: The Stones of Venice Volume 3 (of 3) by Ruskin John - Architecture Italy Venice Italy

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THIRD, OR RENAISSANCE, PERIOD.

INDICES.

LIST OF PLATES.

Facing Page

PLATE 1. Temperance and Intemperance in Ornament, 6 " 2. Gothic Capitals, 8 " 3. Noble and Ignoble Grotesque, 125 " 4. Mosaic of Olive Tree and Flowers, 179 " 5. Byzantine Bases, 225 " 6. Byzantine Jambs, 229 " 7. Gothic Jambs, 230 " 8. Byzantine Archivolts, 244 " 9. Gothic Archivolts, 245 " 10. Cornices, 248 " 11. Tracery Bars, 252 " 12. Capitals of Fondaco de Turchi, 304

STONES OF VENICE.

THIRD, OR RENAISSANCE, PERIOD.

EARLY RENAISSANCE.

Now observe, first, the Gothic naturalism advancing gradually from the Byzantine severity; how from the sharp, hard, formalized conventionality of the upper series the leaves gradually expand into more free and flexible animation, until in fig. 12 we have the perfect living leaf as if fresh gathered out of the dew. And then, in the last two examples and partly in fig. 11, observe how the forms which can advance no longer in animation, advance, or rather decline, into luxury and effeminacy as the strength of the school expires.

The reason of this is, that the finial is properly the ornament of gabled architecture; it is the compliance, in the minor features of the building, with the spirit of its towers, ridged roof, and spires. Venetian building is not gabled, but horizontal in its roots and general masses; therefore the finial is a feature contradictory to its spirit, and adopted only in that search for morbid excitement which is the infallible indication of decline. When it occurs earlier, it is on fragments of true gabled architecture, as, for instance, on the porch of the Carmini.

Without further reference to the intervening years from the twelfth century to the eighteenth--a long period of wars, festivals, tournaments, and royal and priestly pageantry--we will now glance at the condition of the islands at the time of their discovery by Captain Cook, a little more than a century ago. It was estimated that the islands then contained a population of four hundred thousand souls. This estimate has been considered large. But when it is noted that fifteen years later there were between thirty and forty thousand warriors under arms in the group at the same time, with large reserves ready for service, the conclusion is irresistible that the population could scarcely have been less. Kamehameha invaded Oahu with sixteen thousand warriors, principally drawn from the island of Hawaii. He was opposed by eight or ten thousand spears, while as many more awaited his arrival on Kauai. According to the figures of the Rev. Mr. Ellis, who travelled around the island of Hawaii in 1821 and numbered the dpediment: two elements of noble form, which had fortunately existed in Rome, were, however, for that reason, still permitted; the cupola, and, internally, the waggon vault.

There is, therefore, of course, an infinite gradation in the art of the period, from the Sistine Chapel down to modern upholstery; but, for the most part, since in architecture the workman must be of an inferior order, it will be found that this cinque-cento painting and higher religious sculpture is noble, while the cinque-cento architecture, with its subordinate sculpture, is universally bad; sometimes, however, assuming forms, in which the consummate refinement almost atones for the loss of force.

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