The Philosophy of Fine Art, volume 3 (of 4): Hegel's AesthetikHegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich
Philosophy
The Philosophy of Fine Art, volume 3 (of 4): Hegel's Aesthetik
Hegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich
Aesthetics
with piers of greater thickness and more closely, by means of which the
breadth tends to disappear, and the entire effect is one of greater
stillness and height, whereas the transepts and the nave through their
towers still provide with their means of entrance and exit a connection
with the outside world. According to the points of the compass the
choir is placed to the east, the nave lies in a westerly direction,
and the transepts stand towards the north and south. We find, however,
churches with a double choir, in which the two choirs lie respectively
in the direction of morning and evening and the main entrances are
placed in the transepts. The stone font for baptism, that is, for the
sanctification of human entry into the Christian community, is placed
in a porch by the main _entrance_ into the church. And, finally, we may
note that, while the more express worship is provided for by the entire
building, and notably the choir and nave, there are also small chapels
which form in each case a fresh and independent church.
This must suffice as a description of the articulate structure of the
whole. In a cathedral of this type there is space enough for an entire
people. For here it is the intention that the community of a city and
district do not congregate round the building, but within the same.
And for this reason all the varied interests of life which in any way
come into contact with religion have, too, a place assigned them. No
fixed divisions of seats placed in rows divide and diminish the broad
space, but everyone comes and departs in peace, engages for himself
or takes a seat for immediate use, kneels down, offers his prayer and
removes himself once more. If it is not the hour of high mass the most
various things take place at the same time, and there is no confusion.
In one portion a sermon is delivered, in another a sick man is brought
in; between these points we may find a slow procession; at one spot,
we have a baptism, at another a deceased person is carried through
the church. Or we may find in one place a priest delivering mass or
celebrating the marriage services and in every direction the people in
broken groups kneel before altars and sacred images. All such things
are embraced by one and the same building. But this very variety and
individualization disappears, nevertheless, with its alternations
when contrasted with the expanse and size of the building. Nothing
completely fills up the whole, every incident passes by; individuals
with all that they do are lost and dispersed as points in this
grandiose whole. What happens at a given time is merely visible in its
passing flight, and over and above all the huge and almost measureless
spaces soar up in their secure and immutable form and construction.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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