DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7186#0043
Plates 5 & 6.]
of San Gottar-do, in Milan.
23
lessons in the aesthetics of the art, he derives from it valuable practical hints as
to the suitable employment of terra-cotta.
During five centuries this tower has braved the inclemency of the seasons
without incurring noticeable traces of decay, although it has not been repaired
for so long a time that weeds grew freely upon it, which, insinuating between
the chinks their thread-like roots and suckers, by little and little do serious
damage to buildings. And beyond this it must be remembered that Lombardy,
and especially Milan, surrounded as it is by an involved network of canals and
by immense meadow-lands artificially irrigated at all seasons, is subject in late
autumn and in winter to dense and persistent fogs. In spite of these, terra-
cotta ornaments, even such as are elaborately wrought and projecting with
delicate workmanship, have not been at all injured in consequence. The
Details of Tomer oj San Gottardo. Tiles of Conical Roof, San Gottardo.
architect, mistrusting perhaps the resisting power of terra-cotta against stress
of wind, snowfall, fogs, hail, prolonged spring rains, fiery dog-days of summer,
took care to furnish the tower windows with stone coigns; a vain precaution,
since careful inspection of these windows reveals that the stone rather than
the terra-cotta has suffered, however slightly, from the assaults of time.
This admirable solidity is owing to excellence of material and to scrupulous
care in adjusting the bricks. Several writers have noticed the skill with which,
in those days, bricks were arranged and fixed; the cement used for binding
them together was of quicklime mixed with very fine sand taken from the
river bed. This lime was dissolved in plenty of water, so as to flow in a thin
of San Gottar-do, in Milan.
23
lessons in the aesthetics of the art, he derives from it valuable practical hints as
to the suitable employment of terra-cotta.
During five centuries this tower has braved the inclemency of the seasons
without incurring noticeable traces of decay, although it has not been repaired
for so long a time that weeds grew freely upon it, which, insinuating between
the chinks their thread-like roots and suckers, by little and little do serious
damage to buildings. And beyond this it must be remembered that Lombardy,
and especially Milan, surrounded as it is by an involved network of canals and
by immense meadow-lands artificially irrigated at all seasons, is subject in late
autumn and in winter to dense and persistent fogs. In spite of these, terra-
cotta ornaments, even such as are elaborately wrought and projecting with
delicate workmanship, have not been at all injured in consequence. The
Details of Tomer oj San Gottardo. Tiles of Conical Roof, San Gottardo.
architect, mistrusting perhaps the resisting power of terra-cotta against stress
of wind, snowfall, fogs, hail, prolonged spring rains, fiery dog-days of summer,
took care to furnish the tower windows with stone coigns; a vain precaution,
since careful inspection of these windows reveals that the stone rather than
the terra-cotta has suffered, however slightly, from the assaults of time.
This admirable solidity is owing to excellence of material and to scrupulous
care in adjusting the bricks. Several writers have noticed the skill with which,
in those days, bricks were arranged and fixed; the cement used for binding
them together was of quicklime mixed with very fine sand taken from the
river bed. This lime was dissolved in plenty of water, so as to flow in a thin