New-York tribune., 1891-12-23
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
EIJZARETHAN BUILDINGS.

ARCHITECTURE OF THE RENAISSANCE IN ENG
tails from buildings erected between the years
iscol @ leso, with historical and critical text BY
TALBOT 'gS Rrowp. @T A. r. l. d. a. 70 be Competed in
SIX paris. Folio. Parts ILL., Boston: Tcknor
That the workings OF the Italian Renaissance were
not restricted TO Italy is of the commonpaces OF
general knowledge. That in England they were not
confined to the field OF literature alone. that they were
felt there by architects well as by writer's is far less
often recognized outside the limited circle Of specialists
For twenty laymen who read Marlowc, Shakespeare
Webster or even Cyril Tourneur there are two who
are familiar with John Of Padua Robert Smthson John
Thorpe, or lingo Jones' The cause Is easily expinneu.
The works OF the Ezabethan humansts, poets ana
diamatists which. by their pulssant vitality command
the enthusiastic attention of student OF literature
are rich In elements imported from Italy all the way
from the time o: Henry VII TO that
of James /; the printing presses are hcreas-
ing I'm activity every year rescuing these WORKS
from the wrack of the ages and we are perpe'hT
being reminded Of the great sixteenth century revival
in English letters due to the tonic influence OF the
italian Renaissance On the other hand the years have
PASSED without witnessing any enor; OF consequence
on the part OF historians architects or dettahu 10
study and Illustrate the architecture OF the Renaissance
IN England separately and syste natcaly. Joseph
Nash. an English watercolorst, born early in this
century began publication in 1899 devoted TO " rhe
Mansions Of England in the olden Time and com
pleted it in four folio volumes ten years later HIS
tcok is esteemed by architects today but mainly be-
cause they have lacked anything better TO fill its place.
ii has remained for Mr. GOch to take possession OF MS
province as It's first discriminating and authoritative
illustrator. The limitations Ct area and time he has
accepted are such commend themselves to the critic
England was tho only one of the British islands at the
time OF the Renaissance wherein political and social
conditions were favorable to the erection OF great
houses and Mr. Gotch wise in excluding Scotland
Ireland and Wales from his scheme. As TO time. he
certain In covering only the reigns Of the last OF
the Tudors and the first Of the Stuart
kings, 10 show the Renaissance architecture OF Eng
land not In its tentative declining stages but In the
robust fuluess of its prime.
Turning to a narrow examination OF Mr. Gotchs
beautiful Photographic plates, they provoke further
reflection touching the cause of popular ndifer-
snce TO the architectural products OF the Renaissance
in England by demonstrating that those productS
were not always of sort to compel posterlty 10
recognize at sight the foreign strain In their character
the phyognomy of the architecture OF that period Is
not too obviously that of an ltabanized English style
There is mistaking the sources OF "AiPs wen
that Ends wellS or Of The Duchess of Malf"; you
can detect Boccaccio through the spirit and stuff OF
the one as you Bandello through the spirit and
stuff OF the other But it was rarely that Ehza
bethan architects preserved the Italian sVle lhact
as lingo Jones preserved 1t in the Banqueung
House at Whitehall, for example, building that
Immediately recalls the characteristic outlines OF
Instructed might be forgiven II he failed to note the
mixture OF imported and native styles in Violation
Hail. in NOttinghamshre. or In St Johns, WARWICK
The old English architects and the nobemen by whom
they were employed aSsimated from Italy The same
spirit OF grandiOsty" and magnfcence which Lyy,
Greene and Lodge cultivated asSduouSly In emu
lation the formal pomp OF the Italian vllas lheS
but houses like Montacute the seat OF the Duke
OF Newcastle with It's noble terraces and Daluslraoee
The classic aTectation which was prevalent al uie
time spent itself in imitation OF Ealian details.
The general effect of the exterior Of Burshies
pouse by stamford Town." is not in the least Iaiin
The foreign influence is strongly marked only Ill uhe
first story of the main and projecting entrance on the
north front where the composition Of round arched
portal with medallions in the spandrek, hahaa oS
columns, is distinctly Italian, and in the nmusng
enphuism, on the roof, of tall chmneys iormeo
OF columns with entablatures resting on the
CAPS and in turn supporting miniature castles
for chimney pots. The courtyard OF Burgh-
lev is much more Of conscious design IN tne
italian manner than is the outside. The ar
cade originally open, but now enclosed which runs
around the entire quadrangle on the ground hoor is
n purely Italian feature, and nearly all the detAiS IN
The stonework are Italian. The roof Of the clock
tower o the east side Of the courtyard. OF which MI
Gotch gives plate, is French in character. Burghley
House is admirably representative of the Enghsh
Renaissance style 1t is simple in all its parts mas
an agreeable amount of graceful Italian feeling IN te
columns, arches medalllons and baustrades OF The
COURTYARD and is stately in a large solemn way. The
elegance which the Italian architects knew how TO
secure by perfect proportions by the significant dis
abuon OF aperture and by the udiclOus application
OF ornament unknown in England TheTe Is a
curious absence of carved decoration on the facades
OF EIzabethan mansions. The scarcity Of artisans
skilled In such work may have had something TO do
with It, Burghley is innocent Of all but few heradic
bas-rehets. Hardwick Hail. which follows 1t IL Mr..
GOtch's succession of plates, the Hardwick Hall,
moro glass than wall" Of the old rhyme, is adorned
with nothing ambitious thnn the coronet ana
initials Of the builder Elizabeth Countess OF Shre"s-
bury, set up the parapet Of the towers, and the
same plainness is observed in HaddOn Hall, with It's
many mulloned windows and its battlemented roof in
Apethorpe Hail. with its Flemish gables, and In the
cha ming gabled halls AZ SdbbingtOD and Hamoieton
Which Mr.. GOtch ieprOducCs as types OF the smaller
Renaissance Danor houses. Longford Castle is a
remarkable exception the general rule OF severity
Its very plan is based quaint grotesque idea IL
iorms perfect triangle with huge round tower at each
The entrance front is richly ornar erted The
pilasters the ground floor banded with moulded
panels, the pasters the se'nd floor receive similar
treatment, and the columns Of the same level are
partially 1uted. The windows of the third story are
separated by caryaaldcS, bit Of uncommon license.
Carving appears in various other places on the 'front.'
Taken Is a whole, the builcing is unique In Its class
for variety ard interest in effect John Thorpe, the
designer of Longford Castle, was fond OF eccentric
plans. lie drew out Two other hOuses as u1shBes,
and third TO be erected for himself was planned on
his initials l. r. Houses often made to form the
letter T. in honor of the Queen.
In strong contrast to the sober eXteriOTs OF the
Elzabethan houses, their interiors are loaded with
carved woodwork One Of Mr. Coch's illustrations is
of the drawing room in Bradfed. old DevonshiFe
hall. On wainscot, mantepiece and doorway there Is
the most lavish decoration, not only conventional
traoery but elaborate carvings Of the human figure.
The workmanship Is coarse but straightforward, free,
and I'm lis way, possessed of artistic strength The