New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-07

Of Art was selected the professional expert, ana
further assistance was lent by Nelson Goodyear.
nephew OF Professor Goodyear. who volunteered ms
services For first time in the history OF pnoto-
graphic reproduction. far as 10 KNOWN pictures
were taken with the aid Of the compass IN parallel
perspective the effect produced being precisely
analogous 70 the instantaneous pictures OF the
horse in action which excited such widespread
interest few years ago. The Photographic ps'e
thus registered many pecularties OF curve ana
line which escape ordinary vsion and yet are moss
important IN an architectural ensemble.
Summed up Professor Goodyears discoveries indi.
cate that the constant aim OF the medieval archi.
tect, and particularly the byzantine RomanesQus
architect, 10 deceive end trick the eye 10 give
the impression OF elevation. distance. vastness OF
dimension and the like. not simply or chieny oy
piling up stone and mortar. but by the use OK .
variety OF curves and refnements The rising pave
ment was found in eighty-hve cases The amount
of the slope varied in Individual instances igoIn
three inches 10 more than three feet; but IN sac9
instance the effect was the same, VIZ, 70 sxas'
gerate the dimensions OF the church interior This
effect was heightened by the use Of dropping me
OF arches. Closter walls were made to look digger
by bullying cornices device which. by-the-ways
may be found In the Egyptian temple courts o.
Karnak. Edfou and Luxor.
In Pisa Cathedral Professor Goodyear was
scarcely able find straight line. The FACADE
leans fifteen inches, the corn!ce drops. tho SIDE
and convexly to the interior. the arches diminish
both in perspective and in actual fact. and the gen.
eral opsy-turveyness Is completed by the columns
which are OF assorted sizes and curves. Five In
stances OF convergng walls were discovered. Per-
haps the most extraordinary phenomenon seen 10
the TRIP was In connection with the old Byzantine
cathedral In Troja in southeastern Italy. The
architect here appears to have made special enors
to throw the spectator out OF his optical oearngs'
lust as one causes a bndfoded man to lose the
sense of direction by turning him rapidly about. On
an exterior side wall the corp!ce drops about
foot the arches right beneath II increase In span
two feet while the capitals supporting the arches
drop two feet The effect is known as optical mysta.
fcat!on.
Professor Goodyears nrst observations In this
field were made In 1870 when he was young stu'
dent enjoying his first trip In Italy. His decisions
gained from contact with half dozen italian citisas
were published in 1874 but were received with some
scepticism. Through his varied career az lecturer
and teacher Of history. curator OF tho Metropolitan
Museum OF Art and later OF the Brooklyn Institute
Art Museum. he has kept constantly In mind the
project Of second and exhaustive tour OF the IAl.
Ian monuments which should place the arguments
beyond dispute . a..
The enlarged photographs and diagrams Of the
surveys taken BY Mr.. McKecknie In the expsdiuon
will be exhi.Ned at No ia Montague-st., Brooklyn,
on Tuesday evening. and on the comp!etion Oh the
Brooklyn Institute Museum they will form the
nucleus of the collections In architecture ana -
history Of art