English Church Architecture of the Middle Ages: An Elementary Handbook

English Church Architecture of the Middle Ages: An Elementary Handbook

Plate I BYZANTINE AND EARLY CHRISTIAN THE term Gothic was applied originally as one of contempt in the fifteenth century by the architects of the Renaissance, who attempted to reproduce the ancient architecture of Rome, and considered Medival Art, which had ruled all departments of design throughout Europe during the three preceding centuries, to be no better than the invention of the Barbarians, the Goths, and the Vandals, who overran the Roman Empire in the fourth century. During the three previous centuries the persecuted converts to Christianity were driven to take refuge in any hiding-place available. In Rome they descended to the Catacombs, the underground workings of the ancient Roman stone quarries, consisting of narrow,{16} low passages, their aggregate lengths amounting to hundreds of miles. There they quarried out of the rock their chambers for assembly, where they gathered for worship in the light of torches or lamps, and excavated recesses for the burial of their dead. These chambers were imitated in the form of the Crypts (hidden chambers) existing under some churches and cathedrals. (Compare Plate I., Figs. 1 and 2.) The walls of the catacombs have rude incised inscriptions and carvings revealing the Christian Faith by symbols, such as the cross, suggesting the Crucifixionthe emblem of sacrifice; the circle, the line without end, the symbol of Eternity (Plate I., Fig. 3); the triangle, trefoil, and triquetra, symbols of the Trinity (Figs. 6, 7, and 8); the quatrefoil of the four evangelists (Figs. 9 and 10). The fish was adopted as a symbol of the Redeemer, because the letters of the Greek word icthys, when used as an acrostic, gave the initials of the wordsJesus, Christ, God, Son, Saviour (Plate I., Fig. 11). This symbol was extensively adopted in the decoration of baptismal fonts. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 58736
Author: Smith, A. Freeman
Release Date: Jan 20, 2019
Format: eBook
Language: English