DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26747#0700
636
FRENCH ARCHITECTURE.
Book III.
the Northem styles, inasmueh as a clerestory was impossihle, ancl the
only effective light that conld he admitted was through the side aisles.
These churches, however, have an approach to a clerestory not found
in that at Fontifroide, hefore quoted, in having a triforium or range of
arches opening into the gallery, which gave a lightness of character to
the superstructure, and admitted to a certain extent a horrowed light.
Externally, the projection of the huttresses is slight, and they are
connected hy arches, struck from the same centres as the windows,
above Avhicli three small arches relieve and omament the upper part of
the nave. The central arcli of these is pierced with the small window
which lights the upper gallery. Ahove this is a cornice of more
elegance and of greater projection than is usually found in churches of
this age.
The most heautiful and most admired feature of the style is the
arrangement of the chapels of the chevet extemally.
In the viewgiven ahove ofSt. Saturnin, Toulouse (woodout Xo. 497),
indeed in aimost all the churches of that style, it will he observed how
awkwardly these chapels are stuck on as if afterthoughts, without fol-
lowing any of the main lines of the huilding. Here, however, all the
parts are pleasingly subordinated one to the other, and the whole so
grouped as to form a design equal, if not superior. to the galleried apses
of the German and Lomhard churclies. Tlie place of these galleries is
here supplied by a mosaic decoration formed with the different coloured
lavas of the extinct volcanos of the district, which gives not only a
pleasing local character to the style, hut is interesting as the only spe-
cimen of extemal polychromatic decoration now to he found so far to
the North. In effect, this is perhaps hardly equal to thc open galleries
of tlie German ehurches ; hut the expense must have heen considerably
Elevation of Ghevct, Notre Damo de I’ny Fi;om Cliapuy. No scale.
FRENCH ARCHITECTURE.
Book III.
the Northem styles, inasmueh as a clerestory was impossihle, ancl the
only effective light that conld he admitted was through the side aisles.
These churches, however, have an approach to a clerestory not found
in that at Fontifroide, hefore quoted, in having a triforium or range of
arches opening into the gallery, which gave a lightness of character to
the superstructure, and admitted to a certain extent a horrowed light.
Externally, the projection of the huttresses is slight, and they are
connected hy arches, struck from the same centres as the windows,
above Avhicli three small arches relieve and omament the upper part of
the nave. The central arcli of these is pierced with the small window
which lights the upper gallery. Ahove this is a cornice of more
elegance and of greater projection than is usually found in churches of
this age.
The most heautiful and most admired feature of the style is the
arrangement of the chapels of the chevet extemally.
In the viewgiven ahove ofSt. Saturnin, Toulouse (woodout Xo. 497),
indeed in aimost all the churches of that style, it will he observed how
awkwardly these chapels are stuck on as if afterthoughts, without fol-
lowing any of the main lines of the huilding. Here, however, all the
parts are pleasingly subordinated one to the other, and the whole so
grouped as to form a design equal, if not superior. to the galleried apses
of the German and Lomhard churclies. Tlie place of these galleries is
here supplied by a mosaic decoration formed with the different coloured
lavas of the extinct volcanos of the district, which gives not only a
pleasing local character to the style, hut is interesting as the only spe-
cimen of extemal polychromatic decoration now to he found so far to
the North. In effect, this is perhaps hardly equal to thc open galleries
of tlie German ehurches ; hut the expense must have heen considerably
Elevation of Ghevct, Notre Damo de I’ny Fi;om Cliapuy. No scale.