Morning journal and courier., 1880-02-11
LOCAL NEWS,
For other Local News see seoond!p.es,l
Sheffield Scientific School.

tHful, as shown in the AdOrmments Of
 French CaGhedraIs-Their Value as
 Teachers of Morality.
 The second lecture in the annual winter course to mechanics, given by the Sheffield Scientific School, was delivered last evening by Prof. D. Cady Eaton, his subject being Christian Iconography; illustrated from Amiens Cathedral" The snow was falling profusely early in the evening, but notwith- standing there was large audience present, including number of the most distinguished men of letters in the city and many ladies. The lecture was admirably illustrated upon the screen, and as guaranteed by the reputa- ton of the lecturer, 1t was very valuable and artistic contribution to the course, and afford cd rare pleasure to all who were so fortunate as to attend. We give herewith an extended report of it:
 fIconography," from the two Greek word s signifying respectively Ian image" and ''to describe, is, as defined by Webster, 'tthe description of ancient images or representa- tions, as statues, paintings in fresco, mosaic, engravings or gems, or metals, and the ike.'' Christian iconography would therefore be the description of all such images or represents tions which relate to Christianity. Christian imagery, the department of Christian icono- graphy to which I invite your attention this evening, reached it's highest development in France in the 18th and 18th centuries. No where are finer specimens than those offered by Amiens cathredral, and nowhere is the system more freely and clearly exposed which controlled church sculpture of the middle ages. Before the present century the images which are found on Gothic or Romanesque churches were regarded as evidences of an active yet disordered imagination as play full representations, not necessarily intended for recognition, certainly not for moral in- struction creations of lively fancy, whose best object, If they had any, was to attract to the church, by amusing that the amused spectator might be led to enter to his souls good, though seeking but the greater dis traction within, which the show without seemed to promise. The members of the Trinity and the Virgin were recognized and popular gossip, or preference oft attaches a name to a pet statue. It may have occurred to 8 few thoughtful men, while contemplating the innumerable statues that cover the fronts of Amiens or Rheims that such vastness of sculpture could not have been planned and executed without some good object to be ac- complished, without some one intent, some one spirit pervading plan and execution.
 But years rolled by,-there has not been much of religion in the world IateIy-the statues were beginning to fall away,-groups were becoming harder to make out virgins saints and martyrs were slowly fading from the sight,
 There has been lately wonderful revival of interest in Gothic architecture. Gilbert Scott in England, Violet Ie Duo in France, have been the prophets of the movement. From one end of England to the other, Gill bert Scott has been active as restorer of ca thedrals. His death has not stopped the inn petus. English cathedral churches are being put back into the condition in which their builders left them. The choir of Salisbury is already brilliant with the colors it originally bore, while Purbeck shaft and column have their pristine polish. Exeter and Ely have felt the magic of Scotts restoring power. His plans for St Alban's will be followed out. But yesterday we heard that Norwich had at last been freed from the barbarous additions which so long disfgured it, and was rejoicing in its original beauty. In France the work pro- cseds more slowly. The task is more difficult. French cathedral churches are vaster, more complicated than the English. Their exteri- ors are profusely adorned with sculpture. In England such sculpture is rare. This sculp- ture is in places greatly mutilatsd and can only be restored by most patient investigation, by long comparisons of the statuary of many churches. The French Christian regards his u est He would not have it changed. The Church itself is not strongly in favor of restor- ations. The doctrines held to-day by the Romish Church may not be those held during the 18th century. This imagery and symbolism of a past age, if allowed to speak, may tell of time when consciences were freer, doctrines purer, than they are now. Extraordinary as is the statement in more instances than one, the French Church has put itself directly in Violet le Ducs way and moro than one ec- clesiastic who has interested himself in Chris tian iconography has been driven from his cathedral town and sent of to country par ish. Still the work goes bravely on. The French architects and archssologists are inter- esting themselves especially in the exteriors of churches, in studying the statues that adorn the portals, finding out their hidden meaning, recognizing groups, detecting action. M. de Caumont, of Caen, in Normandy, has been active in this especial department and has brought valuable aid to Violet Ie Duo. De C&umont modestly points back to M. Dideon of the days of Louis Philippe as his inspirer. Lassus, Celtibere, Bulteau, Jourdain, Duval, are authors with whom the student becomes famil- jar, while finding delightful instruction in their works. The investigations of De Cau- mont and others havo completely dissipated the notion that Romanesque and Gothic sculpture was the product of the whims and vagaries of medieval artists. De Oaumont is even of the opinion that the time will come : when it will be possible to explain every fig ure, and to assign it to it's proper place in well devised system of church teaching. The intent of cathedral sculpture was to present, in lively images, the history, the traditions and the morality of the Church, that those who could not read could see and be taught by palpable representations. It is not claimed by French archeoloeists that the sys- tenn which does not appear in it's fullness till the 18th century was devised in the 10th, for instance and faithfully adhered to during the centuries of architectural development. It worked itself out as do all other things. But It's development was orderly and logical There is nothing in the freely developed statuary at Rheims or Amiens that is inconsistent with the incomplete statuary of Aries. The one is but an expansion of the other; while the earliest church sculpture may be traced, in its motives, all the way back to the cataoombs, to the very beginning of Christianity showing that one faith has always inspired and direct ed.
 There is no doubt that the earliest Western church sculpture was derived from the East By earliest is here meant that of the first ages after the overthrow of the Western Ro. man Empire. Christianity may never have been extinguished in Rome and tie apostolic succession of the Roman pontiffs may be in- tact; still when Christianity was accepted by Gaul and church edifices were constructed, builders and motives came from the East Violet le Duo is of the opinion that in sculp- ture, types and forms essentially Greek pre- vailed till the middle of the 12th century, and thatin the sculpture that adorned the monas- tic buildings of Vezelay and Oluny are to be found the first indications of pure French art.
 The first view is sketch of the principal door of the church at Vezelay, little town about 100 miles s. E. of Paris. The church was erected about the beginning of the 18th century. The drawing is SO rough that only very general ideas may be had. The principal point is that the lintel is supported by central shaft, an arrangement which, ac- cording to le Duo, is only found in Byzantine art.
 The prominent figure on it is St. John bearing in 8 nimbus the Lamb. As wor- shippers entered the church the idea thus conveyed was that our Saviour was''The Way" On the intel itself are figures that le Duo regarded as the saved and damned. In the tympanum is a colossal figure of our Saviour surrounded by the apostles, from the Saviour's hands proceed rays to the apostles hsads,- Our Saviour, ''the Truth" About the Say four are scenes representing every variety of human occupation. Our Savior ''the Life'- the Lord of active life. Above theEe scenes are small medallions containing the signs of the zodiac, thus extending our Saviour's king dom into the universe.
 Thus was early established quite @ system