§ XXIX. 3. Such groups, consolidated by a small square in their centre,
form the shafts of St. Zeno, just spoken of, and figured in Plate XVII.,
which are among the most interesting pieces of work I know in Italy. I
give their entire arrangement in Fig. XVIII.: both shafts have the same
section, but one receives a half turn as it ascends, giving it an
exquisite spiral contour: the plan of their bases, with their plinth, is
given at 2, Plate II.; and note it carefully, for it is an epitome of
all that we observed above, respecting the oblique and even square. It
was asserted that the oblique belonged to the north, the even to the
south: we have here the northern Lombardic nation naturalised in Italy,
and, behold, the oblique and even quatrefoil linked together; not
confused, but actually linked by a bar of stone, as seen in Plate XVII.,
under the capitals.
[Illustration: Fig. XVIII.]
4. Next to these, observe the two groups of five shafts each, 5 and 6,
Plate II., one oblique, the other even. Both are from upper stories; the
oblique one from the triforium of Salisbury; the even one from the upper
range of shafts in the façade of St. Mark's at Venice.[45]
§ XXX. Around these central types are grouped, in Plate II., four simple
examples of the satellitic cluster, all of the Northern Gothic: 4, from
the Cathedral of Amiens; 7, from that of Lyons (nave pier); 8, the same
from Salisbury; 10, from the porch of Notre Dame, Dijon, having
satellites of three magnitudes: 9 is one of the piers between the doors
of the same church, with shafts of four magnitudes, and is an instance
of the confusion of mind of the Northern architects between piers proper
and jamb mouldings (noticed farther in the next chapter, § XXXI.): for
this fig. 9, which is an angle at the meeting of two jambs, is treated
like a rich independent shaft, and the figure below, 12, which is half
of a true shaft, is treated like a meeting of jambs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account