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ARABIAN

T

MG I

r

GRAMMAR

OF

GRNAMEN

ARABIAN N°2

PLATE

XXXI

GRAMMAR OF ORNAMENT

ARABIAN N°

3

PLATE

XXXIII

UKAI\

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rl -T\

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a

A

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UniNAMLN

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PLATE

XXX

ARABIAN N°

5

Chapter IX.— Plates

36, 37, 38.

TURKISH ORNAMENT. PLATE XXXVI. 1, 2, 3,

4.

From

16, 18.

From

a Fountain at Pera, Constantinople. 9, 12, 14, 15.

Mosque of Sultan Achmet, Constantinople.

the

From Tombs

5, 6, 7, 8, 13.

1 0, 1 1 , 1 7, 1 9,

at Constantinople.

21

From

20, 22.

.

From the Tomb of Sultan Soliman I., Constantinople. From the Yeni D'jami, or new mosque, Constantinople

a Fountain at Tophana, Constantinople.

PLATE XXXVII. 1,

2 6, 7,

3.

From

8.

the Yeni

D>mi, Constantinople. Dome of the Mosque of Soliman I.,

Rosace in the centre of the

Ornaments

4j 5 .

in

Spandrils

|

Const.

Soliman

I

I.,

under the

Dome

of

the

Mosque of

Constantinople.

PLATE XXXVIII. Portion of the Decoration of the

The

architecture

of the Turks, as

upon the early Byzantine monuments

same

Arabian, bearing about the

When character

the

and

art

Arabs

of the

the

two people as

We

are,

:

public

belief

and

that

their

And

believe

commanded

present

Persian

these

a

mixed

floral

buildings

the

of ornamentation,

style.

mostly

it

structural features mainly based

however,

is

a

modification

of the

all

religion,

but differing in natural

those qualities in which the borrowing

with the art of the Turks as compared with the

is

amount of elegance and refinement

the

in

in

the

art

of

character.

the Turks

that

execution

ornaments,

have

thus

difference

national

however, inclined to

buildings

Arabian

in

Constantinople.

I.,

in all its

is

expect to find a deficiency in

the same

is

exists

they have rather

that

In

we should

there

art

system

of Soliman

adopted by another having the same

is

are inferior to their predecessors.

people

at Constantinople,

their

;

Tomb

of the

relation to this style as Elizabethan ornament does to Italian Renaissance.

of one people

instincts,

seen

Dome

On we

the

than been themselves executants.

same

find

been

more recent times, the Turks have been the

have rarely themselves practised the arts;

building, side

debased

executed first

Roman and

by

of the

by

artists

All their

Renaissance

Mohammadan

races

details,

religion

in

mosques and

ornaments derived from

side with

differing

but

to

leading to

the

from themselves.

abandon the

traditional

of their forefathers, and to adopt the prevailing fashions of the day in their architecture but designed in the most the modern buildings and palaces being not only the work of European artists, style

of building

approved European style.

The productions of the

Mohammadan

exhibiting

Turks

at

the

Great

Exhibition

of

1851

were the

least

perfect

of

all

the

nations.

state of the Industrial Arts of the Nineteenth Century, In Mr. M. Digby Wyatt's admirable record of the exhibited in 1851, and which may be compared with the many will be found specimens of Turkish embroidery It will readily be seen, from the in the same work. valuable specimens of Indian embroidery represented that of the art-instinct of the Turks must be very inferior to simple matter of their embroidery, that the ornamentaUon, distribution of form, and in all the principles of Indians. The Indian embroidery is as perfect in of decoration. as the most elaborate and important article carpets; but these are ornamentation are to be found -m Turkey The only examples we have of perfect 9

;

TURKISH ORNAMENT.

from Persian carpets

differing

By comparing

Plate

perceived.

The general

differences

that

The

it

in being

XXXVII. with

designs

thoroughly Arabian,

are

conventional in the treatment of foliage.

XXXII. and XXXIII.

Plates

of the

principles

of form

distribution

are

of style will be readily

the

differences

the

same, but there are a few minor

be desirable to point out.

will

enrichment of the surface

the

much more

and Moresque

of an ornament both in the Arabian

surface

The

and most probably not by Turks.

executed in Asia Minor,

chiefly

plain, the additional pattern

obtained by

is

on

sinking lines

styles

this surface

;

only

is

slightly

or where the

rounded, and

was

surface

left

upon pattern was obtained by painting.

The Turkish ornament, on

we

the contrary, presents a carved surface, and such ornaments as

find painted

Turkish.

Turkish,

Turkish.

Elizabethan.

Arabian MSS., Plate XXXIV.,

the

in

black lines on the gold flowers, are here carved on the surface,

in

the effect being not nearly so broad as that produced by the sunk feathering of the Arabian and Moresque.

Another

peculiarity,

and one which

made

the great abuse which was

is

This

of the re-entering curve

a piece

of Turkish ornament from

Moors

the

no longer a

it is

Arabian,

a a.

very prominent in the Arabian, but more especially in the Persian

is

With

once distinguishes

at

See Plate

styles.

XLVI.

and appears only exceptionally.

feature,

This peculiarity was adopted in the Elizabethan ornament, which, through the Renaissance of France and

was derived from the

Italy,

spiral

be seen on reference to Plate XXXVI., that

will

It

swell

this

always

at that period

on the inside

occurs

very

is

them,

detects

almost

nay,

difficult,

thoroughly to

impossible,

explain

by words

differences

much

found

a

peculiarity

curves, a fondness

for

form

of

general

delicacy,

refined

is

the fact,

a

as

proportions

the

in

Roman

the

and

spiritual

conventional

XXXVIII.

Persian,

of

the

directions in the

particular

or coarseness, with which

statue

leafage

these

more

or

less

grace

leading lines, and a peculiar

ever

remaining

drawn, will

are

the not less

masses,

refined

at

the

same.

in

mode

of

The general

The

relative

once distinguish them

as

the most perfect specimen of Turkish ornament with which

we

are acquainted,

Arabian. in the

One

a portion of the decoration of the

great feature

modern decoration examples where blue

of Turkish

of Cairo the is

flowing

of

the

degree of fancy, the

works of the

but reflective Arabian, or the unimaginative Turk.

tomb of Soliman

is

the

of interweaving forms,

the

in ancient

ornament

is

same thing

is

the

I.

at Constantinople

and nearly approaches

predominance of green and black

observed.

Green

is

;

and,

in

much more prominent than

chiefly used. 2

i

style

yet the eye readily

from a Greek.

distinguished

is

dome of

Plate it

same way

the

in

in

remaining the same in the Persian, the Arabian, and the Turkish styles of ornament, there will

principles

the

of the

outside.

ornament having such a strong family resemblance as the Persian, Arabian, and Turkish;

be

common.

so

curve of the main stem; with Elizabethan ornament the swell often occurs indifferently on the inside

and on the It

work which was

East, in imitation of the damascened

GRAMMAR

TURKISH

UK

-N?

T

*

*

.

PLATE

1.

mmm

XXAVI

AMMAR

OF

TURKISH

ORNAMENT

N° .2.

PLATE

XXXVII

plate: xxxviii

TURKISH N°3 FROM THE DOME OF THE TOMB OF SOLIMAN

I

CONSTANTINOPLE

^

.

Chapter X.

— Plates

.

39, 40, 41, 42, 43.

MORESQUE OENAMENT. FROM THE ALHAMBRA.

PLATE XXXIX. INTERLACED ORNAMENTS. 1-5, 16, 18, are Borders on Mosaic Dados.

Square Stops

13, 15.

Plaster Ornaments, used as upright enclosing Panels on the Walls.

6-12, 14.

and horizontal Bands

in the

Bands of the

Inscriptions.

Painted Ornament from the Great Arch in the Hall of the Boat.

17.

PLATE XL. SPANDRELS OF ARCHES. From From From

1.

2. 3.

the centre

Arch of the Court of the Lions. Divan Hall of the Two

the Entrance to the

4.

From

the Entrance to the Court of the Fish-pond from the Hall of the Boat.

Sisters.

the Entrance to the Court of the Lions from the Court of the

5, 6.

From

the Arches of the Hall of Justice.

Fish-pond.

PLATE

XLI.

LOZENGE DIAPERS. Ornament

1.

in Panels

2.

„

from the Hall of the Boat. from the Hall of the Ambassadors. Arch, entrance

3.

in Spandril of

4.

in

Doorway

5.

in

Panels of the Hall of the Ambassadors,

6.

in Panels of the

7.

in Panels, Hall of the Abencerrages.

of the

to

8.

Court of Lions.

Divan Hall of the

Two

Ornament over Arches, entrance to the Court of Ornaments in Panels, Court of the Mosque.

Lions.

9, 10. 1

Sisters.

1

12.

Court of the Mosque,

PLATE

Soffit of

Great Arch, entrance

Ornament Sides

of

to

Court of Fish-pond.

Windows, Upper Story, Hall

13.

„

in Spandrils of Arches,

14. 15.

„

in Panels,

16.

„

in Spandrils of Arches,

of

Two

Sisters.

Hall of the Abencerrages.

Hall of the Ambassadors.

Hall of the

Two

Sisters.

XLII.

SQUARE DIAPERS. 1.

Frieze over Columns, Court of the Lions.

2.

Panelling in

3.

4.

Windows, Hall of the Ambassadors.

of the centre Recess of the Hall of the Ambassadors.

„

Panelling on the Walls,

6.

PLATE

Tower

of the Captive.

on the Walls, House of Sanchez.

„

5.

Part of the Ceiling of the Portico of the Court of the Fish-pond.

XLIII.

MOSAICS. Hall of the Ambassadors.

1.

Pilaster,

2.

Dado,

3.

Dado, Hall of the

4.

Pilaster,

5. 6.

ditto.

Two

Dados, Hall of the

Two

Sisters.

Hall of Justice.

7.

Pilaster,

8.

Dado, Hall of the 10

Sisters.

Hall of the Ambassadors.

Two

Sisters.

9.

Dado

in centre

Pilaster,

1 1

Dado, Hall of

12. 13.

Window, Hall

of the Ambassadors.

Hall of the Ambassadors.

10.

Justice.

Dados, Hall of the Ambassadors.

14.

From

a Column, Hall of Justice.

15.

Dado Dado

in the Baths.

16.

in

Divan, Court of the Fish-pond.

—

MORESQUE ORNAMENT. Our

illustrations

only because

it

of the ornament of the

Moors have been taken

we

the one of their works with which

is

which their marvellous system of decoration reached

in

summit of perfection of Moorish to

Grammar

a

illustrate

of

as

art,

Ornament

that

as

are best acquainted, but also because

which every ornament

in

the Greeks,

Alhambra the

the

in

speaking art

the geometrical combinations

can find no work so fitted a

contains

grammar

in

is

of the

Egyptians, the

Romans, the Byzantines, and the Arabs.

of the

Moors forbade; but the want was more than supplied by the and complex involutions, and

curious

not only

delighted

the

when

imagination

of

The ornament This the

inscriptions, which, addressing

themselves to the eye by their outward beauty, at once excited the intellect by the their

itself.

grace and refinement

natural

wanted but one charm, which was the peculiar feature of the Egyptian ornament, symbolism. religion of the

very

at the

is

of any other people

art

the one

is

it

but was by the Moors more universally and truly obeyed.

ever present here, find

We

art.

Every principle which we can derive from the study of the ornamental

We

The Alhambra

culminating point.

its

Parthenon of Greek

the

is

from the Alhambra, not

exclusively

deciphering

difficulties of

read,

by the beauty of the

of the

beauty to which they

sentiments they expressed and the music of their composition.

To

the

gave a

and those provided with a mind

artist

they repeated, Look and

life

To

deeds of the king.

He

God, that

alone was

and that

conqueror,

builders

asserted

of

in

of

that

poetry,

wonderful

this

the inscriptions

wonderful domes

its

the stars

all

We of the

have

general

principles

*

in

their

the

was

alone

due praise and glory.

Arabic inscription from the Alhambra.

were

aware

fully

building

this

of

the

surpassed

greatness

the

in

of their work.

other buildings;

all

playful

through envy of so much beauty;

light

and good

majesty,

was none powerful but

there

that

ever

for

who should study them with

he

endeavoured

obey the

which appear

principles

Moors

to

theirs

ever

alone,

regarded

construction,

but the

injunctions

of the

have guided

to

common

but

the forms only

that

exaggeration

and what

would reap the

attention

is

at

It

is

sight

of their

more

to

benefit

of a

to

poet,

Moors

the all

and in

will

the

attempt here to

explain

some

decoration of the

the best periods

of art.

The

Alhambra

principles

which

differ.

what we hold

construction, never to construct decoration,

from

no conqueror but God."

declaring

might,

decoration.

which are not

The

Him

to

structure

ceased

domes vanished and disappeared;

other

that

are everywhere the same; 1

never

on the walls, that

grew pale

our purpose, they declare

commentary on

is

value

the

the people they proclaimed the

the king himself they

" There

The

To

learn.

estimate

to

in

to

be the

first

principle

in

architecture— to

Moorish architecture not only does the decoration

constructive

idea

is

decorate

arise naturally

out in every detail of the ornamentation of

carried

the surface.

We eye,

believe

the intellect,

*

that

and

true

beauty in

architecture

the affections are satisfied,

from

This essay on the general principles of the ornamentation

results

from that " repose which

the absence of

of the Alhambra

is

any want" partially

reprinted

When

the

mind feels when

an object

is

the

constructed

from the "Guide Book to the Alhambra

Court in the Crystal Palace," by the Author.

2

—

x

;

MORESQUE ORNAMENT. falsely,

appearing to

repose,

and

derive or give support without doing either the one or the other,

Mohammadan

can

never

therefore

pretend

and Moors

races,

and

was observed in

is

disregarded;

an age

in

or,

of

of art;

copying,

which animated the

without the spirit

it

in

in

itself:

they do not stand alone:

this

when

only

the

like

may be

find a useless

or

They ever

the same principle

come

art declines that true principles

when

present,

the

be

to

works of the past are reproduced

the

originals.

grow out of each other

All lines

2.

the best periods

afford this

we never

rule;

this

it

to

and naturally from the surface decorated.

quietly

arises

regard the useful as a vehicle for the beautiful; all

however harmonious

beauty,

have constantly regarded

especially,

ornament; every ornament

superfluous

true

to

fails

it

in gradual undulations

there are no excrescences

;

nothing could

j

be removed and leave the design equally good or better. In a general sense,

word here

use the

construction be properly

if

a more

in

limited

attended

the general

sense:

could be no

there

to,

might follow truly the construction, and

lines

might be excrescences, such as knobs or bosses, which would not

yet there

and yet would be

beauty of form,

fatal to

violate the rule of construction,

they did not grow out gradually from the general

if

we

but

excrescences;

There can be no beauty of form, no perfect proportion or arrangement of

lines.

which does not produce

lines,

repose.

All

of curved lines

transitions

would cease

the transition

be agreeable

to

proportion to the curves,

in

a break parallel

(as to

in

an imaginary

depart from

to

case)

this

as

at

case

the

d,

must be gradual.

straight,

a were too deep

at

curves

separated by

are

and with the Moors

at

from

lines

always

(c) where the curves would be

the

in

the break

if

Where two

b.

they must,

line

as

this,

from curved, or of curved

eye, instead

J

J

Thus J

J'

A

run

do,

tangential

to

each

other;

of following gradually

down

were either

for

the

would

curve,

run outwards, and repose would be lost*

The general forms were

3.

were then

for;

carried out this principle with the greatest refinement,

derive

their chief success

greatest

distinctness

on a closer inspection,

Harmony

4.

the

lines;

interstices

strike

we

see

of form

the

eye;

the

never interferes with

detail

we approach

as

all their

ornamentation

Their main divisions contrast and balance admirably;

observance.

its

and the harmony and beauty of

They

the

nearer,

general

the

form.

When

comes into the

detail

seen

the a

at

composition;

further detail on the surface of the ornaments themselves.

still

appears

consist

to

proper

the

in

and contrast of the

balancing

the

straight,

and the curved.

inclined,

As

from

obtained;

is

the main lines

distance,

were subdivided by general

these

with ornament, which was again subdivided and enriched for closer inspection.

in

filled

cared

first

colour there

in

can be no perfect composition in which either of the

wanting, so in form, whether structural or decorative, there of the three primary figures

wanting

is

and the

;

primary colours

is

can be no perfect composition in which either

and harmony

varieties

three

composition and design depend

in

on the various predominance and subordination of the three.f In

surface

any

decoration,

arrangement

of

forms,

monotonous, and affords but imperfect pleasure;

and

now

you have form

leading

at

:

add

the

to

follow

only

the

by

circles,

the 1

as at f,

eye

giving a circular

lines

harmony.

In

angular and curved are

the

square

the

straight

lines,

at is

is

o a

9^e^ ^O^

at once

tendency, as

case

this

of

which

lines

and you have

b,

only

o

o. o:

o o £-? oxo o o. *& o o.

c,

-X

the

e-K vl/

subordinate.

1

(

x

>

vl/

\

x

>

(

produce the same result in adopting an angular composition,

as

for

complete

or tonic;

We may d

Then add

consisting

a,

at

but introduce

tend to carry the eye towards the angles, as at

an increased pleasure.

as

has

lines

as

at

and we

e,

at

once

angular direction of the inclined lines;

and we have

now no

longer

more

still

the

correct

but unite these

perfect harmony,

any want that

These transitions were managed most perfectly by the Greeks in

tendency

i.e.

repose,

could be supplied.J all

their mouldings,

which exhibit

this

refinement in the highest degree

j

so do

also the exquisite contours of their vases.

f

There can be no better example of

relation to each other.

counteracted by the angular or the curved lines; so the gable contrasts

$

this

Gothic architecture also :

harmony than the Greek offers

thus, the

temple,

capping of the buttress

we

find

where the

illustrations of this principle

admirably with the curved window-head and

It is to the neglect of this obvious rule that

lines of papers generally

many

so

many

its

is

exactly

:

straight, the

angular, and the curved, are in most perfect

every tendency of lines to run in one direction

what

is

required to counteract the

is

immediately

upward tendency of the

straight

perpendicular mullions.

failures

in

paper-hangings, carpets, and more especially articles of costume

run through the ceiling most disagreeably, because the straight

is

not

corrected

;

the

by the angular, or the angular by the curved 3

MORESQUE ORNAMENT. In

5.

however

the

surface

decoration

can be traced to

distant,

Moors

of the

and

branch

its

flow out

lines

all

of a parent

stem:

They have the happy

root.

every ornament,

adapting

of so

art

the

ornament to the surface decorated, that the ornament as often appears to have suggested the general form as to have been suggested by it. In all cases, we find the foliage flowing out of a parent stem, and

we

are

never

offended,

as

down, without a reason

commence by

dividing

modern

in

for

existence.

its

equal

into

it

by the random introduction of an ornament just dotted However irregular the space they have to fill, they always and round these trunk-lines they fill in their detail, but

practice,

areas,

invariably return to their parent stem.

They

we

see

stem

appear

the

to

extremities,

even

distribution,

stem,

we may

as

see

in

The

parent

see

in proportion

perfection;

the

are

a series

the

So,

distribute

main

again,

which

lines,

minute

of

filling- in

another principle;

the

how

example

beautifully

Greeks

these

all

generally the

is

one

out

from

of the cactus

with

case

other

the

in

equal

from

marvellous

We

ornament.

which

ornament,

ornament;

continuous

the

and how each area

where one

tribe,

Greek a

of

radiate

lines

principle with

this

Chapter IV., a peculiarity of Greek plants

law

is

leaf.

honeysuckle

their

each area

sap- feeders.

towards the extremities,

in

as

leaf

that of radiation from the parent

The Orientals carry out

the

as

parent

the the

same

the

nature,

from

sap

would divide

follow

all

of

minor divisions;

the

of

that

to

the

stem

hand, or in a chestnut

leaf.

did

in

This

growing

of leaves

most

principle of the

of another. scrolls

areas.

to

the

each leaf diminishes

also

already remarked, to follow

the

in

to

so

evident

is

human

being

object

follow

also

how

stem;

it

the

to

Moors

may

the

intermediate

nature with the

We is

by

work by a process analogous

to

into equal

subdivided

6.

this

vine-leaf;

may be

near as again

the

in

in

acanthus

whilst

line,

appears

grows out

leaf

the

have

leaf-

the Arabian

and Moresque ornaments always grow out of a continuous stem. 7^ All junctions of curved other;

which

may shall

Many

these

find

of a feather in

laws

of

equal

and

perfect

all

in

ornaments

radiation

on the same principle

are

the articulations

of every leaf;

ornamentation, which

we have

distribution,

attention

call

we

eye to

to

the nature

we

from

parent

a

stem,

the

call

before described constitutes

of the exquisite curves in use

its

and to graceful.

this It

harmony.

continuity

of

line,

and

case,

detect

;*

that in the

of the higher order,

by the Arabs and Moors.

think that those proportions will be the most beautiful which so

we

think that

where the mechanical process of describing them universally the

Moorish

the

ever present in natural leaves.

proportion,

the

for

of

be called the melody of form, as what

would

As with difficult

be a law found everywhere in nature, and the Oriental practice

it.

observable in the lines

is

curvature,

We

8.

consider to

due that additional charm found

is

tangential

we

always in accordance with

is

We

also

this

with curved, or of curved with straight, should be tangential to each

lines

!

compositions

be least

shall

best periods of art,

such as the conic sections;

those

of

curves will

apparent;

and we

it

be most

will

be most agreeable, shall

find

to be mouldings and ornaments were founded on curves

all

when

whilst,

art

declined,

circles

it

and compass-work were

much more dominant. The all

researches of Mr. Penrose have

of curves of

portions

exquisite curves of the architecture, as

very high order,

and that segments of

circles

lines

in the

this

curves of a high

refinement

order;

is

and

lost;

we

the

find,

Romans were probably

therefore,

their

Parthenon are

were very rarely used.

Greek vases are well known, and here we never find portions of

on the contrary,

appreciate

to

a

shown that the mouldings and curved

as

circles.

little

able

In to

mouldings mostly parts of

The

Roman describe circles,

which could be struck with compasses.

so of carpets, the lines of carpets are constantly

running in one direction only, carrying the eye right through the walls of the apartment. Again to human form— a custom detrimental to the public taste, and gradually lowering the tone of the eye for form of this generation. If children were born and bred to the sound of hurdy-gurdies grinding out of tune, their ears would no doubt suffer deterioration, and they would lose their sensibility to the harmonious in sound. This, then, is what is certainly taking' place with regard to form, and it requires the most strenuous efforts to be made by all who would take an interest in the welfare of the rising generation to put a this

we owe

stop to

all

those abominable checks and plaids which constantly disfigure the

it.

» All compositions of squares or of are

very apparent.

circles will be monotonous, and afford but little pleasure, because the means whereby they are produced So we think that compositions distributed in equal lines or divisions will be less beautiful than those which require

a higher

mental

effort to appreciate

them.

;

MORESQUE ORNAMENT. In

the

more would

later

which

period,

from

departs

Greek Art,

to

by the Mohammadan

delighted in

it

the

in

common

(a)

curve

a

is

much

so

than

tracery would

the

period,

appear

has

have

to

most

much

been

appropriately

been

less

the

termed

the

from the immoderate use of compass-work.

Geometrical,

Here

Gothic

of the

compass - work

of

offspring

works

early

which

curve

the

This becomes graceful the

races.

of two

union

the

Gothic period, and

the

to

parts

of circles

give.

A

9.

charm

further

still

is

found in the works of the Arabs and Moors v

from their conventional treatment of ornament, which, forbidden as they were by their creed to represent forms,

living

they

carried

avoided a direct transcript;

In

by the

ideal

Thus,

They

perfection.

worked

ever

every period

in

of faith in

worked, but

nature

as

do, attempt

art,

always

copy her works.

to

ornamentation was ennobled

all

never was the sense of propriety violated by a too faithful representation of nature.

;

Egypt,

in

carved in stone was never such

a lotus

an one as you

conventional representation perfectly in keeping with the architectural it

we

they took her principles, but did not, as

they do not stand alone;

again,

this,

highest

the

to

was a symbol of the power of the king over countries where the

might have

members of which

plucked, but a

formed a part;

it

grew, and added poetry to what

lotus

would otherwise have been a rude support.

The

colossal

representations his

Egyptians were not

of the

of Majesty,

men

little

on a large

carved

which were symbolised the power of the monarch, and

in

but architectural

scale,

abiding love of

his

people.

In Greek in

statues

the ornaments, no longer symbols, as in

art,

sculpture

their

applied to

they adopted

architecture,

Egypt, were conventional

a

and

further conventionalised;

still

of pose and relief

both

treatment

very different to that of their isolated works.

In

the

imitation in

best

periods

of nature

Gothic

of

never attempted;

is

the

art

floral

but as

ornaments

treated

they became

declined,

art

are

and

conventionally,

direct

and more direct

idealised,

less

a

imitation.

The same

conventionally

first

had

transmitted,

In tints,

the

with

may be

decline

but

;

early

the

as

own

their

traced in stained glass, where art

MSS.

ornaments were

the

shade and no shadow;

little

and

figures

which

through

draperies,

was

light

to

be

and shadows.

shades

illuminated

declined,

both figures and ornaments were treated at

whilst

in

and

conventional,

those

of

a

the

were

illuminations

in

flat

period highly -finished representations

later

of natural flowers were used as ornament, casting their shadows on the page.

ON THE COLOURING OF MORESQUE ORNAMENT. When we so

with colour,

they held in styles all

examine the system of colouring adopted by the Moors, we

of art, practised

somewhat of a

who have

those nations

all

during periods of

the

faith,

the

practised

with

arts

same true principles prevail

temporary character, we yet discern in

local or

find,

that

with form,

as

founded on observation of nature's laws, and which

they followed certain fixed principles,

common with

shall

much

all

that

In

success.

archaic

all

and although we

;

and immutable

eternal

is

find in

the same grand ideas embodied in different forms, and expressed, so to speak, in a different language.

The

10.

ancients

always used colour

to

assist in the development of form,

always employed

it

a further

as

means of bringing out the constructive features of a building. Thus, the

capital,

appearance

in

the

buds

Egyptian column, the base

and flowers

strength

of

in

of

the

the

of which or

lotus

the

represented

papyrus,

the

root

— the

colours were

several

column was increased, and the contours

shaft,

the

stalk

applied

so

of the various

lines

— the

that

more

the fully

developed.

Gothic architecture,

In

panel- work

present

and tracery;

colourless

elevation

was

still

and

condition further

this

art,

again,

it

of the

always employed

effected

to

buildings.

also

In

the

helped to define

we always

find

the

to

assist

an extent of which

increased by upward-running

apparent height of the column,

In Oriental

colour was

also,

slender spiral

its

it

shafts

lines

developing

in

is

of

difficult

their

forms

of

the

form an

idea, in the

edifices,

the idea of

lofty

of colour, which, while adding to

the

form.

constructive

lines

of the building

an apparent additional height, length, breadth, or bulk always results from 10

to

the

its

well

defined

judicious

by colour;

application 5

;

and

MORESQUE ORNAMENT. ornaments

the

with

without

relief

in

have

artists

form

of

transition

by

more

as

the

monotonous

It

aspect.

in

glorious

sun,

parent of

11.

The

colours

secondary

The

purple,

colours,

and

stalks,

every change of form

and

lashes,

the

distinctness,

and

the eyelids,

producing

in

assist

all

producing

in

leaves

their

figure

eyes,

from which

grass

the

which

in

and the

springs,

it

shines.

it

and

green,

form as well

in

indistinct

that perfects the modelling and defines

employed by the Moors on their stucco-work were,

and yellow (gold).

assist

the absence or impairment of these colours,

from

lily

from the firmament

colour,

all

the

the boundless variety of her tints

is

to

would have been

they

objects,

all

as

proper meaning and expression.

of their

features

colour to

cheek,

know how much

all

whose works every

human

the

the hair,

the

of

detaching equally the modest

each;

of

outline

red,

We

deprive the

to

contributes

nature applied but one

Had as

the rosy bloom

lips,

visibly bringing out the form.

sickness,

in

the

of

sanguine complexion

in

by colour from in

also

of

colour

the

thus

change of colour;

a

So

which they grow.

in

Nature,

disposed

so

colour,

separated

are

of

inspiration

of

modification

a

example, flowers

For

and these again from the earth

marked

by

accompanied

is

guiding

the

followed

but

this

in

of expression.

distinctness

in

altogether lost

it.

The

is

new forms which would have been

constantly

developes

it

in

only

occur

orange,

the primaries,

cases,

all

Mosaic dados,

the

in

blue,

It is true the more brilliant colouring above. which, being5 near the eye, formed a point of repose from the ornaments are found to be green; it will always that, at the present day, the grounds of many of originally employed was blue, which, being be found, however, on a minute examination, that the colour This is proved by the presence of the of time. a metallic pigment, has become green from the effects

made by the

may be remarked

almost

were

colours

among

that,

we

the

secondary colours became of more

found

are

in

Thus, in Egypt, in Pharaonic

importance.

the Ptolemaic temples, the

primary colours, whilst

the

so also on

secondary;

and

shade

every variety of

Pompeii

at

whilst,

art;

of

periods

early

the

during

employed,

exclusively

It

and the Moors, the primary

and the Greeks, the Arabs

primary colours predominating;

find the

Greek temples

early

not

if

and purple.

both green

were repainted

ornaments

which were

also,

the restorations,

in

crevices:

the

in

of the

Egyptians

the

entirely,

during the decadence, the temples,

grounds

the

kings,

Catholic

everywhere

which occur

colour,

of blue

particles

tone was employed.

where blue would have been used This

though

glass,

we have

other

secondary

on the

and

of shade

Moors,

as

a general

and

tertiary

on

the

earth;

also

as

the

in

in

rule,

flowers,

The

the

fact,

that

building,

secondary

would necessarily be coloured green; temple

Egyptian

of an

Pharaonic

of the

In

from

and lotus

give

leaf capitals

a

from

roof,

convince us that

light

they

felt

dark,

to it

a

as

gives

Roman

Although

especially,

are

at

the the

ornaments

in

later

whilst

stained

times

upper portions

of objects,

we

ending with the tertiaries

on the

and

buds

flowers,

law

law.

which

temples,

is

true

primaries

the

more

periods

but this

arises

we do

see

from

the

were used on the upper part of a

leaf

lotus

In Egypt, however,

in

the main;

above

especially,

the

general

aspect

and the secondaries below; this

order

was

and

inverted,

superabundance of green in the upper portions of the temples.

ending

examples of black immediately under the 13.

the

fields,

art.

the

of

Pompeii we find sometimes in the interior of the houses

the

periods

a

if

but the

period

but in the buildings of the Ptolemaic and the palm

and

of

periods

best

upper portions

the

ornaments in Egypt were symbolical; it

in

stalks.

used in

green

on

primaries

the

find

generally

always observed this rule in the

ancients

occasionally

we

where

and the secondaries on the leaves and

and

be in accordance with a natural law;

to

secondary green in the trees and

sky, the

used;

chiefly

primary colours were used

the

This also appears

lower.

were

primaries

the

manuscripts

early

the

but rarely used with equal success.

tint,

the

In

Middle Ages.

the

of

were not excluded,

colours

have the primary blue

times.

earlier

the works

of

true

every variety

With

12.

the

equally

is

in

green constantly appearing side by side with red,

we have

In modern Cairo, and in the East generally,

with

We

black

;

but

downwards

a gradual gradation of colour this

is

by no means so universal

have already shown in Chapter V. that there

as

to

are

many

the

Lions

ceiling.

are

found

in

the

Alhambra,

present day covered with several thin coats

and

in

the

Court

of

of the whitewash which has

at various

been applied to them, we may be said to have authority for the whole of the colouring of our

reproduction

;

for

not only

may

the colours be seen

in

the

interstices

of the ornaments in

many 6

places

MORESQUE ORNAMENT. by scaling that anv

™

the whitewash, but the colouring U1f the cne A1 Alhamh™ a namora ™*o =• was carried out on one who will make this a studv Can can Wlth with almost al™« e + absolute „i i } off

„

,

certainty,

>

in

white,

define

once

at

so

a

perfect

system,

•

L

-

time a piece of Moorish ornament

first

•

on being shown for the

the

manner* in which it was coloured. designed with reference to their subsequent colouring, that the surface alone will indicate the colours they were destined to receive. Thus, in using the colours blue, red, and gold, they took care to place them in such positions that they should be best seen in themselves, and add most to the general effect. On moulded surfaces they placed red, the strongest colour three xn the the depths, where it might be softened by of shadow, never on the surface; blue in the shade, and gold on all surfaces exposed to light ; for it is evident that by this arrangement alone could their true value be obtained. The several colours are either separated by white bands, or by the shadow caused by the relief of the ornament itself-and this appears to be an absolute principle required in colouring— colours should never be allowed to impinge upon each other.

So completely were

In colouring the grounds of the various diapers the blue always occupies the largest area; and in accordance with the theory of optics, and the experiments which have been made with the

14. this

is

prismatic

The rays

spectrum.

and 8 blue;

5 red,

thus,

produce a harmonious the

the architectural forms

all

"Alhambra/' increased,

further

requires

it

quantity of

a

and prevent the

effect,

yellow

of light are said to neutralise

by

replaced

is

equal

the

to

which

of the

towards

tends

of 3 yellow,

and yellow put together

red

predominance of any one

gold,

counteract the tendency

to

blue

each other in the proportions

colour over the others.

a

reddish-yellow,

red to overpower the

the

to

As

blue

is

in still

other colours.

INTERLACED PATTERNS.

We

have

already

suggested,

Chapter

in

the

IV.,

probability

that

immense

the

Moorish

of

variety

ornaments, which are formed by the intersection of

'ig/BKmmBamKR

equidistant lines, could be traced through the Arabian to the

Greek

The ornaments on

fret.

two general

are constructed on

16-18, are constructed

No.

No.

1),

In the

XXXIX.

is

are

lines

equidistant

be

infinite,

increased

The number

and

be

will

it

of patterns

on

seen,

MS® Diagram No.

by the mode of colouring

we have engraved might be made other general

equidistant,

Plate

to

XXXIX.,

ground or the surface

the to

are

change

iHngruin

1.

and the diagonal

aspect,

its

that

by bringing

the

variety

Any one

lines.

into

lines

No

-.

cross only each

two systems would appear

can be produced by these

that

reference

>« »:«»-«»'«

But the system on which No. 14

square.

«

dia-

constructed, the perpendicular and horizontal lines

alternate

.it

2).

gonally crossed by horizontal and perpendicular lines

on each square.

in •

on one principle (Diagram

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