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Article OUR ARCHITECTURAL OHAPTER. ← Page 4 of 4
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Our Architectural Ohapter.
effect is a failure , for his building has a sufficient general resemblance of proportions to make it subordinate to the existing building—but , unfortunately , a sufficient diversity to constitute , not original treatment , but dissonance . The Law Institution being about thrice the size of his building , dominates it , and in spite of his efforts , dwarfs it . Our architect might have thought that his building , being in a different modification of the
classic style from the Law Institution , he could do w hat he liked with it ; but he seems not to have reflected that , though he could alter the dressings of the windows and doors , yet , as they were square-headed and rectangular openings , of the like character in each building , the like effects of light and shade would be manifested in each . His drawing , it may be assumed , was a pretty one , and pleased the directors of the company ; and he thought it no business of his to give them a double drawing , showing his building in
composition with the big structure of the Law Institution . For w ant of this , the directors will find , after they ha , ve gone to the great expense of many thousand pounds , that instead of showing well by the side of the Law Institution , their ornate structure will look mean and disproportionate . Architects may be very independent , but they may as well look after their neighbours after all , or their efforts may be frustrated . There is a bit of millinery gossip floating now , by the help of the Court Journal , in London ,
and the Cottrrierdes Dames , in Paris , respecting the Countess de Morny , which , if destitute of sound foundation , is not without artistic significance . According to the best authorities , the Count de Morny , anxious for the fashionable appearance of his bride as a star in the Parisian Tiaut monde , called a council of milliners , and had her dressed for the opera according to the dictates of taste and the unerring laws of colour , skilfully adapting her drapery to her fair hair and blonde complexion . On
reaching the theatre , he left the countess m her box , and proceeded to the other side of the house to contemplate the effect , and hail her triumph ; but , alas ! he only recognised an utter failure . Calling to his side a distinguished painter , he bemoaned his fate , after the due application of the best artistic resources . c < Everything is quite right , " said the painter ; " but the heavy hangings of the box kill the delicate greens of the dress . " And so the disappointed count acknowledged , and withdrew the countess forthwith from the scene of discomfiture . Thus the
assurance office is killed by the power of the Law Institution , and yet a very little care would have saved the architect from such consequences . Had his ground floor lines been the same as those of the Law Institution , and his windows of the same size , as they might very usefully have been , then he might have treated the dressings as he has done , and given a distinctive character to his building , wuthout exposing it to the impression of dissonance now affecting it ; of course subordinating his
decoration so far as not to be altogether out of keeping with the Institution . The results would have been that his building would not have lost grandeur , but have gained it , as forming part of a large group , while its individuality and originality would have been well marked . However , lie did not think it worth his while to regard the work of hir brother architect next door , and the consequence is , his brother archite <^ has not been injured , but has proved too much for him .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Our Architectural Ohapter.
effect is a failure , for his building has a sufficient general resemblance of proportions to make it subordinate to the existing building—but , unfortunately , a sufficient diversity to constitute , not original treatment , but dissonance . The Law Institution being about thrice the size of his building , dominates it , and in spite of his efforts , dwarfs it . Our architect might have thought that his building , being in a different modification of the
classic style from the Law Institution , he could do w hat he liked with it ; but he seems not to have reflected that , though he could alter the dressings of the windows and doors , yet , as they were square-headed and rectangular openings , of the like character in each building , the like effects of light and shade would be manifested in each . His drawing , it may be assumed , was a pretty one , and pleased the directors of the company ; and he thought it no business of his to give them a double drawing , showing his building in
composition with the big structure of the Law Institution . For w ant of this , the directors will find , after they ha , ve gone to the great expense of many thousand pounds , that instead of showing well by the side of the Law Institution , their ornate structure will look mean and disproportionate . Architects may be very independent , but they may as well look after their neighbours after all , or their efforts may be frustrated . There is a bit of millinery gossip floating now , by the help of the Court Journal , in London ,
and the Cottrrierdes Dames , in Paris , respecting the Countess de Morny , which , if destitute of sound foundation , is not without artistic significance . According to the best authorities , the Count de Morny , anxious for the fashionable appearance of his bride as a star in the Parisian Tiaut monde , called a council of milliners , and had her dressed for the opera according to the dictates of taste and the unerring laws of colour , skilfully adapting her drapery to her fair hair and blonde complexion . On
reaching the theatre , he left the countess m her box , and proceeded to the other side of the house to contemplate the effect , and hail her triumph ; but , alas ! he only recognised an utter failure . Calling to his side a distinguished painter , he bemoaned his fate , after the due application of the best artistic resources . c < Everything is quite right , " said the painter ; " but the heavy hangings of the box kill the delicate greens of the dress . " And so the disappointed count acknowledged , and withdrew the countess forthwith from the scene of discomfiture . Thus the
assurance office is killed by the power of the Law Institution , and yet a very little care would have saved the architect from such consequences . Had his ground floor lines been the same as those of the Law Institution , and his windows of the same size , as they might very usefully have been , then he might have treated the dressings as he has done , and given a distinctive character to his building , wuthout exposing it to the impression of dissonance now affecting it ; of course subordinating his
decoration so far as not to be altogether out of keeping with the Institution . The results would have been that his building would not have lost grandeur , but have gained it , as forming part of a large group , while its individuality and originality would have been well marked . However , lie did not think it worth his while to regard the work of hir brother architect next door , and the consequence is , his brother archite <^ has not been injured , but has proved too much for him .