www.e-rara.ch The civil architecture of Vitruvius Vitruvius London, [1813-1817] Bibliothek Werner Oechslin Shelf Mark: A05e ; app. 349 Persistent Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.3931/e-rara-19443 Explanation of the plates to section I. www.e-rara.ch Die Plattform e-rara.ch macht die in Schweizer Bibliotheken vorhandenen Drucke online verfügbar. Das Spektrum reicht von Büchern über Karten bis zu illustrierten Materialien – von den Anfängen des Buchdrucks bis ins 20. Jahrhundert. e-rara.ch provides online access to rare books available in Swiss libraries. The holdings extend from books and maps to illustrated material – from the beginnings of printing to the 20th century. e-rara.ch met en ligne des reproductions numériques d’imprimés conservés dans les bibliothèques de Suisse. 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Son statut juridique et ses conditions d'utilisation sont précisés dans sa notice détaillée. Pour de plus amples informations, voir [Link] Condizioni di utilizzo Questo documento può essere scaricato gratuitamente. Il tipo di licenza e le condizioni di utilizzo sono indicate nella notizia bibliografica del singolo documento. Per ulteriori informazioni vedi anche [Link] EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES TO SECTION I. •* : Ta-SB*y< v>T^wr>^' ■S' ' i .' ^glip: £ ;>K ?y. ? ">T'f<£ -\ ^/: :-''i >' ■5 , "?v‘ •rJ .f* ia.- . y •,>/ ..•Till. *■!*■, T £V;i i«X- ^ tfti# * *;. *► JSEfr :3S6^*•’< Ipaw* •>.<: 'A*. : V **'{5V^*..' - <-‘tr ■^ m ■43W^ :lk *.1 * . V :*e -&v. ££\ tt 3;■>->• I1 v^ *' ..f?.-£--vV S&&&S jte4Ms. ■>«**&& 'vfe ;vV* Vv -' ■V* WW5r. Ki^ VT 4/ m *§ghii EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES TO SECTION I. The principles of civil architecture form no part of the discussion contained in the first and second books of Vitruvius . In the third , after giving some definitions, and making some observations upon the origin of numbers, he proceeds to relate the principles upon which temples were constructed ; and the proportions observed in the Ionic order of architecture. It is fortunate that the understanding of Plato ’s notions , or those of any other antient philosopher , upon the doctrine of numbers , is not necessary to the understanding of Vitruvius upon the science of architecture . The passage alluding to the ideas of Plato concerning the properties of the number ten , can scarcely be made intelligible to an English reader , because of the play in the original upon the words “ perficitur, ” and “ perfectus .” Without entering , therefore, into a discussion , which would be uninteresting to the generality of readers , we shall proceed to consider the subject of the remaining part of the third book. The information which Vitruvius details on the proportions of the several orders of architecture , does not appear to have K 34 been obtained by the investigation of buildings wbicb were in existence at Rome during his age : but , on the contrary, to have been collected from writings , on that science , left by his predecessors . Of those which he enumerates , it appears that three only were productions of his countrymen . With the exception of a volume written by Fussitius , and two small tracts , one by Varro , and another by Publius Septimus , no work upon the science of architecture seems to have been known to our author . On the other hand , he confesses to have derived the greatest assistance from the writings of Grecian architects upon that subject . These he states to have been numerous , and acknowledges that they supplied him with the principal materials in the formation of his treatise . Hence it will not be thought extraordinary , that the various proportions he assigns to the different orders should correspond very nearly with those adopted in Grecian buildings : more particularly in the Ionic , upon which order the number of writings enumerated by him greatly exceeded the works upon the two remaining. Opportunities are afforded to us of ascertaining the extent of his plagiarism , by the partial existence of monuments , the subjects of the very works whence he admits that he derived his knowledge of architectural proportions . Amongst these may be mentioned the temple of Minerva Polias and the Erectheum , upon the acropolis of Athens ; the temple of Minerva , at Priene , and that of Bacchus at Teos . In investigating , therefore , his proportions for the Ionic order, we shall compare them with those which have been adopted in these buildings. ■. KA•\ ' I1 v *sk -? Sect.I .Ml ;^5*4 Louts Sculp. * « £ ■ London .PuhUsheda.r the Act duvets byLnn,man ..Ilwvt .3£*xt Orme X- Tironnt. P.itcmost .T/ (,<»■. Judd v6 1823. h & - cjj , V V *«-'••' tg ' iS msm n m I‘'//ylpC'■ ’'iKs?/ ' ". ■dm, I awry Sculp -Pou-.Fehf9^ x813 Lojul-on .Published as the Artdirects,byLongman,Hurst,Sees, Ortne ScBivn-ruPaternosta 35 PLATE I. Fig . 1. Plan of a temple in antis. Fig . 2. Plan of a prostyle temple. Both temples are here represented with a podium around three sides ; the fourth is approached by a flight of steps. The text of our author leaves us in doubt whether or not the columns a a, between the antae of the latter temple , were suffered to remain . If literally construed , a prostyle temple had only two columns more than a temple in antis ; and these were placed opposite the antae in the direction of the walls . We cannot easily admit that such was his meaning, because the interval between the two columns in the front would have been too great to afford support to the epistylium. The prostyle temples of Neptune Erectheus and Minerva Polias , at Athens , had no columns intervening between the antae ; but the intervals were enclosed , leaving opening sonly to give access to the cellae . These temples were without a pronaos , which those described by Vitruvius were intended to have. PLATE II. Fig . 1. Plan of an amphiprostyle temple. According to our author , amphiprostyle temples resembled the prostyle , with the addition of a portico in the back front. In the three species of temples already mentioned , the aedes, or temple exclusive of the porticoes , is divided in the manner 36 described in the fourth chapter of the second section . The length being made equal to twice the width , the cella, including the wall which separates it from the pronaos , is a fourth part greater in length than the width of the temple. Fig . °2. Plan of a peripteral temple. We are to infer from the words of Vitruvius , that peripteral temples were constructed with an area , or posticus , in the back part , corresponding to the pronaos of the principal front ; because amongst the examples of peripteral temples which he instances , one , deviating from the general plan , is stated to have been constructed without a posticus . The word posticus here has a different meaning from the same word , as it is introduced in the description of an amphiprostyle temple ; where it signifies the portico at the hack part of the lemple . In the same manner the word pronaos is used in the description of Tuscan temples , to express the area occupied by the portico in front . The temple of Honor and Virtue is described as peripteral , that is, having insulated columns all around it ; consequently there was a portico in the back front ; and therefore when it is represented as having no posticus , we can only understand it to have been constructed without an opisthodomus beyond the cella. The instructions for the division of the aedes , or temple exclusive of the peristyles , in the chapter referred to in the description of Fig . 1, cannot be said to apply to any other than temples which were not peripteral ; otherwise if the length of the aedes is to be the double of the width only , it will not sufficiently occupy the length of the area, comprehended between the columns in the two fronts of Sea,i.n .3. ®§ < <§ > ® ® ® ® ® ® ® ® ® ® ® n ® ® ® ® ® § ® # .# # # # k—io- 23 ■6■&-—? Zoterv Sculp §&; :' T ; f « v: ■*•■®s : W0 'A ’ •;/V- *_*.h A'*' ?- jt'i- Vj* H:wm •V;, .r ;kj.tV'v m pa'WBTS mm 37 the temple : unless , indeed , the space remaining be allotted to a posticus , of which however there is no mention in the chapter above alluded to. PLATE III. PLAN OF A DIPTERAL TEMPLE. If the columns which are distinguished by the lighter shade be removed , the species of the temple becomes pseudodipteral. According to the arrangement of the columns in the plan before us , the number of columns requiring to be removed is thirty eight ; in conformity with the text of Vitruvius. Since hypaethral temples alone had two approaches , it was perhaps the intention of the author to represent dipteral temples with a treble portico in that front only through which they were approached . It appears , from Dionysius of Halicarnassus , that a temple of Jupiter at Rome , like that erected to the same divinity at Athens , had a double range of columns in the flanks , and a treble range in both fronts: but these temples were hypaethral , and consequently were approached through both fronts ; which , on that account , it might be necessary to make equally magnificent.