DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26747#0557
Chap. II.
SAN YINCENZO ALLE TRE FONTANE.
493
effect of this might lxave heen most happy, and is so at San Miniato,
near Florence; hnt is so clumsily managed here, as to he most
destructive of all heauty of proportion.
Some of the principal beauties as well as some of the most remark-
ahle defects of these basilican church.es arise from the employment of
columns torn from ancient temples : where this has heen done, the
heauty of the marhle, and the exquisite sculpture of the capitals and
friezes, give a richness and elegance to the whole that goes far to
redeem or to hide the rudeness of the huilding in which they are
encased. But on the other hand, the discrepancy hetween the piilars,
Doric, lonic, and Gorinthian columns heing sometimes used side hy
side, destroys all uniformity, and tlie fragmentary character of the
entahlatures they support is still more prejudicial to the continuity of
the perspective, which is the greatest charm of these churches. By
degrees, the fertile quarries of ancient Bome seem to have hecome
entirely exhausted; and as the example of St. Paul’s proves, the Bo-
mans in the 4th century were incapable of manufacturing even a had
imitation—they were at last forced to adopt some new plan of support-
ing their arcades. The church of SS. ISJereo ed Achilleo is, perhaps,
the most elegant example of this class, the piers heing light octagons;
but the most characteristic, as well as the most original, is the San
Yincenzo alle Tre Fontane, shown in section and elevation in the wood-
cut, No. 372. It so far deviates from the usual basilican arrange-
f'i
:V (
M
fi
372. Half Section, half Elevation, of the Church of San Vincenzo alle Tre Fontane.
From Gutensohn and Knapp. Scale 50 ft. to 1 in.
ments as almost to deserve the appellation of Gothic. It has the
same clefect as all the rest—its pier arches heing too low, for which
there is no excuse here; hut hoth internally ancl externally it shows
a uniformity of design and a desire to make every part ornamental
that produces a very pleasing eff’ect, although the whole is merely
of hrick, and ornament is so sparingly applied as only just to prevent
the huilding sinking to the class of mere utilitarian erections. .
One of the most pleasing architectural features, if I may so call it,
of these churches, are the mosaic pavements that aclorn the greater
numher. These were always original, heing designed for the huild-
ings in which they are used, and following the arrangement of the
architecture that stands on them. The patterns too are always elegant,
and appropriate to the purpose; and as the colours are in like manner
SAN YINCENZO ALLE TRE FONTANE.
493
effect of this might lxave heen most happy, and is so at San Miniato,
near Florence; hnt is so clumsily managed here, as to he most
destructive of all heauty of proportion.
Some of the principal beauties as well as some of the most remark-
ahle defects of these basilican church.es arise from the employment of
columns torn from ancient temples : where this has heen done, the
heauty of the marhle, and the exquisite sculpture of the capitals and
friezes, give a richness and elegance to the whole that goes far to
redeem or to hide the rudeness of the huilding in which they are
encased. But on the other hand, the discrepancy hetween the piilars,
Doric, lonic, and Gorinthian columns heing sometimes used side hy
side, destroys all uniformity, and tlie fragmentary character of the
entahlatures they support is still more prejudicial to the continuity of
the perspective, which is the greatest charm of these churches. By
degrees, the fertile quarries of ancient Bome seem to have hecome
entirely exhausted; and as the example of St. Paul’s proves, the Bo-
mans in the 4th century were incapable of manufacturing even a had
imitation—they were at last forced to adopt some new plan of support-
ing their arcades. The church of SS. ISJereo ed Achilleo is, perhaps,
the most elegant example of this class, the piers heing light octagons;
but the most characteristic, as well as the most original, is the San
Yincenzo alle Tre Fontane, shown in section and elevation in the wood-
cut, No. 372. It so far deviates from the usual basilican arrange-
f'i
:V (
M
fi
372. Half Section, half Elevation, of the Church of San Vincenzo alle Tre Fontane.
From Gutensohn and Knapp. Scale 50 ft. to 1 in.
ments as almost to deserve the appellation of Gothic. It has the
same clefect as all the rest—its pier arches heing too low, for which
there is no excuse here; hut hoth internally ancl externally it shows
a uniformity of design and a desire to make every part ornamental
that produces a very pleasing eff’ect, although the whole is merely
of hrick, and ornament is so sparingly applied as only just to prevent
the huilding sinking to the class of mere utilitarian erections. .
One of the most pleasing architectural features, if I may so call it,
of these churches, are the mosaic pavements that aclorn the greater
numher. These were always original, heing designed for the huild-
ings in which they are used, and following the arrangement of the
architecture that stands on them. The patterns too are always elegant,
and appropriate to the purpose; and as the colours are in like manner