The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-06-23
THE NATURAL PICTURESQUE.
Relations Between Architecture and
Landscapes.

Landscapes.
Every scene has its special beauty If
not marred by mans work. Il is with
feeling of pain nigh to agony that we
have revisited what was once a lovely
vale, down which meAndered a brawl
ing brook bordered by rushes and for
Ret-me-nots, TO 6nd planted there huge
factory vomiting forth clouds of smoke,
cnrrent a stream of filthy. discolored
matter. This is an extreme though by
no means a rare case; but there are 9TH
ers where the intention has been TO car
~ out an improvement and TO produce
pleasing effect, and where the result has
been the reverse. One of the chief aims
of the modern architect should be to
master this problem; if he does so he is,
in no mean sense, an artist; he must
have the eye of an artist, a fine percep-
tion of the fitness of things, feeling for
harmony. and keen sympathy with ma
ture. If 20 endowed he not only pro-
duces artistic work but themes for artists.
A landscape pain.s- cannot give the
true spirit of scene isc has never cast
eyes upon, nor yet can an architect de
sign a building in harmony with the
surroundings of site he Is unacquaint
ed with. His derign may itself be good,
but if misplaced it will appear ngly;
and, on the other hand. a design exhib-
itinR no special powers Of beauty, per Sc.
may in combination with other objects
be worthy and beautiful item in the
composition In certain circumstances
the architect may find it e1pedient to
rely upon the effect OF contrast between
the leading lines of his building and
those of the surrounding obj-cts; in 9TH
ers he may place his reliance upon the
harmony between his creation and the
scene in which 1t il placed, and in other
and rare instances he may feel called up
on to make his work predominate so a.
TO subdue, as it were, to its influence
everything around.
But this last is a dangerous expert
ment, only to be undertaken by those
strong in resources. The safest course
is to strive for harmony Of effect, so that
in character, sentiment and color the
building may appear amalgamated with
the surroundings rather than form a
striking object claiming attention, it may
withai be the key to the general express
sion of the composition, the one object
which has made the scene picturesque
and subject for the pencil. Far hap
pier are such results. much more to the
credit of the architect in the long run,
than those produced by brusque self az
sertion, which thrusts itself into prom
inence. The most ambitious efforts of
man compete in vain with the subli
mer products of Nature. St. Peters it,
self would appear but as a toy if perch
ed on the Matterhorn. In the presence
of such objects mans humb bier efforts are
the most acceptable; they should appear
as the mere trimmings upon the drapery
of Nature, the smaller ornaments she
uses OCCASIONALLY. On the other hand,
when the natural features of a scene are
not upon gigantic scale, but yet. pos
sess certain ruggedness of character
the architect should give some force
and prominence 20 his work. The med
iaeval castle is more in keeping with a
rocky site than a circular temple, which
again is in complete harmony with a
landscape where gentle undulations pre-
vail. Where nature il less assertiye man
may be more 40; in fiat landscape the
tall spire which cuts mp against the sky
may dominate with fine effect over every
natural feature; it may arise from a
thick mass of foliage, or overtop long
row of poplars, and be the one object
which enlivens the prevailing monotony.
A tower, again, is more appropriate to
scene composed of hill and dale, and il
may be Of no great altitude if it posses
ses sufficient bulk.
Pictnre-queness il more allied to ir-
regularity than to symmetry; hut irregu-
larity is not of necessity an imperfec-
tion; it is, on the contrary. frequent
source of the most subtle beauty. A
human face which ia perfect in contour
may be less attractive than one in which
there is not graceful line. Although
an architect may not be a master of de-
tail, although he may lack the power to
stamp his designs with the impress of
genius, he may be imbued with true ar
tistic feeling. and produce works which
have a charm of their own, and which
are a source of delight TO the traveller
in search of the picturesque.-[BuIlder.