DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61666#0027
by their purely decorative use, their naturalistic character is remarkable. The firm,
stubborn bends which vines take on through the slow process of growth, not through
the mere toss of the wind, are perfectly expressed. Sprouts spring out at either side
of the bases of the canthari, and by filling up the lower spaces give a better foun-
dation for the mass. The canthari are of a familiar type: the round base rises almost
as a cone, but not exactly for its contour line becomes a double curve; the wide-
spreading bowl suggests the lotus because of its petal decoration; on the cylindrical
neck are two diagonal bands crossing each other; to the wide lip attach the S-shaped
handles, the lower ends of which join the bowl. The whole surface of this vault is
framed by a wide undecorated projecting strip.
I he next element of the vaulting is a long narrow barrel vault adjoining the prece-
ding but at right angles to it. On one side it springs approximately from the crown
level of the vault just described and on the other side from that of a transverse arch;
it is, however, continued almost vertically downward at the four corners to fill in
the spandrels; cf. Pl. II, 1, 3. The decoration of this vault is framed in at the ends by
a smooth band, somewhat wider than that of the preceding vault, and at the sides
by an arch moulding decorated with five-pointed leaf-tops, growing upward side
by side. The surface of the vault is divided into squares making a kind of trellis.
The bands of the latticework show not only transverse divisions but are also slightly
split longitudinally. The effect is that of latticework made of cane or bamboo. In
each of the squares is a large flat leaf standing upright, therefore pointing up from
each side toward the crown of the vault.
The soffit of the arch which supports this vault on one side has extremely com-
plicated ornament, framed in by a plain band again. Its ornament consists of lozenges
of two alternating types longitudinally disposed and of half flowers which fill in the
triangular spaces between the lozenges and the frame; cf. Pl. II, 1, 3. One of the types
of lozenges has a leaf border with the points turned in and encloses an eight-petaled
flower, likewise lozenge-shaped. Of the other type of lozenge the two upper borders
differ from the lower ones. The upper borders are made of the same design as the
strips of latticework on the vault just described. The lower ones are formed by two
horns the points of which come together in a knob. The interior of the lozenge is
taken by a large flat leaf like the leaf used on the trellised vault. The half flowers
show five petals of an eight-petaled flower.
The lunette which this arch supports has, above an arch moulding decorated with
five-pointed leaf-tops, a rich ornament of acanthus scrolls. In the middle stands a
tall cantharus from which springs upward a small candelabrum of acanthus and
roll outward to right and left over the whole surface two acanthus vines in irregular
convolutions. Where the coils leave large vacant spaces an occasional detached
flower makes its appearance.
The part of the room beyond this forms in plan an almost perfect isosceles triangle
and is covered by a vault beginning here as a barrel and tapering to a point. This
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stubborn bends which vines take on through the slow process of growth, not through
the mere toss of the wind, are perfectly expressed. Sprouts spring out at either side
of the bases of the canthari, and by filling up the lower spaces give a better foun-
dation for the mass. The canthari are of a familiar type: the round base rises almost
as a cone, but not exactly for its contour line becomes a double curve; the wide-
spreading bowl suggests the lotus because of its petal decoration; on the cylindrical
neck are two diagonal bands crossing each other; to the wide lip attach the S-shaped
handles, the lower ends of which join the bowl. The whole surface of this vault is
framed by a wide undecorated projecting strip.
I he next element of the vaulting is a long narrow barrel vault adjoining the prece-
ding but at right angles to it. On one side it springs approximately from the crown
level of the vault just described and on the other side from that of a transverse arch;
it is, however, continued almost vertically downward at the four corners to fill in
the spandrels; cf. Pl. II, 1, 3. The decoration of this vault is framed in at the ends by
a smooth band, somewhat wider than that of the preceding vault, and at the sides
by an arch moulding decorated with five-pointed leaf-tops, growing upward side
by side. The surface of the vault is divided into squares making a kind of trellis.
The bands of the latticework show not only transverse divisions but are also slightly
split longitudinally. The effect is that of latticework made of cane or bamboo. In
each of the squares is a large flat leaf standing upright, therefore pointing up from
each side toward the crown of the vault.
The soffit of the arch which supports this vault on one side has extremely com-
plicated ornament, framed in by a plain band again. Its ornament consists of lozenges
of two alternating types longitudinally disposed and of half flowers which fill in the
triangular spaces between the lozenges and the frame; cf. Pl. II, 1, 3. One of the types
of lozenges has a leaf border with the points turned in and encloses an eight-petaled
flower, likewise lozenge-shaped. Of the other type of lozenge the two upper borders
differ from the lower ones. The upper borders are made of the same design as the
strips of latticework on the vault just described. The lower ones are formed by two
horns the points of which come together in a knob. The interior of the lozenge is
taken by a large flat leaf like the leaf used on the trellised vault. The half flowers
show five petals of an eight-petaled flower.
The lunette which this arch supports has, above an arch moulding decorated with
five-pointed leaf-tops, a rich ornament of acanthus scrolls. In the middle stands a
tall cantharus from which springs upward a small candelabrum of acanthus and
roll outward to right and left over the whole surface two acanthus vines in irregular
convolutions. Where the coils leave large vacant spaces an occasional detached
flower makes its appearance.
The part of the room beyond this forms in plan an almost perfect isosceles triangle
and is covered by a vault beginning here as a barrel and tapering to a point. This
23