S64 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[Sept. 



both 83 a painter and an architect. And why are the works of such 

 masters never forcotlen when onee seen ; that even in presence of them 

 they seem as if they had been called up by enchantment ; and that at an 

 after period they so frequently come before the imagination like dreams? 

 Why, but because of their extraordinary and powerful effect ; because of 

 that beauty and grandeur in composition, which give life and intelligence 

 and poety to building. They well knew that architecture required to be 

 distinguished by such forms, such magical effects, such prominent bulks 

 in the grand mass, as would produce this, ar.d with it a most lasting im- 

 pression. Where such thought and mind is evidenced in the works of the 

 Italians, there is ample atonement for their defects, which are numerous ; 

 just as in the earlier paintings fine feeling and expression, make us forgive 

 every anachronism and absurdity. 



The noble group of buildings in that solemn square at Pisa, the cathe- 

 dral, baptistery and campanile (whose beauties we owe more to painters 

 and sculptors, than architects,) whether each is viewed as a whole or in 

 detail, are further instances of the incalculable benefit architecture de- 

 rives from a thorough understanding and practice of the union of the 

 principles of the sister arts. Very many other names might be brought 

 forward and examples mentioned to show that these men, when they 

 took upon themselves to build and adorn, possessed a painter's percep- 

 tion of beauty. Each brought to the task and ennobled his design by apply- 

 ing the principles of painting and grounding it not so much on antiquated 

 rules and precedents, as on the eternal laws of taste, harmony, and pro- 

 portion existing in the mind ; who, from the enlarged and comprehensive 

 view he had of art, knew more than the subject demanded when he com- 

 menced the work ; felt the nature of the idea his building was made 

 for ; saw bis work was made (or the place, and took care the place was 

 adapted to his work. 



Now, the neglect of these principles of painting among English ar- 

 chitects is, wilh some few exceptions, the main cause, we think, of bad 

 architecture, want of originality, &c., and one reason why we observe the 

 art so often degenerates into a mechanical trade. We seldom see origin- 

 ality,— and where it does occur, there is little taste; and beauty is another 

 word for the evidence of the existence of pictorial faculties, and indicates 

 or reflects a mind that is conversant with the beautiful forms in nature. 



Those principles (referred to by Barry) of uniformity and variety which 

 must be pursued in the arrangement and construction of all forms which 

 enter into the composition of buildings— are executed with the greatest 

 success by him who is most capable of conceiving and delineating fine 

 forms— aud this power of drawing is very much neglected by the English 

 student. 



I of course allude to the study of the human figure, for all drawing 

 implies a knowledge of that, and deserves first consideration, as it is this 

 alone which is the best means, in the first, as well as in the last step of the 

 art, for cultivating the eye and filling the mind with ideas of beautiful 

 form, which facilitate and ennoble design, composition, and all the effects 

 of chiar' oscuro resulting from them. 



The prevailing practice is to begin with architectural inanimate lines, 

 and copy ancient examples, before any part of the human body or even 

 ornament is attempted to be drawn : the one has a vicious tendency — 

 cramping both the hand and intellect; and the neglect and ignorance of 

 the latter makes the power of adding the beauties of ornament, the foliated 

 capitals, the enriched friezes, &c., at first an unconquerable and disgusting 



diflSculty to the tyro. 



Without a knowledge of the principles of design, we cannot give that 

 contrast, elegance of line, and variety of form which, bearing in mind the 

 purpose of the building, add to its beauty. A knowledge of chiar' oscuro 

 will enable the architect to combine the various parts of his work witli 

 such general effects that, while every part may be beautiful in itself, such 

 beauty will be but a part to increase the ensemble of the whole building. 

 " It is he alone," as Barry says, " who, from the sure and expansive prin- 

 ciples of composition and chiar' oscuro, can pursue beauty and sublimity 

 in a thousand different ways; whilst, without these essential requisites of 

 dosi'Mi, men are but mere builders, and must unavoidably copy or plunder 

 from the works of those who are gone before them ; and in either case, 

 the absurdities that may result from the difference of climate, local situa- 

 tion, and from ill-according particulars, however beautiful in their own 

 original proper arrangement, are too obvious to be mentioned." 



But a knowledge of chiar" oscuro will prompt him to dare to give relief 

 and power to his work as he can combine light wilh shadow, and play 

 with relief till his idea of effect is fully carried out. In our old Gothic 

 cathedrals, what richness and variety— what effect ! how powerful they 



look, and eloquent and grand they are ! In the numerous churches that 

 have been erected in imitation of them, we see, with only a few excep- 

 tions, in their effects, the deficiency of architectural spirit and talent in 

 their authors. In general what sameness — how barren and unmeaning 

 they seem ! as if they had tottered out of their places — and could not 

 stand there long. So far short do they come of those glorious models of 

 the I3lh century — such meanness is there instead of profusion — such sav- 

 ing instead of cost— such reduced proportions and littleness of manner — 

 that although the Gothic may be more appropriate to our Christiaa 

 churches than the Classic Roman, there is far more beauty and skill obserr- 

 able in the spires of Sir Christopher Wren, than in those of the modera 

 Gothic builders. The skill displayed in the construction of the spires of 

 Wrrn, and the ingenuity with which he applied the ancient orders to the 

 modern Campaniles, for which he had no authority, deserve our admira- 

 tion. They exhibit, too, — many in an eminent degree — the principles ad- 

 vocated in this paper. We observe such simplicity, yet such variety^ 

 such a fine relief aud " making out" of the parts, and to an extent which 

 IB vain we look for in the flat modern Gothic towers, 6:c. 



It is a knowledge of these principles — valuable in their application to 

 every branch of an, but more especially to architecture — that is the source 

 and inspirer of originality. Hence the old Italians, though little profess- 

 ing architecture, possessed qualifications which raised and ennobled 

 it; their inventions are steeped in beauty, for they were drawn from the 

 infallible principles wliich guided their practice. And the opinions upon 

 architecture as a fine art are always to be accepted and preferred before 

 the judgment of architects, why then separate from tbtir professiua 

 a knowledge of painting. 



STAINED GLASS WINDOWS. 



St. James's Church, by Mr. Wailes. — Woolwich Church, by Mr, Hood- 

 ley ; from a Cartoon, by Mr. Corbould. 



The two new windov\s lately completed, in the opposing styles — modern 

 and ancient — which now engross so much attention, afford a good oppor- 

 tunity for instituting a contrast between them. The ancient window, or 

 rather, leries of windows, at St. James's Church, Piccadilly, consists of 

 an upper and lower range of compartments, separated by a deep enta- 

 blature. In each range are three lights, divided by columns : the painted 

 glass with which each light is filled exhibits a scriptural subject con- 

 tained m a panelled centre or medallion, «hichis surrounded by a wide 

 border of mosaic woik, with an additional circular mosaic ornanii nt 

 introduced in the lower part of the upper centre compartment. The 

 drawing, though superior to that of many of Mr. Wailes's former produc- 

 tions, is very inartistic, — the arras aud legs appear to have been stuck 

 on, as though the painter had copied some Dutch doll, made to scale, 

 and wrapt round with cloth of various hues, for a model. The flesh 

 tints and other colouring must have been done from some of those 

 Italian glass paintings frequently seen decorating (!) many of our agricul- 

 tural labourer's cottages— they exhibit about tl.e sunie taste. The Mosaic 

 work has little pretension to consisteut design; it is distinguished by all 

 the beautiful " regular irregularity" of the kaleidescope, and could not, 

 we should have thought, by any chance have been executed in any other 

 way, — the colours are so varied and the pattern so heterogeneous. 



As we happen to be a little in the secret, we may perhaps be excused 

 in explaining how this competition was managed. We believe it to have 

 been all fair and above board at first, and that many of the committee 

 did, after looking many times over tlie several designs, choose one, esioUed 

 it, and were delighted with its originality, grandeur of conception, and 

 extraordinary talent. It was but a sketch — hut we all know what the 

 sketch of a good artist is, — aud they determined to make it their own. It 

 appears, however, that after the committee had come to this resolution, 

 they were informed by the Bishop that he liked not this modern style of 

 glass painting — that it must be ancient '"for his money;" mosaic work, 

 with figures and all that sort of thing ; which he thouglit the best adapted to 

 this window ; — and then, by some extraordinary argument, dictation, or 

 power of patronage, did he win over this said committee to his views, and the 

 result now appears to stain, not the window only, but the character of 

 England, as a nation of taste. 



The sketch first chosen we have seen, and pronounce it to be, in our 



humble judgment, one of the best conceived designs we ever beheld, 



either from ancient or modern paiuler. The lower part was the re- 



