DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26747#0427
Chap. y.
DOMESTIC AECHITECTUKE.
363
sisting ofornaments clirectly copied from Greek models; the otlierwith
a considerable infusion of Eoman forms. This Eomanised variety of
Greek decoration represents an attenuated and lean style of architecture,
which I conceive could only have come into fashion from the continued
use of iron or hronze, or other metallic suhstances, for pillars and archi-
tectural memhers. Yitruvius reprobates it; and in a later age Cas-
siodorus speaks of it in a manner which shows that it was practised in
his time. The frequency of this style of ornament, hoth at Pompeii
and in the haths of Titus, proves it to have heen a very favourite style
at that time. This heing the case, it must have either heen a repre-
sentation of metallic pillars and other architectural ohjectsthen in use,
or it must have led to the adoption of suc-h a style copied from the
painted decorations. This is a new subject, and could not he macle
clear, except at considerable length and with the assistance of many
drawings. I look upon it, however, as an almost undoubted fact that
the Eomans did use metal as a constructive material. Were it only
that columns of extreme tenuity are representecl in these paintings, we
might he inclined to ascrihe it to mere incorrect drawing; hut the
whole style of ornament here shown is such as is never found in stone
or hrick pillars, and could only he executed in metal. Besides this, the
pillars in question are always represented in the decorations as simply
gilt or hronzed, while the representations of stone pillars are coloured.
All this evidence goes to prove that a style of axt once existed con-
sisting of the employment of metal for the principal features, ail ma-
terial traces of which are now lost. The disappearance of all remains
of sucli a style is easily accounted for hy the perishahle nature of iron
from rust, and the value and consequent insecurity of hronze and similar
metals. We know that much hronze has heen stolen, even in recent
days, from tlie Pantheon and other buildings which are lmown to have
heen adorned with it.
Another thing which we learn from these paintings is, that tliough
the necessities of street architecture compelled these city mansions to
take a rectilinear outline, whenever the Eoman architects huilt in tlie
country they indulged in a picturesque variety of outline and of form
which they perhaps carried farther than even the Gothic architects of
the middle ages. This indeecl we might have expected, from the
carelessness in respect to regularity in the town-houses ; hut these were
interiors, and, were it not for the painted representations of houses, we
should have no nreans of judging how the sarne architects would treat
an exterior. Prom this source, however, we learn that in the exterior
arrangements, in situations where they were not cramped hy confined
space, the plan would have heen totally free frorn all stiffness and
formality. In this respect Eoman taste coincided with that of all true
architecture in all parts of the world. It would scarcely have deserved
to he noticed, hut that, in modern times the fault of too great regularity
of external plan is painfully prevalent—a fault originated hy the archi-
tects of the Kenaissance, who did not perceive that it was a fatal mis-
take to treat a numher of chamhers grouped together preciscly as if
they were a single apartment.
DOMESTIC AECHITECTUKE.
363
sisting ofornaments clirectly copied from Greek models; the otlierwith
a considerable infusion of Eoman forms. This Eomanised variety of
Greek decoration represents an attenuated and lean style of architecture,
which I conceive could only have come into fashion from the continued
use of iron or hronze, or other metallic suhstances, for pillars and archi-
tectural memhers. Yitruvius reprobates it; and in a later age Cas-
siodorus speaks of it in a manner which shows that it was practised in
his time. The frequency of this style of ornament, hoth at Pompeii
and in the haths of Titus, proves it to have heen a very favourite style
at that time. This heing the case, it must have either heen a repre-
sentation of metallic pillars and other architectural ohjectsthen in use,
or it must have led to the adoption of suc-h a style copied from the
painted decorations. This is a new subject, and could not he macle
clear, except at considerable length and with the assistance of many
drawings. I look upon it, however, as an almost undoubted fact that
the Eomans did use metal as a constructive material. Were it only
that columns of extreme tenuity are representecl in these paintings, we
might he inclined to ascrihe it to mere incorrect drawing; hut the
whole style of ornament here shown is such as is never found in stone
or hrick pillars, and could only he executed in metal. Besides this, the
pillars in question are always represented in the decorations as simply
gilt or hronzed, while the representations of stone pillars are coloured.
All this evidence goes to prove that a style of axt once existed con-
sisting of the employment of metal for the principal features, ail ma-
terial traces of which are now lost. The disappearance of all remains
of sucli a style is easily accounted for hy the perishahle nature of iron
from rust, and the value and consequent insecurity of hronze and similar
metals. We know that much hronze has heen stolen, even in recent
days, from tlie Pantheon and other buildings which are lmown to have
heen adorned with it.
Another thing which we learn from these paintings is, that tliough
the necessities of street architecture compelled these city mansions to
take a rectilinear outline, whenever the Eoman architects huilt in tlie
country they indulged in a picturesque variety of outline and of form
which they perhaps carried farther than even the Gothic architects of
the middle ages. This indeecl we might have expected, from the
carelessness in respect to regularity in the town-houses ; hut these were
interiors, and, were it not for the painted representations of houses, we
should have no nreans of judging how the sarne architects would treat
an exterior. Prom this source, however, we learn that in the exterior
arrangements, in situations where they were not cramped hy confined
space, the plan would have heen totally free frorn all stiffness and
formality. In this respect Eoman taste coincided with that of all true
architecture in all parts of the world. It would scarcely have deserved
to he noticed, hut that, in modern times the fault of too great regularity
of external plan is painfully prevalent—a fault originated hy the archi-
tects of the Kenaissance, who did not perceive that it was a fatal mis-
take to treat a numher of chamhers grouped together preciscly as if
they were a single apartment.