628 MODERN ARCHITECTURE 



which we have on this subject. We are, however, expecting its re- 

 placement by the work of M. E. Molimer. 



The fact that the Gothic style had been carried into foreign lands 

 by French monks had been noted about 1857 by Felix de Verneilh; 

 about 1860, Palestine and Syria were explored by the Marquis de 

 Vogue and Baron Rey. The first studied the churches of the Crusaders 

 and the second their castles. In addition, M. de Vogue brought to 

 light the Christian architecture of Central Syria during the period 

 from the fourth to the eighth century, the period which forms the 

 connecting link between medieval and classic art, and discovered 

 there the prototypes of our medieval architecture. The period of 

 Early Christian art in Gaul was illumined by Le Slant's fine volumes 

 upon Christian sarcophagi. 



To the labor of these men, who did so much for the history of the 

 art of their country, should be added that of foreign scholars. In 

 England, about 1792, Ducarel made a study of Norman architecture; 

 later, about the middle of the nineteenth century, Willis published 

 an edition of the Album of Villard de Honnecourt ; Parker made 

 a comparison of the French edifices with those of England; Street, 

 in studying the architecture of Spain and Northern Italy, recognized 

 very definite French influences. In Germany, Hiibsch, Schnaase, 

 Sulpice Boisseree, threw considerable light upon the history of our 

 art. 



The results obtained by this first generation of scholars are now 

 distanced and have had, in many instances, to be corrected; but 

 they were none the less of value. 



Medieval architecture, a dead letter for the men of the eighteenth 

 century, who, with the sole exception of Le Boeuf, could not assign 

 a date within a thousand years, had, in 1830, its definite limits, and, 

 in 1880, at the time of the death of Viollet-le-Duc and Quicherat, the 

 entire body of its history was made the property of the French 

 people. The different epochs. Merovingian, Carolingian, and Roman- 

 esque (with its two divisions of the eleventh and twelfth centuries 

 and its many schools), were recognized, but were not clearly defined. 

 In the Gothic style three periods were clearly distinguished. The 

 history of each cathedral and abbey was known and. to some extent, 

 iho history of the influences of French art upon foreign schools. 



But. together with much truth, several errors were being pro- 

 pagated. For the most tenacious we must thank M. de Caumont. 

 who. i;ikiim the opposite view from that of Millin, interpreted the 

 term croisrc d'ogivcs as equivalent to "' pointed arched window." 

 Caumont callfd the pointed arch the f>yirc. whereas ogives are in 

 reality the .-aliont ribs forming the groins at the intersection of 

 two vaults (arc UK of/ivus =<irc de rcnfort). A more serious error, for 

 it lies in a fact and not in a word, was that which made him choose 



