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216 XX. THE MATERIAL OF ORNAMENT. DECORATION.
beneath the pediments of the Admiralty ; nor does scenery of
shipping ever become prominent in bas-relief without destroying it: witness the base of the Nelson pillar. It may be, and
must be sometimes, introduced in severe subordination to the
figure subject, but just enough to indicate the scene ; sketched
in the lightest lines on the background; never with any
attempt at realisation, never with any equality to the force of
the figures, unless the whole purpose of the subject be picturesque. I shall explain this exception presently, in speaking
of imitative architecture.
§ ix. There is one piece of a ship's fittings, however, which
may be thought to have obtained acceptance as a constant
element of architectural ornament,—the cable : it is not, however, the cable itself, but its abstract form, a group of twisted
lines (which a cable only exhibits in common with many natural objects), which is indeed beautiful as an ornament. Make
the resemblance complete, give to the stone the threads and
character of the cable, and you may, perhaps, regard the sculpture with curiosity, but never more with admiration. Consider
the effect of the base of the statue of King William IV. at
the end of London Bridge.
§ x. 4. Architecture itself. The erroneous use of armor, or
dress, or instruments, or shipping, as decorative subject, is
almost exclusively confined to bad architecture—Roman or
Renaissance. But the false use of architecture itself, as an
ornament of architecture, is conspicuous even in the mediaeval
work of the best times, and is a grievous fault in some of its
noblest examples.
It is, therefore, of great importance to note exactly at what,
point this abuse begins, and in what it consists.
§ xi. In all bas-relief, architecture may be introduced as an
explanation of the scene in which the figures act; but with
more or less prominence in the vnverse ratio of the importance
of the figures. .
The metaphysical reason of this is, that where the figures
are of great value and beauty, the mind is supposed to be engaged wholly with them; and it is an impertinence to disturb
| 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 | 00000249 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | 216 XX. THE MATERIAL OF ORNAMENT. DECORATION. beneath the pediments of the Admiralty ; nor does scenery of shipping ever become prominent in bas-relief without destroying it: witness the base of the Nelson pillar. It may be, and must be sometimes, introduced in severe subordination to the figure subject, but just enough to indicate the scene ; sketched in the lightest lines on the background; never with any attempt at realisation, never with any equality to the force of the figures, unless the whole purpose of the subject be picturesque. I shall explain this exception presently, in speaking of imitative architecture. § ix. There is one piece of a ship's fittings, however, which may be thought to have obtained acceptance as a constant element of architectural ornament,—the cable : it is not, however, the cable itself, but its abstract form, a group of twisted lines (which a cable only exhibits in common with many natural objects), which is indeed beautiful as an ornament. Make the resemblance complete, give to the stone the threads and character of the cable, and you may, perhaps, regard the sculpture with curiosity, but never more with admiration. Consider the effect of the base of the statue of King William IV. at the end of London Bridge. § x. 4. Architecture itself. The erroneous use of armor, or dress, or instruments, or shipping, as decorative subject, is almost exclusively confined to bad architecture—Roman or Renaissance. But the false use of architecture itself, as an ornament of architecture, is conspicuous even in the mediaeval work of the best times, and is a grievous fault in some of its noblest examples. It is, therefore, of great importance to note exactly at what, point this abuse begins, and in what it consists. § xi. In all bas-relief, architecture may be introduced as an explanation of the scene in which the figures act; but with more or less prominence in the vnverse ratio of the importance of the figures. . The metaphysical reason of this is, that where the figures are of great value and beauty, the mind is supposed to be engaged wholly with them; and it is an impertinence to disturb |
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