DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26747#0701
Chap. IV.
AUVERGNE.
637
less, and the variety of the outline of the chevet arrangement, as com-
pared with the simple apse, gives to these churches some advantages
over the contemporary huildings on the Ehine. Indeed, as far as
extenial decoration is concerned, it may he questioned whether the
French ever surpassed these; and were they carried out on the same
scale as those of Amiens and Chartres, I am convinced they would he
thought more heautiful. It is true the flying huttresses and pinnacles
of the pointed style enahled the architects to introduce far larger win-
dows and gorgeous decorations of painted glass, and so to improve the
internal effect of their churches to an immense extent; hut this was
done at the sacrifice of much external simplicity of outline and pro-
priety of effect, which we cannot hut lament could not- he reconciled
with the requisite intemal arrangements.
The age of these churches is not very well ascertained. M. Mallay
is inclined to place them principally in the 10th century, though the
pointed form of the vault at Issoire induces him to hring that down to
the 12th century; hut we have seen enough to know that such a
pointed form, on the contrary, is more likely to he ancient than the
rounded one, which requires hetter construction, although in that age
it was thought more beautiful. My own impression is, that they
helong generally to the 11th century, though some were no douht
commenced in the 10th, and prohahly continued to the 12th; hut their
uniformity of style is such, that not more than one century could have
elapsed hetween the first and the last. Only one circular church, so
far as I know, is found in the district. It is a sepulchral chapel in the
cemetery at Chamhon, small in size, heing only 26 ft. wide over all,
hut elegant in its proportions, and showing the same style of decora-
tion as the apses of the larger churches.
The cathedral of Puy en Yeley is one of the finest and most inte-
resting churches in this part of France, hut unfortunately it has not
heen fully descrihed. From a careful elevation of the south transept,
puhlished at Toulouse, it would appear, as far at least as the decoration
is concemed, to helong to the style of Auvergne ; but if M. Maurice’s
description is correct, it is one of the largest of the cupola churches,
AUVERGNE.
637
less, and the variety of the outline of the chevet arrangement, as com-
pared with the simple apse, gives to these churches some advantages
over the contemporary huildings on the Ehine. Indeed, as far as
extenial decoration is concerned, it may he questioned whether the
French ever surpassed these; and were they carried out on the same
scale as those of Amiens and Chartres, I am convinced they would he
thought more heautiful. It is true the flying huttresses and pinnacles
of the pointed style enahled the architects to introduce far larger win-
dows and gorgeous decorations of painted glass, and so to improve the
internal effect of their churches to an immense extent; hut this was
done at the sacrifice of much external simplicity of outline and pro-
priety of effect, which we cannot hut lament could not- he reconciled
with the requisite intemal arrangements.
The age of these churches is not very well ascertained. M. Mallay
is inclined to place them principally in the 10th century, though the
pointed form of the vault at Issoire induces him to hring that down to
the 12th century; hut we have seen enough to know that such a
pointed form, on the contrary, is more likely to he ancient than the
rounded one, which requires hetter construction, although in that age
it was thought more beautiful. My own impression is, that they
helong generally to the 11th century, though some were no douht
commenced in the 10th, and prohahly continued to the 12th; hut their
uniformity of style is such, that not more than one century could have
elapsed hetween the first and the last. Only one circular church, so
far as I know, is found in the district. It is a sepulchral chapel in the
cemetery at Chamhon, small in size, heing only 26 ft. wide over all,
hut elegant in its proportions, and showing the same style of decora-
tion as the apses of the larger churches.
The cathedral of Puy en Yeley is one of the finest and most inte-
resting churches in this part of France, hut unfortunately it has not
heen fully descrihed. From a careful elevation of the south transept,
puhlished at Toulouse, it would appear, as far at least as the decoration
is concemed, to helong to the style of Auvergne ; but if M. Maurice’s
description is correct, it is one of the largest of the cupola churches,