ARCHITECTURAL SCULPTURE. 
749 
fussiness to the building. Too great action or exquisite finish afford 
other opportunities for the exercise of restraint, the latter giving the 
idea that the architecture is but a frame to hang sculpture on. Too 
great projection is another common sin, proving that the designer 
has not carefully considered the light and scale of the work. The 
presence of a little restraint in a design gives an evidence of power 
and reserve of artistic strength in the designer, whereas a lavish 
display points to the fact that he has entirely expended his capacity on 
the work, which is bad. 
The second principle I shall urge is the necessity of harmony. It 
is essential that the sculpture should harmonise with the feeling and 
intended use of the building — that it form an integral part of the 
design, and not in the least suggest itself as an afterthought stuck on. 
This effect may be gained by careful adjustment of surrounding 
mouldings, and by keeping all work in panels, &c., flat. But by far 
the easiest way to gain harmonic effect is to allow of no unnecessary 
ornament. Let none be present for its own sake. Let every cut be 
part of the design to accentuate its simplicity, stateliness, or richness > 
as the case may be. If an exceedingly rich effect be aimed at, the 
sculpture should be harmoniously distributed throughout the com- 
position. Hotel Bougtheroulde, Rouen, is an example. Here the 
building and the subjects are propitious to the type of treatment* 
yet the effect is wanting in nobility, and tends to fussiness as before 
mentioned. Another vital point embraced by this principle is that the 
constructive lines of a building must never be interfered with by the 
sculpture, for, when they are obscured or covered, chaos and want of 
harmony result. Harmony must also be maintained between the 
figures or various parts of a composition as well as between the 
sculpture as a whole and the building. 
Next I would ask your attention to light and shade . Here a point 
I wish to urge is that sculpture should always he in a higher key 
than the surrounding architecture ; that is to say, it should be lighter. 
Look to Rig. 14, which is an excellent modern example of every good 
point. It is, of course, only a drawing, but illustrates my point. 
The Greeks valued this point, and gained the effect generally by 
keeping the sculptured surfaces broad and flat, occasionally by select- 
ing lighter coloured stone for the sculpture, and frequently they went 
so far as to colour the tympana of their pediments. Then there is * 
another point closely related to this— namely, all spaces designed for 
sculpture must be filled up with precision to the circumscribing lines. 
If this is not attended to, great confusion will result, for the uncovered 
background will assimilate with the plain surface outside, and so 
destroy the composition. 
Before commencing work, the designer should have a complete 
knowledge of the position of his work and the light obtainable for ii, so 
that he may determine the form he will use, and the amount of finish 
he may legitimately bestow. Of course external architectural sculpture 
should never be finished to the same perfection as internal and gallery 
sculpture, for then it would disrate the architecture, besides being 
lost on most of those who saw it. Indeed, finish should be carried 
only so much further than mere representation necessitates as to give 
an extra pleasure to anyone taking a second look. Further work is 
lost. 
