File:The Civil engineer and architect's journal, scientific and railway gazette (1839) (20466444328).jpg

Title: The Civil engineer and architect's journal, scientific and railway gazette
Identifier: civilengineerarc09lond (find matches)
Year: 1839 (1830s)
Authors:
Subjects: Architecture; Civil engineering; Science
Publisher: London : (William Laxton)
Contributing Library: Northeastern University, Snell Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Northeastern University, Snell Library

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184G.) THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 29.7
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is no law—sayB Charles Lamb—to judge of the lawless, or canon by which a dream may be criticised." Seeing, therefore, by what false criteria St. Marks has been judged, and consequently how Ihe beautiful characteristics of ibis strange pile, have been misunderstood, I speak in praise of it now, out of pure love and recollection of the feelings which it gave on the spot, and am grateful—as those who have seen and been wrought upon by it must be—for the proud vision which memory frequently brings before the fancy. Its effect on the mind, as well as of tlie scenery amidst which it is placed, should be pon- dered over, as a means of raising the taste and increasing our ideas of the beautiful in art. This Basilica (combining, as it were, the Mosque or Mahommedan house of prayer, with the Christian temple), both in its parts and as a whole, is magical in the extreme. Look for a moment at the profusion and magnifi- (*nce of its ornaments. The Byzantine-Greeks, unlike their forefathers, avoided the horizontal line as much as possible, and indulged in the curve- the fondness for it resulting from their co-operations with the Saracens ; and the commuDication of the crusaders with the East served to spread it over mauy parts of Europe.* This love of wavy lines and intricate forms characterises the Venetian architecture, and is most conspicuous in St. Marks. (See Ihe annexed engraving of a portion of the vestibule.) The object of the designers was a great richness of effect—which certainly the nature of the ornaments produced, and often also a gran- deur of ensemble,—although, on a close examination into their minu- tiiB, we find much that is defective : as in the ornate and kindred style of the Alhambra, or that of the Elizabethan. But with all the blemishes in its details, the mind is presented with a view, resulting from the union and consent of so many opposite parts, which is a principal cause of its beauty. The wildness or irregularity in the simplicity of the whole affect the mind with a series of strong impulses, more delightful than that mono- tonous, though sometimes agreeable, sentiment which is experienced in works built after ordinary rules and common-place precepts. Even the * An Infnaton of the Saracenic style Is seen in many parts on the continent—from Venice, traces of it along tbs road to brescia, and in other directions- The border orna- oent so common in the Venetian palaces, is round the windows of St. Peter's cethsdral, Geneva; and the minarets and metal globes on the towers of many churches in Switter- laad, give to the towns a rather Eastern appearance. For details, sculpture, &c., of St. Uarks, tee the works of Clcognva, Zanotto, Kieutter, Cwaletti, kc. littleness and multiplicity of the ornaments, spreading over a vast surface, produce a great eflect-beau.iful and rich in its mass.s, l.ke the foliage o a majestic and wide-spreading tree. The nch colouring of the many mosaic pictures also greatly add to the splendour of San Marco. Here Iris may be said to have dipt the woof. These mosaics are described by Northcote in his " Life of Titian " This painter as also Giorgione (who first introduced frescoes to the Venetian palaces), contributed much by their pencils to the architectural decoration of A enice ; delighting the eyes of the inhabitants with that colour, a love of which they imbibed from the gorgeous landscapes of their native city. The effect imparted to most of the churches in Italy, and abroad generally, by mosaics, painted glass, frescoes, tapestries, carvings, .^c, makes one regret that these arts are not more in use amongst us. Or, without refer- ing to the decorated and impressive interiors of the foreign churches we have eminent examples at home, in the magnificent cathedrals of our Gothic ancestors. In looking at the rich mosaics in St. Marks, and observing what taste and skill are displayed in shrine, altar, screen, lamps, candelabra, and, in short, every work which the ceremonies and splendour of the church re- quired, we see how every art, that was known at the time, was had re- course to for heightening the eOecl, both of its exterior and interior. Every object that enriched it, received an additional attraction from, and was in keeping with, the splendid crosses and reliques borne by the processions in the celebration of the festivals ;-witiiess it, for instance, on the festa of Corpus Domini. The one absorbing object in its erection and adornment was to render it as splendid and symbolic as possible,-most precious in all materials and workmanship, and to surpass even the Orientals in its magnificence. This was Ihe purport of its inscription : " Istoriis, auro forma, specie tabularum ; hoc templum Marci fore die decus ecclesiarum " Its interior, though far from " glooray"-as it has been miscalled-has, it IS true, become somewhat dimmed by age and the frequent burning of incense;-but in its palmy days, how bright and glittering must have beeu Its gold ! what life and light must it have transfused around, by reflection and refraction i There is another point for our admiration. Placed in one of the finest piazzas in the world, can anything be conceived more enchantin- on such a spot, viewed from the Palazzo Reale, either at noon, when the sun pours lis full brilliance upon it; or at night, when the numerous lights below bring out in all their contrast and colours and proportions the wonderful details of its facade ;-the moon shedding a bright light on its cupolas and pinnacles, and the dark blue sky around heightening its effect) Can any object be more appropriate than this to Venice ? Wealth and gaiety luxury and romance, make the character of the city,-and the irchitecture' partakes of it. \ et the vesture of mosaics, and gold, and sparkling mar- b es, in which it is arrayed, seen anywhere else but in Venice, would look like a mountebank in a company of diyines.

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