Having previously considered the principal elements of ornament, it is
now advisable to classify ornament in accordance with the spaces it has
to fill, and these may roughly be divided into six classes or great
divisions, as follows:--
1. Uniform surfaces, as floors, walls, and ceilings.
2. Horizontal bands, as friezes, &c.
3. Perpendicular bands, as panels of piers, pilasters, stripes, &c.
4. Symmetrical arrangements, as panels, either rectangular or of closed
curved figures.
5. Symmetrical arrangements composed of straight and curved lines or
of compound curves, as spandrels, panels of curved and straight lines.
6. Unsymmetrical spaces founded by straight or curved lines, or by both.
_The uniform surfaces_ of large undivided areas are mostly decorated in
the following ways: by all-over patterns, by diapering, checkering,
powdering, or spotting. All-over patterns may be symmetrical, balanced,
or one-sided, and are drawn, painted, modelled, or carved. The typical
pattern, if symmetrical, has no
[Illustration: FIG. 100.--Waving pattern, stamped velvet, 16th century.
Italian, showing Saracenic influence.]
two pieces of the ornament alike in the one half; and if balanced or
onesided has no two pieces alike; so that the whole is full of interest
from its variety. It is, however, rarely seen, as, unless the artist
does it for his own delight, few amateurs care to pay for it. It is
simulated in paper-hangings by the repetition of a piece, the width of
the paper (Fig. 143), called a repeat; by stencilling or pouncing the
repeat, if painted; and by cast repeats, if in plaster. This is one of
the cheap substitutes for the real thing which pervades European art.
The Chinese formerly supplied paper-hangings that would cover a whole
room without a repeat.
A _diaper_ pattern is properly one contained in some repeating
geometrical figure not composed of straight lines. In Saracenic and
Moresque work real diapers are mostly found, a geometrical framework
being laid over some interlaced floral patterns (Fig. 101). The name
diaper comes from jasper, through the Low Latin _diasprum_, Italian
_diaspro_, or French _diapre_, and was originally applied to woven
stuffs from the East. (See Figs. 101, 106, 107, 109, and 110.) These
were mostly of silk covered with small patterns in colour, that
suggested the appearance of the flowering of jasper.
In vulgar parlance, it is now applied to all patterns enclosed in a
repeating geometrical form. Dados in painted decoration were mostly
diapered, as may be seen in one of the churches of St. Francis, Assisi;
and at the Sainte Chapelle at Paris, the diapers are on painted
hangings; at the Arena Chapel at Padua the dado is painted in imitation
of marble panels.
Checkers and network enclosing carved patterns are found on the walls
of Gothic cathedrals and churches (Figs. 98, 99). When the space covered
with checkers, network, or diapers is not too large the patterns should
so far resemble one another as to give a uniform appearance, the
variations being only enough to prevent disgust on a near view. Two
patterns may sometimes alternate, but in very large surfaces another
distinct pattern should be introduced, at certain intervals, to relieve
the monotony. Care must be taken to make the network and pattern of the
proper scale for the building or room, and for the other decoration.
[Illustration: FIG. 101.--Moresque diaper.]
[Illustration: FIG. 102.--Japanese network.]
Diapers are found in Chinese and Japanese decoration, although
rectilinear network is more common (Fig. 102), but powdering is most
favoured by them (Figs. 103-105). Sometimes it is put over a pattern
(Fig. 104). Powdering was, too, a favourite method of ornamenting in the
Middle Ages.
The _second division_ is ornament arranged in horizontal bands. The
Greeks were pre-eminent in the use of horizontal bands in their
sculptured and
[Illustration: FIG. 103.--Japanese powdering.]
[Illustration: FIG. 104.--Superimposed Japanese powdering.]
[Illustration: FIG. 105.--Japanese powdering.]
[Illustration: FIG. 106.--Diaper, Italian brocade, 16th century.]
[Illustration: FIG. 107.--Diaper in velvet brocade, 16th century.
Italian (German origin).]
painted decorations. The embroidered or woven patterns on their dresses,
shawls, and curtains, and the beautiful ornament on their vases, were
mainly
[Illustration: FIG. 108.--Construction lines of Fig. 109.]
designed on this system. The _frieze_ is a characteristic feature in
Greek architecture; and if you take the band ornaments out of Greek work
there is very little ornament left. Figs. 37, 42, 45, 49, 51, 52, 113,
[Illustration: FIG. 109.--Velvet brocade, 16th century. Italian.]
114, and 115 are some of their favourite band patterns. Figs. 116 and
117 show some of the patterns on dresses taken from the Greek vases. The
shawl (_peplum_) of Demeter on a vase at the British Museum has chariot
races, winged cupids, animals, birds, and dolphins in the successive
bands; the sacred shawls of Minerva at the Parthenon (_pepla_) are only
known by description. One had the battle of the gods and giants woven or
embroidered on it, and another was ornamented with the portraits of
Antigonus and Demetrius Poliorcetes (Plutarch’s Demetrius).
Spotting at regular intervals was the favourite way of decorating the
larger surface of dresses. The circular flower that usually formed the
spot in Greek ornament was composed of a greater number of petals than
the Roman, and is probably of Assyrian origin. (See Fig. 116.) Saracen
work also affords good examples of horizontal band treatment. (See Figs.
118 and 119.)
_The third division_: perpendicular bands are not so common in
decoration as the former class; they are mostly architectural in
character, and usually form divisions between wall-spaces in the shape
of panels in piers and pilasters. Triglyphs in friezes may even be
classed in this division, and so may the soffits of arches in the
Classic and Renaissance styles; the decoration of the soffits of beams
and of ribs and groins in Gothic, though some purists say it gives a
look of weakness to the arch. When the soffits of arches are wide in
proportion to their height they may be panelled, and if narrow be
treated like pilaster panels, the bottom of each side
[Illustration: FIG. 110.--Diaper in silk brocade. Italian or Spanish,
16th century; formerly used for dress purposes, but now only employed
for furniture.]
[Illustration: FIG. 112.--Stamped velvet, 16th century. Italian.]
[Illustration: FIG. 113.--Greek ivy meander border.]
[Illustration: FIG. 114.--Greek border from a vase.]
[Illustration: FIG. 115.--Greek border with fret bands.]
[Illustration: FIGS. 116 AND 117.--Greek borders.] being at the
springing; the tops may nearly touch at the crown, or be separated by a
circular panel. The decoration of pilaster panels in relief should be
comparatively low, and although some of the minor details may almost
sink into the ground, there should be nothing vague; the danger to be
apprehended being a loss of architectural severity
[Illustration: FIGS. 118 AND 119.--Persian borders.]
in this supporting feature. The ornament on a pilaster must be
symmetrically built with the strongest elements at the base and the
lightest at the top. The best examples of this kind of decoration are
Roman, Italian, and French Cinque-Cento work. The latter may be seen in
the well-known pilasters of Louis XII. The artists of those times paid
the same attention to pilaster decoration that the
[Illustration: FIG. 120.--Upright lily border. Greco-Roman.]
Greeks did to horizontal band-work. Figs. 121, 122, and 123 show some
examples of pilaster decoration. When the main ornamental effect is
obtained, the next problem to be solved is to get the greatest possible
variation in the planes of the carving, so that the ornament may not
have the air of being cut out with a fret-saw, with the face slightly
carved and pinned on. It is sometimes well to accentuate certain
portions if care be taken to avoid spottiness; occasionally the main
piece of ornament that has the greatest projection may be echoed up the
pilaster with a sort of ebb and flow, only the greatest subsidiary
projection should be less than the main one. Modern ornamentalists have
insisted, that if animal forms are introduced they should be repeated,
and rise in scale of importance as they get higher; but this method does
not seem to have been adhered to by the Romans or Renaissance artists.
In the latter we sometimes meet with cupids or children at the very base
of the panel.
[Illustration: FIG. 121.--Pilaster designed by Donatello.]
_The fourth division._--Ornament in panels, &c. Ceilings
[Illustration: FIG. 122.--Italian Cinque-cento pilaster panel.]
[Illustration: FIG. 123.--Italian pilaster decoration.]
[Illustration: FIG. 124.--German book cover, date 1572, in four enamel
colours and gold.]
[Illustration: FIG. 125.--Plaque in repoussé work. German 17th
century.]
have been treated in Chapter IV., and floors cannot have real panels, so
upright rectangular panels may be taken first. Their simplest
ornamentation is by moulding; if the mouldings have stopped ends, they
are known as linen panels. When narrow and unmoulded they may be filled
with symmetrical ornament
[Illustration: FIG. 126.--Venetian panel illustrating “balance” without
symmetry.]
on either side of an upright stem, either purely floral (Figs. 148 and
120), or after the manner of pilaster panels, or the ornament may spring
from vases at the bottom (Fig. 127), or they may have central medallions
circular or oval, pateræ or bosses; and in cases where these narrow
panels are in a long succession, each one may be varied, or the centres
alone may be varied, if the size and weight of the centres be
preserved; circular and oval panels in moulded frames should be avoided
in woodwork on account of the chances of the mouldings splitting. In
Saracenic and Moresque work the
[Illustration: FIG. 127.--Cinque-cento panel.]
panels are mostly filled by diapers, and in late European work it was
common to enrich the corners, and sometimes to form a centre, leaving
the rest of the panel plain, spotted, powdered, or filled with
interlaced work.
In ornamental panels the mouldings of the frame
[Illustration: FIG. 128.--Renaissance panel ornament.]
[Illustration: FIG. 129.--Wine crater in silver from the Hildesheim
treasures. Antique Roman.]
must never be wholly ornamented (see Fig. 128); sometimes they may be
wholly plain, but if there be several mouldings, it is well to slightly
enrich one member to connect the frame with the panel and detach it from
the plain stiles and rails; these should never be carved when enriched
panels are used. When great richness is required, and the panels are
carved, inlay or incised ornament is the best form of enrichment for the
stiles and rails.
[Illustration: FIG. 130.--Cinque-cento floral ornament composed of the
acanthus, oak leaf, convolvulus, and wild rose, &c.]
_The fifth division._--Compound shapes such as spandrels, segmental
pediments, compound panels, and tail-pieces (Figs. 134, 135), the last
known in France under the name of “lamp bottoms,” some arms and pieces
of armour and some utensils (Fig. 133).
[Illustration: FIG. 131.--Gothic spandrel from Stone Church in Kent.]
In spandrels between two arches a slight deviation from symmetry may be
allowed if the sides are well balanced, but it requires great skill to
render the ornament satisfactory (Fig. 131). If the arch mouldings are
properly emphasized, the spandrels may have a free and unsymmetrical
treatment, for they do not appear so constructively important as the
panels of pilasters, and so greater freedom is allowed to the artist.
The Gothic spandrel (Fig. 131) from Stone Church, in Kent, is a good
example of balance.
[Illustration: FIG. 132.--Spandrel by Stevens.]
_The sixth division._--Unsymmetrical spaces to be filled with ornament
are rare, being mostly found in Saracen work and in arms and utensils,
except in the case of angular spandrels composed of a vertical and
horizontal line and a segment (Fig. 132); in all these cases, balance
must be the principle employed. Fig. 132 shows a well-balanced design
for a right-angled spandrel between a round arch and a vertical line,
the work of the late Alfred Stevens.
[Illustration: FIG. 133.--Panel with trophy of arms and armour.]
[Illustration: FIGS. 134 and 135.--Tail-pieces (Renaissance), or lamp
bottoms.]