00000067 |
Previous | 67 of 496 | Next |
|
small (250x250 max)
medium (500x500 max)
Large
Extra Large
large ( > 500x500)
Full Resolution
All (PDF)
|
44 II. THE VIRTUES OF ARCHITECTURE.
yards long. The base Renaissance architects of Venice liked
masquing and fiddling; so they covered their work with
comic masks and musical instruments. Even that was better
than our English way of liking nothing, and professing to like
triglyphs.
§ xiv. But the second requirement in decoration, is a sign
of our liking the right thing. And the right thing to be liked
is God's work, which He made for our delight and contentment in this world. And all noble ornamentation is the expression of man's delight in God's work.
§ xv. So, then, these are the two virtues of building: first,
the signs of man's own good work; secondly, the expression
of man's delight in better work than his own. And these are
the two virtues of which I desire my reader to be able quickly
to judge, at least in some measure; to have a definite opinion
up to a certain point. Beyond a certain point he cannot form
one. When the science of the building is great, great science
is of course required to comprehend it; and, therefore, of difficult bridges, and light-houses, and harbor walls, and river
dykes, and railway tunnels, no judgment may be rapidly
formed. But of common buildings, built in common circumstances, it is very possible for every man, or woman, or child,
to form judgment both rational and rapid. Their necessary,
or even possible, features are but few; the laws of their construction are as simple as they are interesting. The labor of
a few hours is enough to render the reader master of their
main points; and from that moment he will find in himself a
power of judgment which can neither be escaped nor deceived,
and discover subjects of interest where everything before had
appeared barren. For though the laws are few and simple,
the modes of obedience to them are not so. Every building
presents its own requirements and difficulties; and every good
building has peculiar appliances or contrivances to meet them.
Understand the laws of structure, and you will feel the special
difficulty in every new building which you approach; and you
will know also, or feel instinctively,* whether it has heen
* Appendix 15: " Instinctive Judgments."
| Title | The stones of Venice - 1 |
| Creator | Ruskin, John |
| Publisher | J. Wiley |
| Place of Publication | New York |
| Date | 1889 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000067 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | 44 II. THE VIRTUES OF ARCHITECTURE. yards long. The base Renaissance architects of Venice liked masquing and fiddling; so they covered their work with comic masks and musical instruments. Even that was better than our English way of liking nothing, and professing to like triglyphs. § xiv. But the second requirement in decoration, is a sign of our liking the right thing. And the right thing to be liked is God's work, which He made for our delight and contentment in this world. And all noble ornamentation is the expression of man's delight in God's work. § xv. So, then, these are the two virtues of building: first, the signs of man's own good work; secondly, the expression of man's delight in better work than his own. And these are the two virtues of which I desire my reader to be able quickly to judge, at least in some measure; to have a definite opinion up to a certain point. Beyond a certain point he cannot form one. When the science of the building is great, great science is of course required to comprehend it; and, therefore, of difficult bridges, and light-houses, and harbor walls, and river dykes, and railway tunnels, no judgment may be rapidly formed. But of common buildings, built in common circumstances, it is very possible for every man, or woman, or child, to form judgment both rational and rapid. Their necessary, or even possible, features are but few; the laws of their construction are as simple as they are interesting. The labor of a few hours is enough to render the reader master of their main points; and from that moment he will find in himself a power of judgment which can neither be escaped nor deceived, and discover subjects of interest where everything before had appeared barren. For though the laws are few and simple, the modes of obedience to them are not so. Every building presents its own requirements and difficulties; and every good building has peculiar appliances or contrivances to meet them. Understand the laws of structure, and you will feel the special difficulty in every new building which you approach; and you will know also, or feel instinctively,* whether it has heen * Appendix 15: " Instinctive Judgments." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| B |
|
| C |
|
| G |
|
| H |
|
| M |
|
| T |
|
| U |
|
| Y |
|
|
|
