An Abridgment of the Architecture of Vitruvius Part 6

The _Piedement_ or _Fronton_, has likewise Three Parts, _viz._ The _Tympan_, the _Corniches_, and the _Acroteres_. The _Chambranle_ or _Door-Case_ is composed of two _Pieds-droits_, or _Piers_, and the _Lintel_ which also supports a _Frise_, which has likewise its _Cornich_.

The Disposition, Form, and different Proportions of all the Parts make two things, to which all that is Beautiful in Building hath a Relation, which is _Gender_ and _Order_.

_Gender_ depends of the Proportion, which is between the thickness of the _Pillars_ and the s.p.a.ce betwixt them.

_Order_, doth likewise depend in part upon the Proportion which is between the thickness of the _Pillars_, and their height; but we must likewise joyn to this Proportion many other things that appertain to the princ.i.p.al Parts of the _Pillars_, and other Parts which accompany it, such as are the _Gates_, the _Chambranles_, or _Door-Cases_; and other things which are different in different _Orders_.

ART. II.

_Of the Five sorts of Fabricks_.

There are Five sorts of Fabricks; The First is called _Pycnostyle_, viz.

where the Pillars are very close one to another, in such a Proportion that there is but from one Pillar to another, the s.p.a.ce of a Diameter and half of the Pillar. See the _Fig._ AA. _Tab._ 2.

The Second is called _Systile_, viz. where the Pillars seem to be joyned together, are notwithstanding a little more distant one from another than in the _Pycnostile_; for the intercolumniation is two Diameters of the Pillars.

[Sidenote: _Lib. 2. Chap. 3._]

The Defect that is observ'd in the _Systile_ as well as in the _Pycnostile_ is, that the Entrance of the Fabricks which are placed in that distance are very narrow: So that _Vitruvius_ remarks that the Ladies as they walk to the Temple hand in hand, were forced when they came thither to quit one another, because they could not go two a Breast between the Pillars. See the Figure BB. Tab. II.

The Third is called _Diastyle_; _viz._ where the Pillars are further distant, the s.p.a.ce of the Intercolumniation being three Diameters, and the Inconvenience is, that the s.p.a.ce is so great, that the _Architraves_ which lie upon the two Pillars are in danger of breaking; because the Ancients made them of one Stone. See Figure CC. Tab. II.

[Sidenote: _Lib. 3. Chap. 8._]

The Fourth is called _Areostyle_; _viz._ where the Pillars are set very thin, there is no certain Proportion, but the distance of one Pillar from another, is much greater than that of _Diastyle_; and for this reason it can have no _Architrave_ but of Wood. See the Figure DD. Tab.

II.

The Fifth is called _Eustyle_; _viz._ where the Pillars are distant from one another by a more convenient Proportion than in any of the other kind. The distance consists of two Diameters of the Pillars, and one Fourth part of the Diameter: It has also this in particular, That the Intercolumniation in the middle is larger than the rest, having three Diameters of the Pillars; for this reason it surpa.s.seth all others in Beauty, Solidity, and Convenience. See Tab. III.

Although the Essentials of these five Kinds, consist in the Proportion that is between the Diameter of the Pillar, and its Intercolumniation, they are also different by the Proportion which is between the Diameter of the Pillar and its height for the _Genders_ or sorts, in which the Pillars are close one to another, ought to have the lesser Pillars; and in that kind, where the Pillars are in a greater distance one from another, they ought to be greater.

[Sidenote: _Lib._ 4. _Cap._ 7.]

But it's true, notwithstanding that these Proportions are not always observ'd, and that very often, to the _Ionick_ and _Corinthian_ Pillars, which are the smallest of all, Intercolumniations are given, which are proper to those of the _Thuscan Order_, where the Pillars are the greatest.

[Sidenote: _Lib. 3. Chap. 2._]

But the Ordinary Practice is, to give to the Pillars of the _Areostyle_ kind, the Magnitude of the 8th part of their height.

As to the _Diastyle_ and _Eustyle_, the height is divided into Eight parts and an half, to give one to the breadth.

In the _Systyle_ Kind, the Height is divided into Nine parts and an half, and one is given to the thickness.

In the _Picnostyle_, the thickness of the Pillar is the 10th part of the height, the reason of these different Proportions is founded upon this, that these Pillars do seem to lose of their thickness according as they are in Proportion great or long; and it's likewise for this Reason, that it is thought convenient to have the Pillars in the Corners thicker by a 50th part. See Tab. II. and Tab. III.

ART. III.

_Of the Five Orders of Architecture_.

The Five Orders of Architecture are, the _Thuscan_, the _Dorick_, the _Ionick_, the _Corinthian_, and the _Compound_.

These Orders were Invented to satisfie the Design that might be had of making Fabricks more or less Ma.s.sy, and more or less adorn'd, for the Distinction of these Orders consists in two things, that as the _Thuscan_ and _Dorick_ Order are more ma.s.sy and less adorn'd, so the _Corinthian_ and _Compound_ are Slenderer and Richer, the _Ionick_ holds the Middle, as well in its Proportions, as its Ornaments, being less ma.s.sy and more adorn'd than the _Thuscan_ and the _Dorick_, and more ma.s.sy and less adorn'd than the _Compound_ and the _Corinthian_.

[Sidenote: _Lib. 4. Chap. 1. Praef. 4.]

[Sidenote: Lib. 4. Chap. 7._]

Though _Vitruvius_ hath only divided Architecture into Three Orders; _viz._ The _Dorick_, the _Ionick_ and the _Corinthian_; he doth not for all that forget to give the Proportions of the _Thuscan_, and speak of the _Compound_.

ART. IV.

_Of Things that are Common to several Orders._

Before we treat of the Differences of these Five Orders, it would be proper to speak of those Things that are common to several Orders; as are the _Steps_, _Pedestals_, the _Diminution of Pillars_, their _Channelling_, _Piedements_, _Cornices_, and _Acroteres_.

[Sidenote: _Lib. 3. Chap. 3._]

The _Steps_ which are before the Temple, ought always to be of an unequal Number, to the end, that having put the right Foot in mounting the first _Step_, it may likewise be upon the last.

They ought not to be more than 6 Inches 10 Lines high, nor less than 6 Inches.

[Sidenote: _Lib. 9. Chap. 2._]

Their breadth ought to be proportion'd to their height, and this Proportion ought to be of 3 to 4; so that if the _Steps_ be 6 parts high, which is 3 times 2, they must be 8 broad, which is 4 times 2; following the Proportion of a Triangular Rectangle invented by _Pythagoras_.

[Sidenote: _Lib. 3. Chap. 3._]

The Landing-places ought not to be narrower than 16 Inches and an half, nor broader than 22 Inches, and all the _Steps_ that are round about a Fabrick should be all of the same breadth.

The _Pedestals_ which support many Pillars of the same Rank, will be much handsomer if one make them jet out before every Pillar like a Joynt-Stool; for otherwise, if the _Bases_ were all of one size, they would resemble a Channel.

If Leaning-places, or Elbow-places are to be betwixt the _Pedestals_, it's necessary that they be as high as the _Pedestals_, and that the _Cornices_ of the _Pedestals_, and of the Leaning or Elbow-places be equal, and have a true Proportion one to another.

[Sidenote: _Lib._ 5. _Chap._ 1.]

[Sidenote: _Lib._ 3. _Chap._ 2.]

All the Pillars ought to go diminishing towards the top, to augment their Strength, and render them more Beautiful, imitating the Bodies of Trees, which are greater at the Bottom than at the Top. But this _Diminution_ must be lesser in the great Pillars which have their highest part further from the Sight, and which by Consequence makes them at the top seem lesser, according to the ordinary Effect of Perspective; which always diminisheth Objects according to the measure that they are distant from the Eye.

The Rule of this different _Diminution_ is, that a Pillar that is 15 Foot high, ought to have in the upper part 5 parts of 6 in the which the Diameter of the _Base_ of the Pillar is divided; that which is from 15 to 20 Foot, ought to have 5 and an half of the 6 and an half of the Diameter; that which is from 20 to 30, ought to have 6 of the 7 parts of the Diameter; that which is from 30 to 40, must have 6 and an half of 7 and an half of the Diameter; that which is from 40 to 50, must have 7 of 8 of the Diameter. These _Diminutions_ do not belong to the _Thuscan Order_, whose Pillars are much more diminished; as we shall show hereafter.

[Sidenote: _Lib. 3. Chap. 3._]

Besides this _Diminution_ which is made towards the top of the Pillar, there is another below, which makes the Pillar about the middle swell like a Belly; the measure of this swelling is taken from the magnitude which makes up the Distance between the _Channels_.