| XXX | (358) | XXX |
353 A R C H I T any ornament ; and at others they are furrounded with Tuftics, or a regular architrave with a frize and cornice. Thofe of the fecond floor have generally an architrave carried entirely round the aperture; and the fame is the method of adorning Attic and Mezzanine windows r But the two laft have feldom either frize or cornice; whereas the fecond-floor windows are often crowned with both. The breads of all the windows on the fame floor fhould he on the fame ‘ levelj and raifed above the floor from two feet nine indies to three feet fix inches at the very mod. When the watls are thick, the breads (hould be reduced under the apemrres, for the conveniency of looking out. In France, the windows are frequently carried quite down to the floor. When the building is farrounded with gardens, or other beautiful obje&s, this method renders the rooms exceeding pleafant. The interval between the apertures of windows depends in a great meafure on fheir enrichments. The breadth of the aperture is the lead didance that can be between them ; and twice that breadth fhould be the larged in dwellihg-houfes; otherwife the rooms will not be fufficiently lighted. The windows in all the dories of the fame afpe<3 mud be placed exa&ly above one another. Plate XXXII. Fig. i. Is a defign of P. Lefcot, abbot of Clagny, executed in the old Louvre at Paris. The apertures may be a double fquare, or a trifle more; the architrave from one fixth to one feventh of the beadth of the aperture ; The pilader is equal to that breadth, when the ajrchitrave is narrow; or lefs, by one quarter, or ons fifth, when it is broad. The whole entablature fliGuld not exceed one quarter of the height of the aperture, nor be much lower. The confoles may be equal in length, to half the breadth of the aperture at mod, and to one third of it at lead. Fig. 2. Is a defiga of Palladio’s, executed at the Chiericato in Vincenza: Its proportions are not much different from the following. The plat-band that fupports the window is equal to the breadth of the architrave. Fig. 3. Is likev/ife a defign of Palladio’s, executed by him in many of his buildings. The aperture is a double fquare. The breadth of the architrave is one fixth of the breadth of the aperture ; and the frize and cornice together are double the height of the architrave. The breadth of the confoles is two thirds of the breadth of the architrave. Fig. 4. Is a defign of Ludovico Da CigoK; and executed, in the ground-floor of the Ranunchini palace at Florence. Fig. 5. Is a defign of Inigo Jones, executed at the Banqueting-houfe. The aperture may be a dotible Square; the architrave may be one fixth of its breadth ; the whole entablature one quarter of its height; and the breadth of the confoles two thirds of the breadth of the architrave. Fig. 6. Is a defign of M. Angelo Buonaroti,. executed at the Farnefe. OF NICHES AND STATUES. lx hath been cuilomary, in all ages, to enrich difFer-
E C T U R E. ent parts of buildings with reprefentations of the human body. Thus the ancients adorned their temples, baths, theatres* with llatues of their deities, heroes, and legiflators. The moderns Hill preferve the fame cuftom, placing in their churches, palaces, &c. flames of illuftrious perfons, and even groups compofed of various figures, reprefenting occurrences coile&ed from hitrory, fables, 61c. Sometimes thefe flames or groups are detached, raifed on pedeftals, and placed contiguous to the walls of a building, or in the middle of a room, court, or public fquare. But they are moft frequently placed in cavities made in the walls, called niches. Of thefe there are two forts; the one formed like an arch in its elevation, and femicircuiar or femielliptieal in its plan; the other is a parallelogram both in its plan and elevation. The proportion of both thefe niches depends on the charadter of the flames, or the general form of the groups placed in them. The loweft are at leaft a double fquare in height; and the higheft never exceed 24-of their breadth. With regard to the manner of decorating them, when they are alone in a compofition, they are generally inclofed in a pannei, formed and proportioned like the aperture of a window, and adorned in the fame manner. In this cafe, the niche is Carried quite down to the bottom ; but on the fides and at the top, a fmail fpace is left between the niche and the architrave of the pannei. And when niches are intermixed with windows, they may be adorned in the fame manner with the windows, provided the ornaments be of the fame figure and dunenfionswith thofe of the windows. The fize of the flames depends on the dimenfions of the niches. They fliodd neither he fo large as to have the appearance of being rammed into the niche's, as in Simta Maria Majore at Rome; nor fo narrow as to feem loft in them, as in the Panthaeon. The diftance between the outline of the flame and fide of the niche ftiould never be lefs than one third of a head, nor more than one half, whether the niche be fquare or arched; and v/hen it is fquare, the diftance from the top of the head to the ceiling of the niche Ihould net be greater than tire diftance on the fides. Statues are generally raifed on a plinth, the height of which may be from one third to one half of a head; and fometimes, where the niches are large, the flames may be raifed on fmail pedeftals. The character of the ftatue fliould always correfpond with the charadter of the architecture with which it is furrouEoed. Thus, if the order be Doric, Hercules,. Jupiter, Mars, iEfculapius, and all male ftatues reprefenting beings of a robuft and grave nature, may be introduced; if Ionic, then Apollo, Bacchus, ; and if Corinthian, Venus, Flora, and others of a delicate nature, ftiould be employed. OF CHIMNEY-PIECES. Among the ancients, there are very few examples of chimney-pieces to be met with. Neither the Italians nor French have excelled in compofitions of this kind. Britain, by being poffeffed of many able fculptors at , different
