A Manual of Historic Ornament: Treating upon the evolution, tradition, and development of architecture and other applied arts. Prepared for the use of students and craftsmenGlazier, Richard
History
A Manual of Historic Ornament: Treating upon the evolution, tradition, and development of architecture and other applied arts. Prepared for the use of students and craftsmen
Glazier, Richard
Decoration and ornament -- History; Decoration and ornament, Architectural -- History; Decorative arts -- History
On the opposite page are illustrations showing the modifications that
took place in the evolution of church architecture from the 12th to the
15th century. The triforium in the Norman period was fundamental, but in
the Perpendicular period this feature was absent. The change of style
may also be observed in the windows of each bay, from the simple Norman
one (fig. 1) to the vertical mullioned 15th century window, figs. 4 and
8.
[Illustration:
THE TRIFORIUM & CLEARSTORY. Plate 14.
]
[Illustration:
NORMAN DETAILS. Plate 15.
]
NORMAN DETAILS.
Norman architecture was distinguished by the use of the traditional
semi-circular arch, superseded by the pointed arch of the early Gothic
period. These semi-circular arches in the earlier dates were decorated
with rudely executed carvings, cut or worked with the axe. Later Norman
work is very rich, the mouldings being well carved with enrichments of
the Chevron, the Cable Pallet, Star, Fret or Key Patterns; the lozenge
and the beading or pearling. Characteristic features of this period also
are the beak-head (fig. 5) and the corbel-table, which was a series of
heads of men or animals, from which spring small arches supporting the
parapet. Many rich examples of Norman surface ornament are still extant;
at Christchurch, Hants, a beautiful intersecting arcading of
semi-circular arches occurs, the enrichment above being a scale or
imbricated pattern; at St. Peter’s, Northampton, a very rich example of
surface ornamentation may be seen (fig 6).
Floral forms are but rarely used in Norman ornament; instances are known
of the use of the rose and the fir-apple, but they are the exception and
not the rule.
Early doorways usually have a square head recessed under semi-circular
arch mouldings, decorated with the Chevron, Key, or Beak-head. The
semi-circular Tympanum over the door was plain or enriched with rude
sculpture in low relief. Later doors show a great profusion of ornament
in the archivolt and arch mouldings, which are often carried down the
jamb mouldings. The recessed columns are also enriched with the Chevron,
or diagonal lines of pearling (fig. 1), and have sculptured capitals
showing a classical tendency in the arrangement of acanthus foliage and
the volute. Fine examples of this period may be seen in the west front
of Lincoln Cathedral (fig. 1), the Galilee porch at Durham, and the west
door of Iffley Church, Oxfordshire.
The Norman capitals are usually cushion-shaped, with a square abacus,
enriched with the Chevron, star pattern, or the anthemion (fig. 9). The
capital itself was decorated with the anthemion, or with rude volutes or
segments of circles.
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