We here make one alphabetical arrangement serve the double purpose
of an Index referring to the pages where the respective matters are
treated of, and of a Glossary affording explanation, or further remark,
as may be, where required. This latter is by no means to be considered
a complete or general Glossary of Architectural Terms, but merely as an
accompaniment to the present Treatise, and a specimen, perhaps, of what
is still a desideratum, namely, a _real Lexicon_—that is, one which
explains _things_ as well as terms—of Ancient and Modern Architecture,
similar to what has been provided with regard to the Mediæval Styles of
the Art.
ABACUS.—The _plate_ or shallow block forming the
uppermost member of a capital is so called for the
sake of distinction, for when a similar one is
placed beneath the base of a column, it is called
a _plinth_. The Doric abacus is spoken of at page
14, and is here shown in a plan of the capital
and architrave; _a a a a_ being the angles of the
soffit or underside of the abacus which overhang
the echinus _e e e e_; and _s s_ the soffit of the
architrave. From this, the relation between the
abacus and architrave, and how much the former
exceeds or projects out beyond the latter, will be
better understood than by the engraving at page 14,
where the capital is shown only in _elevation_.
[Illustration]
The next figure is still more indispensable
for understanding the conformation of the Ionic
capital. (See page 32.) Here the abacus shows
itself only in front at _f f_, over the
two voluted faces, the rest being concealed by
the baluster sides _b b_ of the capital,
which extend beyond the abacus, and convert the
general plan into more than a square. Although
the channels and other details of the baluster
sides are omitted, and only their general shape
shown, the engraving explains how those sides are
_reduced_ (p. 33) by being hollowed out or
curved concavely on the plan.
[Illustration]
In the next, or Corinthian Order, a similar
curvature is given to the abacus itself on all its
four sides; the capital of this Third Order having
that in common with the First one, that it is quite
regular. One great point of difference between
the Doric and Corinthian abacus is, that in the
former the angles are unsupported, and overhang
the circular body of the capital, while in the
Corinthian they are extended outwards diagonally,
as _a a a a_ in the figure, and supported by
the _caulicoli_ or small volutes, which they
in turn serve to cover. The letters _f f f f_
indicate the rosettes or flowers on the four faces
of the abacus.
[Illustration]
ÆSTHETICS—ÆSTHETIC.—A modern architectural writer
condemns these terms as ‘silly and pedantic’ ones
that have ‘lately come into use in the Arts,’
and as ‘useless additions to the nomenclature’
and language of art-criticism. In what respect
‘Æsthetics’ is at all more pedantic than
‘Optics,’ ‘Mathematics,’ ‘Physics,’ and other
words of a similar class now familiar to English
ears,—although they are all of them essentially
Greek,—or more pedantic than a great many
architectural terms which are not only Greek but
altogether technical, it is not easy to divine;
while as to silliness, there seems to be far
greater silliness in rejecting, or objecting to,
than in adopting terms which are not only highly
expressive and convenient, but have found their way
into every European language, from that of Russia
to that of Spain.
The term Æsthetics implies the perception and
the study of those qualities which constitute
the beautiful and artistic, and form the finer
essence of all productions of Fine Art. It carries
with it, therefore, a more exact and philosophic
meaning than the word Taste. In its adjective
form, in which it more frequently occurs, it is
particularly useful, as no adequate epithet can
be substituted for ‘Æsthetic.’ Thus we speak of
the ‘æsthetic sense,’ of ‘æsthetic feeling,’ or
‘study,’ or ‘principles,’ &c.; but we cannot say
the ‘tasteful sense,’ or ‘tasteful study.’ As to
the species of study just alluded to, no term may
be required to designate it, because study of the
kind is generally dispensed with for Architecture,
an historical and technical knowledge of it being
deemed sufficient, without any acquaintance with
those comprehensive _æsthetic_ principles of
the Art which can guide us where technical rules
stop short, and mere rules abandon us to error or
to doubt.
ANTÆ, Doric, 22.
————, Ionic, 40.
ANTEFIXÆ.—Called by some, _Greek Tiles_,—upright
ornamental blocks placed at intervals on the
cornice along the side of a roof, to conceal
or rather terminate the ridges formed by the
overlapping of the roof tiles.
ARÆOSTYLE.—The widest mode of intercolumniation, 78.
ASTRAGAL.—A small convex moulding. The term is applied
chiefly to that which is employed to separate the
capital from the shaft of a column.
ASTYLAR.—From the Greek privative α, and στύλος
(stylos), a column: columnless or without columns,
a term that expresses the absence of columns or
pilasters, where they might otherwise be supposed
to occur.
ATTIC.—This is usually defined to be a small Order
placed over a principal one; from which it might
be supposed that it differed from the Orders in
general chiefly by being applied on a smaller
scale; instead of which it has nothing of
columniation and trabeation in it. There is far
greater analogy between an attic and a stylobate,
or continuous pedestal, both of them consisting
of base, a dado or die, and a simple cornice, and
the difference between them consisting chiefly
in their application, the stylobate being below,
and the attic above the Order. Attics are either
plain or pilastered accordingly as the building
itself is astylar or the contrary; but what are
called attic pilasters are no more than slight
_breaks_ or projections on the general surface,
with the mouldings above and below breaking round
them, without any sort of capital, but just after
the manner of pedestals: their faces, however,
are sometimes distinguished from the intermediate
surfaces by being panelled and otherwise enriched,
as is done, for instance, in the façade of the new
Treasury Buildings: another mode of decoration
is to place either a statue, or else a caryatid
figure, before each break in the front of the
Attic, an example of which occurs in the Strand
front of Somerset House. When introduced only over
particular portions of a façade, such as the centre
or extremities, the Attic is an exceedingly useful
element in composition, inasmuch as it serves
not only to give such parts greater importance,
but also to produce play of outline or sky-line;
whereas, if continued throughout, it is apt to
produce heaviness as well as monotony, and some
degree of feebleness of expression also, its
cornice forming, in comparison with the principal
cornice below, but a very insignificant finish to
the general structure.
AXIS.—An imaginary line through the centre of a column,
&c., or its geometrical representation. Where
different members are placed over each other, so
that the same vertical line, on the elevation,
divides them equally, they are said to be on the
same axis, although they may be on different
planes. Thus, triglyphs and modillions are so
arranged that one coincides with the axis or line
of axis of each column. In like manner, the windows
or other openings in the several stories of a
façade must all be in the same respective axis,
whether they are all of the same breadth or not.
BALUSTER side of Ionic capital, 33.
BED-MOULDINGS.—This may be understood as a collective
term for all the mouldings beneath the corona or
principal projecting member of a cornice, which,
without bed-mouldings, would appear too much like a
mere shelf.
CABLED fluting, 60.
CAPITAL.—The capitals of the columns constitute the
principal and most obvious indicial mark of the
respective Orders. For those of each of the Three
Classes or Orders a certain character conformably
with the rest of the Order is to be observed;
but that attended to, further restriction is
unnecessary. Between several examples, all
decidedly referable to one and the same Order,
very great special differences occur, and there
might easily be a very great many more. Although
the capital itself is indispensable, it is so only
_æsthetically_, and not out of positive necessity.
The necessity is only artistic: decoration of the
kind there must be, but the express mode of it
is one of those matters which should be left to
design, to which it properly belongs. Capitals are
just as legitimate subjects for the exercise of
taste and invention as any thing else in decorative
design. The capital is only an ornamental head to
the column, and therefore admits of being as freely
designed as any other piece of ornament, on the
conditions of its being accordant in character with
the rest of the Order, and of forming an agreeable
transition from the shaft of the column to the
architrave.
CARYATIDES.—Anthropostylar pillars or human figures
(usually female ones) employed instead of
columns to support an entablature. Such figures
ought always to be perfectly free from all
_attitudinizing_, and to appear to support their
burden without any effort. Some very matter-of-fact
critics object to caryatides as being at the best
only beautiful absurdities; as if statues so
applied were particularly liable to be mistaken
for living persons subjected to a more severe
punishment than that of being posted up in a niche,
or on the top of a building.