DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.29899#0077
Bk. III. Ch. I.
PROYENCE.
57
introclucecl but for tbe invention of painted glass, but -this requiring
larger openings, compelled the architects to bring these windows close
up to the lines of the constructive vaulting, and so follow its forms.
In the South, however, painted glass never was, at least in the age of
which we are now speaking, a favourite mode of decoration, and the
windows remained so small as never to approach or interfere in any
way with the lines of the vault, ancl they therefore retainecl their
national ancl more beautiful circular-headed termination. The modes
of introducing light are, however, undoubtedly the most defective part
of the arrangements of the Provençal churches, and have given rise
to its being called a “ cavern-like Gothic ” 1 from the gloom of their
interiors as compared with the
glass walls of their Northern
rivals. Still it by no means
follows that this was an inherent
characteristic of the style, which
coulcl not have been remeclied
by further experience ; but it
is probable that no ingenuity
would ever have enabled this
style to display these enormous
surfaces of painted glass, the
introduction of which was, if
not the only, at least the
principal motive of all those
changes which took place in the
Frankish provinces.
It would be tedious to
attempt to describe the numer-
ous churches of the llth and
12th centuries which are found
in every considerable town in this province : some of them, however,
such as Elne, St. Guillem du Désert, St. Martin de Landres, Vignogoul,
Malmagne, Lodève, 2 &c., deserve particular attention, as exemplifying
this style, not only in its earlier forms, but after it had passed into
a pointed style, though differing very considerably from that of the
North. Among these there is no church more interesting than the
old fortalice-like church of Maguelonne, which, from its exposed
situation, open to the attacks of Saracenic corsairs as well as Christian
robbers, looks more like a baronial castle than a peaceful church. One
of its doorways shows a curious admixture of classical, Saracenic, ancl
554. Doorway in Church at Mafruelonne
(From Renouvier, ‘ Monuments de Bas Languedoc.’)
1 Wood’s ‘ Letters of an Architect,’ vol. i. p. 163.
2 These are all illustrated more or less completely by Renouvier, ‘ Monuments de
Bas Languedoc.’ Montpellier, 1840.
PROYENCE.
57
introclucecl but for tbe invention of painted glass, but -this requiring
larger openings, compelled the architects to bring these windows close
up to the lines of the constructive vaulting, and so follow its forms.
In the South, however, painted glass never was, at least in the age of
which we are now speaking, a favourite mode of decoration, and the
windows remained so small as never to approach or interfere in any
way with the lines of the vault, ancl they therefore retainecl their
national ancl more beautiful circular-headed termination. The modes
of introducing light are, however, undoubtedly the most defective part
of the arrangements of the Provençal churches, and have given rise
to its being called a “ cavern-like Gothic ” 1 from the gloom of their
interiors as compared with the
glass walls of their Northern
rivals. Still it by no means
follows that this was an inherent
characteristic of the style, which
coulcl not have been remeclied
by further experience ; but it
is probable that no ingenuity
would ever have enabled this
style to display these enormous
surfaces of painted glass, the
introduction of which was, if
not the only, at least the
principal motive of all those
changes which took place in the
Frankish provinces.
It would be tedious to
attempt to describe the numer-
ous churches of the llth and
12th centuries which are found
in every considerable town in this province : some of them, however,
such as Elne, St. Guillem du Désert, St. Martin de Landres, Vignogoul,
Malmagne, Lodève, 2 &c., deserve particular attention, as exemplifying
this style, not only in its earlier forms, but after it had passed into
a pointed style, though differing very considerably from that of the
North. Among these there is no church more interesting than the
old fortalice-like church of Maguelonne, which, from its exposed
situation, open to the attacks of Saracenic corsairs as well as Christian
robbers, looks more like a baronial castle than a peaceful church. One
of its doorways shows a curious admixture of classical, Saracenic, ancl
554. Doorway in Church at Mafruelonne
(From Renouvier, ‘ Monuments de Bas Languedoc.’)
1 Wood’s ‘ Letters of an Architect,’ vol. i. p. 163.
2 These are all illustrated more or less completely by Renouvier, ‘ Monuments de
Bas Languedoc.’ Montpellier, 1840.