not so satisfactory. Time and violence 

 have worked so busily within this glorious fane, that now the best evi- 

 dences of the original design are often no better than mere conjectures. We 

 know the interior of the building was divided into two great chambers, 

 the Opisthodomus or ti'easury to the west, and the chamber which con- 

 tained the great statue of Miverva, to the east ; but few traces remain of 

 the architecture of tl)ese two great divisions of the temple. 



In the restoration by Mr. Lucas, the roof of the Opisthodomus is sup- 

 ported Irom the ground by Ionic columns ; the roof of the principal or 

 eastern chamber is supported by a double order of columns, the lower tier 

 Ionic, the upper Corinthian, and for this arrangement Mr. Lucas assigns 

 the following reasons in a small octavo volume, entitled Remarks on the 

 Parthenon, being the result of studies and inquiries respecting that noble 

 building, 



"In the restoration of the interior, I have adopted that view of the case 

 which is set forth in the seventh volume of the Museum writings, pub- 

 lished by the Trustees. Mr. Cockered has, in that volume, given a res- 

 loratioa which is mainly based on the discovery I have alluded to, of 



the Corinthian capital in the eastern chamber ; • and supposing that this 

 beautiful combination contains the result of all the information on this 

 branch of the subject, I had implicitly adopted it; con3ideral)le diflference 

 of opinion, however, exists as to the propriety of placing the Doric order 

 over the Corinthian, as Mr. Cockerel! has done, or even using the Corin- 

 thian at all with propriety. This objection was urged with great force by 

 the celebrated Sicilian antiquary, Le Due di Serradifalco, on his recent 

 Tisit to this country. Col. Leake's observations, however, appear con- 

 clusive as to the Corinthian order ; the Doric over it does not appear to 

 rest on any sure data, as in the Walhalla the caryatides are used inst«-ad 

 of the Doric. As tliis restoration is purchased by the trustees of the 

 British Museum to illustrate the Elgin Gallery, I consider it needful this 

 work should have the advantage of all the recent information that has 

 resulted from Iho excavations and discoveries of King Otho ; and by the 

 kindness of Col. I'ox and Major Parker, I am placed in correspondence 

 with the architects of the Walhalla, and also those now employed by the 

 King of (jireece at Athens, so that all information will be exhausted in 

 the restoration of the interior. In Inwood's folio work, published in 

 1827, is engraved plate 22, a portion of a Corinthian capital that was 

 brought by liim from the Parthenon, and which he considered a fragment 

 of one of the lower tiers of columns of the interior ; and of the fragment, 

 and his restoration from the same, an etching is here presented, t 



In regard, however, to the roof of the chamber being open over the 

 statue of the goddess, that question has been much discussed ; and it ap- 

 pears probable that the aperture over the statue was filled with some 

 transparent substance, cunduciug alike to the double purpose of the pro- 

 tection of so costly a work, and rendering its effect mysterious. 



Note. — The following communications on the subject of the interior of 

 the Parthenon have been obtained from Athens, through the influence of 

 Sir Edmund Lyons, the British Minister at that Court, from Mr. Piitakis, 

 the present Curator of the Parthenon ; and also from Mr. George Finlay, 

 who is esteemed a great authority on ibis matter. 



Questions submitted to Mr. Pittahis by R. C Lucas. 



1st. — Is the capital of a Corinthian column which Col. Leake alludes 

 to in his work, as having been found in the eastern chamber of the Par- 

 thenon (and on which discovery Mr. Cockerell has based his restoratiou 

 of the lower tier of columns in the interior of the Parthenon) in Athens ; 

 or can any account be given of it ? 



2d. — Can any data be given for the upper tier of columns or support 

 to the roof of the eastern chamber ? Mr. Cockerell has used the Doric 

 placed over the Corinthian in his restoration. 



Mr. Pittalcis's Answer to Mr. Lucas's Inquiries. 



In answer to the first question, around the altar, which was the an- 

 cient Hecatompedon, the sod of which is lower than the rest of ihe Par- 

 thenon, appear signs of double columns. The first, which Mr. Cock- 

 erell saw, are about three feet in diameter; and thus it has been sup- 

 posed, wrongly, I think, that those small columns supported the roof of 

 the temple ; but when the mosque, which stood on the south side of the 

 temple, was knocked down and cleared away in 1814, traces of columns 

 of five feet in diameter were discovered on the flooring, and are still 

 visible ; these columns, which, from their size, were able to support the 

 weight of the roof, were up to the half the height of the Temple of the 

 Doric order; above them was another tier of columns of tlie Ionic 

 order; so that the lower tier was Doric, and the upper Ionic. The 

 same order of architecture prevailed in the Temple of Minerva. The 

 traces of the Doric order appear in two places, and I have shown the 

 same to several travellers, particularly to Mr. Bracebridge, who may 

 assist in this explanation if referred to. As for the upper range of 

 columns, they were certainly Ionic. This I have ascertained from 

 fragments of this order which I have found in the difl^erent excavations 

 I have superintended in the Parthenon ; and I also believe that the 

 traces of those columns which Mr. Cockerell gave were made in the 

 time of the Romans, when the Parthenon was restored ; and I have 

 found in excavating up to the present period four pieces of the frieze of 

 the Roman era, and they made use of the same upper tier of column^ 

 tliat is, Ionic. As to the second question, six traces of the slylobates 

 exist towards the south of the Parthenon, and four on the north side ; 

 but they are of the Roman epoch, as I said before. 



I do not agree with Mr. Cockerell in placing the Doric order on the 

 Corinthian; and, if I may be allowed to oBer my opinion, I should 



* Note. — (From Cnl. Leslie's Work. vol. i. page 334, Second Edition.)— In the e»sl- 

 tern chambi-r of the Parthenon, a Coriutliian capital has been found of such dlmansioos 

 as leads to the belief that the columns were of that order. The smallness of their dia- 

 meter leaves little doubt that there was an upper range, as described by Pausanias at 

 Olympia, and as still exempliljed in one of the temples at Pieslum. In the interior of 

 the temple of Phygalia are two new varieties of the Ionic order, one of which by its 

 helices and leaves of acanthus must be considered as the ord^r afterwards called Corin- 

 thian, It proves, therefore, this order was employed Id the time of Pericles ; Id fact, 

 Vitruvius gives the honour of its Invention to Cidliinachus, who lived about that time. 



t This restoration, Inwood himself says, Is merely ideal. He observes, that there is a 

 peculiarity in the fluting, being difierent on different sides of the volute. This peculi- 

 arity exists also, according to Mr. Cockerell, in the fragments of Corinthian capital in 

 the Temple of Apollo Epicurius, at Phygalia, which was built by Iclinus ; bul it doei not 

 appear that the fragments were similar in other respects, and, even if they did, there is 

 no argument for a range of Corinthian columns in the Parthenon, for iu the other 

 temple (that of Apollo, at Phygalia,! the Corinthian column was a solitary one. In 

 " this" case, there is no donbt whatever that the column was a '* single " one (not one of 

 a range), and its office was to support the south end of the cellar. 



