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school which they gave rise to, some writers extolling themabove all others of the Italian style, and others decryingthem with equal zeal; for ourselves, we must confess that weare no great admirers of his school.
In Palladio’s designs, the ground stories are generally com-posed of arcades of not very ornamental design, serving asbasements to the principal stories above, which are decoratedy>th an engaged order, and most frequently with a pediment,n the centre of the building above the cornice, thoughsometimes, when a pediment is introduced, the cornice is dis-continued beneath it. His buildings frequently have vesti-bules consisting of three arches or rectangular openings infront. The arches of his arcades are usually of the semi-Orcular form, but sometimes the space between the piers issubdivided into three portions by two lesser piers, the cen-fful compartment only being arched over. This form is some-times carried out in his windows, which, however, are usually’’octangular; sometimes also a semicircular shape is adopted,u’vided into three parts by vertical mullions.
In his churches he follows the Basilican form faced witha Portico consisting of an order with entablature reaching totll e height of the building, and covered by a pediment rising^’th the nave-roof, those of the aisles having each a kind ofla ll-pediment to agree with the slope ; so that the centralPediment has the appearance of having been placed in theoentre of another so as to divide it equally into two parts.Amongst Palladio’s other works, those of the church ofbe Redeemer, and the Olympic Theatre at Yicenza, standc °nspicuous.
fhe form of this latter building is semi-elliptical, round^hich the seats are extended in front of the proscenium.I le entire width of the building is 109 feet, that of theProscenium 80 feet, and its depth 21^ feet. The front of‘e scena is composed of two tiers of Corinthian columns onPedestals, the lower tier of which are detached with pilastersj®hind, and the latter are half-columns attached to the walls,etween the columns stand niches with rectangular and cir-' ar pediments resting on fluted Corinthian pilasters, and^ ° Ve the upper tier is an attic broken by piers, the spacesot'veen which are filled with sculpture. Three doors in thea , ena give admission to five passages, the sides of which are
«rned with representations in relief on wood of a variety01 b-" —
siir r ,
buildings seen in perspective. The upper tier of seats is°unded by a row of Corinthian columns, supporting an
Suture, and this again surmounted by a balustrade with‘"Uues.
ftrev' 6 c b urc h of the Redeemer at Venice was built by thisHot The form would be that of a Latin cross, were it
°pe ttlat *b e nave is flanked on either side by three chapelsth e to l be body of the church, ranging the entire length oft r na ve, and receding from it to the same depth as the
i ' s ept s . The division between them and the nave is effectedJ y an
tu re s
arcade of semicircular arches springing from entabla-
Uav ° V , er Corinthian pilasters, which flank the piers of theThese piers are faced towards the nave by half-ar, (j Illns coupled, and extending to such a height as to carrya ,.i ,ta blature over the arcade; above which on each side is,1;,;^-story pierced with three semicircular windows,8 Ur r W ' nto three by vertical mullions. The choir istho^^d by isolated columns, and its extremity, as alsocyij " the transept, is apsidal. At the intersection afin,,' 1 lca l drum is supported on four large arches, and is.^‘Uuted by a cupola or dome,is ilD ' e °burch is considerably elevated above the ground, andt|, fe J’ r ° ac h e d on the exterior by a flight of steps extendingSi*t s -dth of the nave, and fronting the portico, which con-two three-quarter columns and two pilasters, covered
by a pediment. On each side of this, a wing projects in theline of fa9ade, adorned with Corinthian pilasters of less heightthan those of the portico, and continued round the sides ofthe building. The door under the portico is semicircular-headed, ornamented with half - columns, entablature, andpediment. The roofs of the aisles lean to, and in the fa9adepresent the appearance of a second pediment broken in themiddle for the insertion of the portico.
After the death of Palladio, Italian architecture began todecline, under the auspices of Borromini . This architectintroduced many innovations, and in his desire to producenovelties, had little care for elegance or simplicity; strivingto surpass his rivals and predecessors in variety and origi-nality, he laid aside all the common rules and restrictions,and gave form and substance to all the extravagant vagariesof his imagination. In his designs, straight lines are theexception, curvature and irregularity their ruling features.Curves, both convex and concave, appear in plan and eleva-tion, wherever it was possible to introduce them, and thatwithout any regard to construction; his designs are the resultof an inventive and pregnant, but also a reckless and unculti-vated, fancy.
The church della Sapienza, by this architect, is of apolygonal plan, of which the sides are alternately concaveand convex; the exterior of the cupola, which is surroundedabove by a balustrade, is of a similar plan, the convex partsbeing formed into steps, interrupted by buttresses. But thelantern is still more whimsical, having its vase in a zig-zagform, on which is erected a spiral staircase, sustaining a crownof metal, with a ball and cross at the top. His most extra-ordinary work is the church of San Carlino alle Quatro Fon-taine, which abounds in his eccentricities, as does also theoratory of the Fathers della Chiesa Nuova. Here we havedisorderly mixtures of all kinds of lines, straight and circular,convex, concave, and twisted; undulating coronae whichretain the rain, delicate mouldings under great weights, andstrong supports without anything to sustain ; breaks only inthe architrave of the entablature ; prominences, contortions,and every kind of absurdity. Of all his buildings, the churchof St. Agnes in the Piazza Navona , is most free from hisusual abuses ; the fa9ade of this, however, is in plan a curveof contrary flexure.
Bernini ’s buildings, though not of so bizarre a character asBorromini ’s, are not equal to those of his predecessors; hisprincipal works are the colonnade in front of St. Peter’s, theprincipal fa9ade and staircase of the palace Berberini, theCuria Innocenziana, and some few others. Of the first ofthese works, a description has already been given, we passon therefore to the second.
The palace Berberini consists of a central portion and twowings, which project at right angles to the front. In thelowest story of the central compartments, are two parallelrows of arches resting on piers, forming a vestibule, whichhas a groined roof. The building consists of three stories,the lower one being ornamented with a Doric order, and theupper with Corinthian columns, between which are semi-circular arches springing from imposts. Each of the wingshas three tiers of rectangular windows placed in recesses,which are formed by narrow projections of the wall after themanner of pilasters. Attached to this building is a Belvedereturret, with windows in each side, and having pilasters onthe exterior.
The best period of Italian architecture was now over, andthere are scarcely any buildings erected after this time whichrequire comment; we shall therefore pass on to a considera-tion of this style as practised in England.