DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26747#0941
Chap. I.
WIIsDSOR.
877
pristine vigonr. Altliongii tlie arciiitectm'e of tlie Tuclor cliapels cannot
be comparecl witli the bnildings of tbe tliree first Edwards either for
boldness or elegance, it bas beauties of its own wbicli render it well
worthy of aclmiration.
Foliage ancl sculpture hacl given way when these chapels were
erectecl to the more mechanical form of decoration, and the enclless
repetition of the same parts. VVe miss in them entirely the poetry of
earlier examples, and its place is but poorly supplied by the far greater
mechanical dexterity which they display.
One of the characteristics of the Tuclor style was the excessive use
of panelling. The whole of the walls of these chapels internally is
coverecl with it, and the winclows consist nrerely of piercecl panels.
This, however, is managed with such taste throughout the chapel at
Windsor, and in the clerestory, and at the west end of Iienry VII.’s
Chapel, that the effect is very pleasing; but at King’s College the
immense size of the windows, and their bad adaptation to the bays in
which they are placed, render apparent all the defects of the style, and
lay it fairly open to the reproaches which have been lavished upon it.
The most remarkable peculiarity of the Tudor style is the design
of the vaults, which is of the kind called fan tracery, and is the niost
elaborate, perhaps the most beautiful style of vaulting ever invented,
and so purely English that it will be desirable to reserve the de-
scription of it to a separate section devoted to explaining the pecu-
liarity of English Gothic roofs.
The doorways of this style are frequently more picturesque and
elaborate than the windows, owing probably to the circumstance that
the windowrs were frames for painted glass, and nothing more, while
the doorways, on the other
hand, were entirely depend-
ent on their architecture for
their effect.
The doorway of King’s
College Chapel (woodcutNo.
708) is certainly the most
pleasing part of the design,
and nothing can well exceed
the grace of that leading
to the cloisters at Windsor
(woodcut No. 709). It has
neither sculpture nor foliage
of any sort to aid its effect,
but is nevertheless singularly
appropriate and beautiful.
It would be impossible
within the limits of this
volume to attempt to de-
scribe, or even to enumerate,
all the important edifices of
the Gothic age which are found in every corner of the land. They are
WIIsDSOR.
877
pristine vigonr. Altliongii tlie arciiitectm'e of tlie Tuclor cliapels cannot
be comparecl witli the bnildings of tbe tliree first Edwards either for
boldness or elegance, it bas beauties of its own wbicli render it well
worthy of aclmiration.
Foliage ancl sculpture hacl given way when these chapels were
erectecl to the more mechanical form of decoration, and the enclless
repetition of the same parts. VVe miss in them entirely the poetry of
earlier examples, and its place is but poorly supplied by the far greater
mechanical dexterity which they display.
One of the characteristics of the Tuclor style was the excessive use
of panelling. The whole of the walls of these chapels internally is
coverecl with it, and the winclows consist nrerely of piercecl panels.
This, however, is managed with such taste throughout the chapel at
Windsor, and in the clerestory, and at the west end of Iienry VII.’s
Chapel, that the effect is very pleasing; but at King’s College the
immense size of the windows, and their bad adaptation to the bays in
which they are placed, render apparent all the defects of the style, and
lay it fairly open to the reproaches which have been lavished upon it.
The most remarkable peculiarity of the Tudor style is the design
of the vaults, which is of the kind called fan tracery, and is the niost
elaborate, perhaps the most beautiful style of vaulting ever invented,
and so purely English that it will be desirable to reserve the de-
scription of it to a separate section devoted to explaining the pecu-
liarity of English Gothic roofs.
The doorways of this style are frequently more picturesque and
elaborate than the windows, owing probably to the circumstance that
the windowrs were frames for painted glass, and nothing more, while
the doorways, on the other
hand, were entirely depend-
ent on their architecture for
their effect.
The doorway of King’s
College Chapel (woodcutNo.
708) is certainly the most
pleasing part of the design,
and nothing can well exceed
the grace of that leading
to the cloisters at Windsor
(woodcut No. 709). It has
neither sculpture nor foliage
of any sort to aid its effect,
but is nevertheless singularly
appropriate and beautiful.
It would be impossible
within the limits of this
volume to attempt to de-
scribe, or even to enumerate,
all the important edifices of
the Gothic age which are found in every corner of the land. They are