New-York tribune., 1874-12-10
THE Art OF ARCHITECTURE.

GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE.
lrRox AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUNE
NEw-HAvEN, Dec. 9.-The fifth in Prof.
Welrs series Of lectures the OF Design de-
this evening before largo audience IN the South
Gallery Of the Yale Art School, The lecture was beautt-
fully illustrated by nearly 100 Of buildings and
referred TO In the text Of the discourse un
dersand that the photographs which accompany these
lectures been obtained by Prof. Weir expressly for
this purpose by an outlay of $780, From 80 to 100 OF
these views cast upon large by the camera
during each lecture. and informally commented on aud
explained by the Professor as they appear.
Architecture began the lecturer unlike painting and
sculpture 10 primarily subseryient to material needs
It properly ranks hne art toweyer for the reason
that while Its methods and aims 10 prac-
teal n another It's aim Il aesthetic. IN all Its construct
i've forms, architecture Is strictly mechanical IL Is
mshetic art through its proportional aud decorative
features use tho term decorative in its largest sense
involving line, light shadow and color subsidiary to
the idea Of beauty. As the predomnatiug element In
painting color or etarocuro. and sculpture form,
40 In architecture II 10 proportion That is therefore
most beautiful which relies for its artistic effect on the
nneness Of its proportions II these inharmonous,
no amount Of decoration. whether scupured or chro
matte will remedy its fauness. The best architects
seek beauty and expression through the harmonies OF
proportion and they apt to regard all decoration a
a subterfuge. When We come to aDayze the motives,
MEANS methods OF the architect fnd he is essen
tally artist in his faculties aud feelings. Not only
I'm the first p,ons but IN the adjustment Of every
part the proportions and in the addition or enna-
top OF every ornament the exercise OF the artistic sens
hity is required Structures designed for worship call
into play this @s hetc faculty In Its most exalted oTm
THE ARCHITECT AT WORK.
Following tho plan OF our former lectures, lot us
obserye the architect and his methods, that we may
form definite idea OF the character Of his art He
must consider the use and location OF the proposed
structure After the object OF the building has been
carefully considered, tho location well studied the ex-
peDse disregarJed the architect forms his r0ugh
| conception OF the whole and works 1t out In rude
sketch on paper. Few works OF architecture how
ever that strict unity of design wnch procoeds
| from a wematured plan and faithful adherence to
It. The temples Of the ahccn;s show this unity and
completeness most perfectly. and few Of tho Gothic
cathedrals exhibit perfect harmony Of proportion
Bat for the most part the larger works naturally
pied long period In their construction that tho
original design apt tn be altered or amended The
architect having sketcbed his iea of the proposed
structure both with respect to plano and elevations
gives it 10 the draugntsman-who must be skilled and
thorough workmanto be worked up more carefully ana
accurately The architect must also be good draughts
| man himself in order to transfer to the paper with
case grace, and facility that which he conccives 10 the
the mind AND, while thorough knowledge of geometry
Will suffice OF his work. has to make frequent
reference TO nature the designingof ornament so that
he at fatal il he has to depend In this
particular The taste aud sh OF another Before tho
Uidns are definitely deiernlnei on. th"y frequently
undergo alteration the ileIs OF the architect una
WORK. When the designs are filIy fixed,
nIsned drawings are made ahd ir0m these es illdtes
| aro calculated Dy the blil icrs. Widt arc trnei
| working drInDSi" are aisJ III ale Tor tue us3 OF tao
workincn Sectional dra win ~ also b. prepared.
Thus the whOie Of the Dd llg IN ali its parts
must he sdject 10 the careful cJhsierdi)l oi Tue
architeei, wth respect 10 forms, prncpe' ana means
OF constructing tIe various paris. the character anu
strength materials empoyed and tue ef,ct to be
urodIeed; all TINS rst be put upon paper. AMI
inen int material form through nstnanicIi as,heies
Btk of ALL tnen, We Had tue iIja aud tue artist
Whether he De pro oud or snti1" accurate oT care
less, daring or timi. II wiii sho" Ia ns "orA nave
vi drawing; his ssse OF color sioui De like
di-clpllned Tree ass "l color ia Architecture is
u tuns l.ays to he desired, II tn!s be Consistent VITA
the expression sought ANA Ia keeping witn ms Character
OF the uuding Ilex~fh ii arth ec0lfe uo%tVef, Inc
Application Of pigDoIts shpud nc ayOd5d ~ tar as
possible, ana tc natural coors OF ouidlS material re-
ilod
ARrIFICEs OF TIE GREEKS.
But let us consider particularly that element
Which is fundamental and characteristic OF this art
mean proper. ion. But q slight acq iain;ance vita
Grecan architecture will enable Us to that its
elegance and b.auty wholly derived from the SYM
matrcl and perfect proportion wnIch ID ii.
Peurosc recently proved tuat certain seeming ais
crepauces the result of deliberate iesgn and IN
tended optical deaOns. IIc Grccks Ia archi
lecture scuip uro. studied Hith marvellous
the OF optical iuprrsso4s. Tlus, we HAD the
which has ibe appearance ol Oeug p.rlee,y
horizontal, sigats arched Tao columns, likewise,
which appeared 10 he bohndsd w straight nes, were
foLnd have convex prVne IN tho loim vi very deli
| cate bypernoic curve Another peculiarly OF the
Greeks tine makug tue columns or tnef temples
slope inward perhaps 10 Increase tho Idea OF STRENGTH
Whatever process ~ rea'OIlnE was emp yed III arriving
at tnese nceties uf symc,ry Greeks evidently at
tsched The highest Importance to them.
Tde lecturer mere gave ana illustrated IN cetail the
proportions oi the TcC,dstyr, the lexlsyie ana Oota.
- lie III HSe D. me hee and psoeeeicu ~ spsaA vi
arcntectnre. Tie poporohs III TINS stJ ie are
less accurately determined. or at least, they are more
variable, Of is pccuiIrltles IS Its unlimited
variety, not only in general proportions, Dit hrousnout
extensively that OF the Latin whicn, being
uiydod into squares. gives tnrce five, ani seven rs
l,l A. IA
three squares, the whole Uurnber, outDg the ccnCer,
| equal hve ana seven 10 the sum Uf Tie length ana
width. Thls. according 10 descriptive geometry gives
the elopmout uf per Get cuDc Thc prOpOrdOn or
hIgnt " tno brcadn though $50 nli IL varying con
sdcrOly Eugsa and Continental Gothic, is yet, the
more closely We study 1t, conducive 10 Symmetry and
beauty Iu Gothic In Greek uuJ as in all other true
sty,s of architecture nnd the same general prin-
cipcs and maXlms. bdch are: let the stronger part
support weaker. let solioy lie genuine, let unity
aud VARIETY correspond harnoniousy and conflict,
et the gcueI and proportion be OF the simplest
sucn principles nope to add teal
element Or dressing of the parts.
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE.
Mr. Riskln gwen very simple explanation Of the
probable origin OF the three grand distinctions In
architecture, which he says originated in the three
me thOds OF covering space the Greek with the Intel
the with the round arch and the Gothic with the
gable The whole structures take their character from
the roof THUS in the Gothic find the lines " hich
surnouut the entrance DOORS the windows. aud even
the ornaments, repeat those wnieh distngash dist @ the
simple rule, and believe accurate.
| Iu cOncusOn O few words with respect 10 certain
details Of Gothic architecture. Tue aiding capital
of sprays ferns leaves, seemingly but OF
ornament, has most important Its office Is
gather the bearing forces of the upper masonry ani
them up0u tue shaft In tue most beautiful
Gothic cathedrais frequently IL or % shafts
uuited In "a single cluster their foiated cress forming
bed vi leaves aud exquisite tracings, from which the
arches sprip2 the vault These clustered
lnes such they address the eye, susceptible
OF Infinite variety OF grouping, for following nature
Gothic strives innite under
general uniformity. IL capital consists Of cluster
of ferns another Is given the leaves OF the oak the
iyy with stems and and there bird
aud It's nest. Every detail mas meau0g which re-
wards the student NJ every STEP We mud little OF
this spirit Impressed architect ire OF to-day. for