Design and Tradition: A short account of the principles and historic development of architecture and the applied artsFenn, Amor
History
Design and Tradition: A short account of the principles and historic development of architecture and the applied arts
Fenn, Amor
Architecture; Art; Decoration and ornament; Decoration and ornament -- History
The style of Wren, which, like that of Inigo Jones, was based rather
upon the Venetian school, was perpetuated and found individual exponents
in the works of his pupils and immediate successors. Among whom may be
mentioned James Gibbs (1720 to 1754), architect of St. Martin’s in the
Fields (1726) and St. Mary le Strand, and Nicholas Hawksmoor, who was
responsible for the churches of St. George’s, Bloomsbury, and St. Mary,
Woolnoth, the latter commenced in 1716 was finished in 1718.
[Illustration: No. 118. St. Paul’s Cathedral. Wren.]
Notable among Wren’s churches is that of St. Stephen’s, Walbrook, in the
City of London; of his secular work an example may be cited in the
library of Trinity College, Cambridge.
_Classic Spires_
A characteristic of the period in the churches of Wren and his school is
the spire, which, though tapering like the Gothic variety, is invested
with features quite Renaissance in form, arranged in successive tiers.
The architecture of the period is in excellent proportion, and all the
details of mouldings, capitals, etc., were executed in a masterly
manner.
Panelling was still employed, mostly in oak, and was now carried up to
the ceiling. The panels were very wide, frequently bevelled at the
edges--the stiles and rails forming the framings being much wider than
hitherto. The framing mouldings were sometimes carved.
[Illustration: No. 119. Spire of St. Mary le Strand.]
Doorways and chimneypieces were surrounded by well-designed architraves,
with carved mouldings, and were surmounted by pediments, above which it
was not unusual to have carved festoons and pendants of fruit and
foliage.
[Illustration: No. 120. English Interior Wood-work. Late 17th and early
18th century.]
Pilasters were decorated with cherubs’ heads used as caps, and pendant
drops of the usual type.
Carving was profusely used, the details consisted mainly of interlacing
scrollwork of acanthus-like foliage, heavy fruit and flower festoons and
drops, trophies and cherubs’ heads. The relief was high, the work
occasionally being detached, and the manner of execution was sharp and
crisp, implying no hesitation on the part of the carver.
The high relief necessitated building up thicknesses of wood, and formed
a great contrast to the earlier work in which the ground was slightly
set back, leaving the original panel face as the highest part of the
pattern.
The woods commonly used were oak for wainscotting and cedar for doors.
Where it was intended that the woodwork should be painted or gilt it was
made in deal. Some of the carving was in oak, but the favorite material
was limewood, and pear; cedar or lime was used when small fine detail
was required. Elm was employed for various articles such as dressers:
ash, beech, birch, poplar, sycamore, English and Italian walnut were
also used.
_Dutch and French Influences_
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