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to a pointed arch, ogive is merely the popular confirmation of an error committed by the ignorance of some writers in the present century.

539. Heavy roofs, having few ribs with great width of plain intrados, and carried by

masses of walling, with small openings,
are characteristic of Romanesque work.
Its successor was exactly the reverse:
the subdivision of roofing into a col-
lection of light ribs with no marked
intrados, the growth of the engaged
or disengaged pillars into the lines of
the vaulting, and the carriage of the
weight of the ribs by buttresses that
form the resisting points of walls
which are merely frames to windows,
are distinctive features of the Gothic
architecture of the 13th century, with
the addition of the pointed arch which
had previously been employed in ways
that tended to the developement of the
style ogival primaire. As an exam-
ple of the transitional character of the
style in this period, the two bays, fig
231. from the cathedral in Paris, and
fig. 232. from the church of the abbey
at St. Denis, may be compared as
having been executed respectively at
the beginning and end of the period.
The sculptors do not seem to have
studied nature beyond exhibiting the
costume of their period; and if they
chose models at all for their foliage,
these were furnished by indigenous
plants. The great attention paid in the
11th century to ancient literature is
clearly responsible for the centaurs and
other fabulous creatures then used for

Fig. 231. NOTRE DAME, PARIS. ornament. In like manner, the devo

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Fig. 232. ST. DENIS.

tion of the 12th century to the sciences is expressed by the zodiacal signs and emblems of the seasons sculptured on the portals and choirs of churches built in that and the succecd

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ing century. The doorways at Amiens, Autun, Avallon, Notre Dame in Paris, St. Denis, and Vézelay, with the choir of the church at Issoire, supply curious examples of this new branch of decoration. This conti. nuation of details, origi nally belonging to the 12th century, suggests the remark that the edifices constructed by the Gothic school, at the commencement of the 13th century, do not possess features so distinct as to furnish always a means of distinguishing them from those belonging to the period of transition- a remark which may be applied to the two examples of domestic architecture at Caudebec, which form fig. 233.

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540. Out of the large number of masterpieces in architecture in the 13th century may be selected the cathedrals at Lisieux, Lyon, and Narbonne, executed in the early part of that period; Bordeaux and Chalons-sur-Saône belong to the year 1250; and Coutances dates in the last half of that century. Great part of the cathedrals at Bourges, Dijon, Laon, Nantes, Nevers, Senlis, and Sens; the choir and aisles at Auxerre; the choir and chapels, with the upper part of the nave, at Bayeux; the nave and choir at Séez; the churches at Ourscamp, St. Denis, St. Jean aux-Bois, and St. Maximin; those of St. Pierre at Avalon, and of St. Victor at Marseilles; the Ste. Chapelle at Paris; the choir of the church at St. Nazaire at Carcassonne; the nave and most of the choir of that of St. Pierre at Lisieux; the chapels, aisles, and choir of that of St Julien at Mans; the choir of that of St. Nicaise at Rouen; and the Hotel-Dieu at Louvres, were constructed in the course of this period.

541. The cathedrals which are usually taken as affording standards of the style are

Fig. 234.

PLAN OF REIMS CATHEDRAL.

Chartres, Beauvais, Reims, Paris, Amiens, and Rouen, of which Reims is perhaps more consistent than Amiens. They are universally considered to be two of the finest examples of the style in the world. The former, which was begun 1212, but not quite finished till 1430, is in the form of a Latin cross on the plan (fig. 234.); its length from east to west is 492 ft., and its breadth, measured to the extremities of the arms of the

transepts, is 190 ft. The width of the transepts is 98 ft., and the towers, 270 ft. from the ground, are still imperfect, because their open spires have never been erected

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542. The cathedral of Amiens, begun 1220 by Robert de Luzarches, but continued and

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completed, 1269, by Thon as and Regnault de Cormont, except the west front that was not finished until the end of the 14th century, is 444 ft. long and 84 ft. wide (fig. 237.), and 141 ft high in the rave. It was commenced within two years of the cathedral at Salisbury. Of the two, Amiens (fig. 236.) is in a more per ect and advanced state of art than Salisbury, for the French were before us in adding to the simple beau

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ties of the former period many graces not adopted by us until the latter.

543. The style ogiral secondaire is considered by some architects to be that in which pointed art arrived at perfection; for they deem that an increase of elegance compensates for a loss of severity: but with the latter the purity of the preceding period seems to be wanting. Nevertheless this style rayonnant has no absolute character; it is rather, as observed by M. Schayes, a system of transition preserving the elements of the style of the 13th century, but modifying them by greater amount of ornament, and by more expansion and boldness in the curve of the arch, for the are en tiers point is the true arch of the time. This decoration, this arch, and the tracery of the windows, chiefly mark the style and in regard to the latter point, figs. 231 and 232 show the difference between the works of the two periods. The sculptors of the 14th century were more skilful than their predecessors; their carving shows more delicacy and fi..ish, while their statues are no longer ideali. ties: an important tendency of the period was an attempt at portrait busts, in some cases resulting in an approach to natural simplicity, although the attitude might be stiff' and constrained, as was the case in almost all medieval sculpture. The statues assume greater length in the body, and are dressed in ample drapery, cast with some affectation, but still having falling folds slightly bent.

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Fig. 258. ST. OUES, AT ROUEN.

544. The comparison which was recommended between figs. 231 and 232, may be paralleled with advantage by placing before the reader, fig 238, a fair example of the second period, in the choir of St. Ouen at Rouen, and fig. 239, an equally modest work of the third epoch from the church of St. Maclou, in the sa:re city.

545. Foreign armies and civil wars caused the usual buildings of the 14th century to be fortified houses and city gateways rather than ecclesiastical structures. One church, however, that of St. Ouen, at Rouen, 1318 39, (figs. 238 and 240), exhibits the style in its choir and chapels more perfectly than the ca

thedrals at Clermont-Ferrand, Metz, Fig. 259. ST. MACLOU, AT ROUEN. and Perpignan. Other good examples are the transepts at Bayeux, the chapels at Narbonne, and the chapter-house with the cloister at Noyon; besides the churches of the Dominicans and of St. Didier at Avignon; that of St. Jacques at Compiègne, and of St. Nizier at

Fig. 210.

XXXIXIX

PLAN OF ST. OUEN, AT ROUEN, (before the front was
remodelled by M. Violet-le-Due).

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Lyon; the cloister of St. Jeandes-Vignes at Soissons, the palace at Avignon; the hotel-de-ville at St. Omer; the towers of St. Victor at Marseille, and of St. Sernin at Toulouse; and the front of the church of St. Martin at Laon.

546. The third period, the style ogi al tertiaire, fleuri, or flamboyant, as it was termed by M. Auguste le Prévost, used the equilateral arch during the 15th and part of the 16th century; but more commonly one, in some cases stilted, with the radii less than the width of the opening (give surbaissée or ngire obture): the elliptic arch (arc en anse de panier); the ogee arch (arc en accolade); and its reverse (arc en doucine), are not uncommon. The pointed arch seems crushed by its canopies and finials; and the system of false-bearing is carried to so great an extent that the buildings might have been intended to defy the laws of equilibrium. There is great skill shown in the coupe des pierres, and in working them as decoration with extreme delicacy into petrified leaves of the thistle and curled cabbage, or into imitations of

embroidery. Covered with cusped arches, niches, pinnacles, and tracery, the buildings of the time would be easily recognised even if they were not marked by the wavy or broken lines of the arches; the moulures primatiques or pear-shaped boltels, projecting arrises, and deep hollows, which form the mouldings; and the boldly designed corbelling, pendentives, and vaulting so flat that it resembles a ceiling resting upon extremely thin pillars. In fig. 241 we illustrate one of

the compartments of the sacristy of the church at Caudebec, which conveys a fair notion of the peculiarity of the style. During this period the sculptors lost much of the simplicity noticed in the preceding century; they evidently copied the living model for at least the head a d hands, with great truth and sometimes with hap: iness in expressing sentiment, but they clothed it in heavy drapery cast with pretension. The grotesque and monstrous figures almost excel the statues, and seem to have some analogy with those which appear in the bassi-rilievi of the 11th century. Such were the last efforts of the pointed style, which owed its principal character to its tendency towards verticality, and finished by seeking horizontality.

547. Amongst the most remarkable works of the 15th century may be mentioned the transepts 1400-39, and the nave 1464-91, obviously modelled upon the previous choir, of St. Ouen at Rouen; the upper part and spire of the north-west tower at Chartres; the central tower, transepts, and chapels at Evreux; Limoges; the northern entrance at Sens; the churches at Notre-Dame de-l'Épine, St. Quentin, St. Riquier, Than. St. Wulfran at Abbeville; the Celestinians, and St. Pierre at Avignon; St Jean at Caen; St. Antoine at Compiègne; Ste. Catherine at Honfleur; St. Germain l'Auxerrois at Paris; St. Vincent at Rouen; and St. Pierre at Snlis, the choir and apse of St. Trophime at Arles: the greater part of St. Martin at Avignon; some pure portions (others, fig. 242, showing the dying struggles of the style) of St. Jacques at Dieppe; the choir and transepts of St. Remi, at Reims; the pretty Bourbon chapel in the cathedral at Lyon; the salle des chevaliers at Mont St. Michel; and the tower of St. Jean at Elbeuf.

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Fig. 241.

SACRISTY OF THE CHURCH, CAUDEPEC.

548. Among the examples of the style, between the years 1420 and 1531, are the Hôtel des Ambassadeurs at Dijon, about 1420; and the Fontaine de la Croix at Rouen, between 1422 and 1461, lately restored with the greatest success in all its delicate details of ornament and tracery; as well as that which, erected about 1512 opposite the cathedral at Clermont, in Auvergne, was much injured by its renewal in 1799. The palace at Dijon dates about 1467; and in that city are the monuments of the Dukes of Burgundy, Philippe-le- Hardi and Jean-sans- Peur, which were in the church of the Chartreuse. That of the last-named was executed by Juan de Huerta. assisted by other artists, about 1475. They are both of the period and are perfect keys to the style that prevailed at the time. At Nancy, the capital of Lorraine, still remains a portion of the ancient palace of its powerful dukes. A representation of its portail is given in fig. 243. What remains within serves as barracks for the garrison. The date of it is about 1476. The Porte du Cailhau at Bordeaux, 1494, in memory of the battle of Fornovo, shares the fate of the Hôtel de Ville at St. Quentin, with its known date of 1495-1509, in not attracting so much notice as a very peculiar instance of a castle in miniature built by Gerard de Nollent about the end of the 15th century at Caen with four fronts, which from the statues of Neptune and Hercules placed on the battlements, is commonly called the château de la gendarmerie. At Orleans, the Hôtel de Ville, finished in 1498, is now used as a museum. The Château de Blois, with four facades of different design, the eastern work dating about 1498-1515, is too well known to need here any further remark. Ten miles from Caen is situate the Château de Fontaine le Henri; the greater portion is of this period. A part of the west front is given, fig. 244, as a characteristic specimen of the residences of the noblesse during

the latter part of the 15th century, at which period it evidently was erected. The well known Hôtel de Cluny at Paris, possessing portions of an ear. lier date. had the works resumed in 1490 by Jacques d'Amboise, Abbé of Cluny, and afterwards bishop of Clermont. This building now contains the works of art formerly belonging to M. de Soinmerard. Near St. Amand is the Chateau de Meillant, much resembling the last named difice, but more ornamented

549. During the last years of the 15th century, the campaigns in Italy Iy the French made

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Fig 242. them acquainted with the new style. the imitation of the antique. At first, some mouldings and some decorations only were copied. Thus several portions of the cathedral at Orleans exhibit the essential features of decaded pointed architecture; and while Bullant designed in the Italian style the château at Ecouen, be maintained in the appendent chapel the Gothic taste, as being eminently ecclesiastical, as he did in the parish church at the same place. In the 16th century new churches were rare: sumptuous palaces and pleasure-houses were the chief works, in which great saloons became the chief objects; and the middle class also introduced luxury into their dwellings. As the main object was the expression of wealthy ease, not a character of grave inagnificence, the functions of the architert were assumed by the sculptor; and at the same inoment sculpture, no longer architectural. alike commenced its decalence in France. The chief ecclesiastical works of the period were the additions of fronts, or restorations; these done at the commencement of the epoch form a sort of transition between the style fleuri and the Italian renaissance empl yed towards the end of the reign of Fra..cis I. In this category may be ranged the churches of St. Patrice, St. Go:lard, St. Andréde la-Cité. St. Nic las. St. Sever, and the great portal of the cathedral at Rouen; the church at Brou; and the churches of St. Etienne-du-Mont and of St. Eustache at Paris. The latter has the

ST. JACQUES, DIEPTE

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