But,beautifulasithasbeenpreservedingrowingold,itisdifficultnottosigh,nottowaxindignant,beforethenumberlessdegradationsandmutilationswhichtimeandmenhavebothcausedthevenerablemonumenttosuffer,withoutrespectforCharlemagne,wholaiditsfirststone,orforPhilipAugustus,wholaidthelast.
Ifwehadleisuretoexaminewiththereader,onebyone,thediversetracesofdestructionimprintedupontheoldchurch,time'ssharewouldbetheleast,theshareofmenthemost,especiallythemenofart,sincetherehavebeenindividualswhoassumedthetitleofarchitectsduringthelasttwocenturies.
And,inthefirstplace,tociteonlyafewleadingexamples,therecertainlyarefewfinerarchitecturalpagesthanthisfaade,where,successivelyandatonce,thethreeportalshollowedoutinanarch;thebroideredanddentatedcordonoftheeightandtwentyroyalniches;theimmensecentralrosewindow,flankedbyitstwolateralwindows,likeapriestbyhisdeaconandsubdeacon;thefrailandloftygalleryoftrefoilarcades,whichsupportsaheavyplatformaboveitsfine,slendercolumns;andlastly,thetwoblackandmassivetowerswiththeirslatepenthouses,harmoniouspartsofamagnificentwhole,superposedinfivegiganticstories;—developthemselvesbeforetheeye,inamassandwithoutconfusion,withtheirinnumerabledetailsofstatuary,carving,andsculpture,joinedpowerfullytothetranquilgrandeurofthewhole;avastsymphonyinstone,sotospeak;thecolossalworkofonemanandonepeople,alltogetheroneandcomplex,liketheIliadsandtheRomanceros,whosesisteritis;prodigiousproductofthegroupingtogetherofalltheforcesofanepoch,where,uponeachstone,oneseesthefancyoftheworkmandisciplinedbythegeniusoftheartiststartforthinahundredfashions;asortofhumancreation,inaword,powerfulandfecundasthedivinecreationofwhichitseemstohavestolenthedoublecharacter,—variety,eternity.
Andwhatweheresayofthefaademustbesaidoftheentirechurch;andwhatwesayofthecathedralchurchofParis,mustbesaidofallthechurchesofChristendomintheMiddleAges.
LetusreturntothefaadeofNotre–Dame,asitstillappearstous,whenwegopiouslytoadmirethegraveandpuissantcathedral,whichinspiresterror,soitschroniclesassert:~quoemolesuaterroremincutitspectantibus~.
Threeimportantthingsareto–daylackinginthatfaade:inthefirstplace,thestaircaseofelevenstepswhichformerlyraiseditabovethesoil;next,thelowerseriesofstatueswhichoccupiedthenichesofthethreeportals;andlastlytheupperseries,ofthetwenty–eightmostancientkingsofFrance,whichgarnishedthegalleryofthefirststory,beginningwithChildebert,andendingwithPhillipAugustus,holdinginhishand"theimperialapple."
Timehascausedthestaircasetodisappear,byraisingthesoilofthecitywithaslowandirresistibleprogress;but,whilethuscausingtheelevenstepswhichaddedtothemajesticheightoftheedifice,tobedevoured,onebyone,bytherisingtideofthepavementsofParis,—timehasbestoweduponthechurchperhapsmorethanithastakenaway,foritistimewhichhasspreadoverthefaadethatsombrehueofthecenturieswhichmakestheoldageofmonumentstheperiodoftheirbeauty.
whohasdaredtoframethereinthatcommonplaceandheavydoorofcarvedwood,álaLouisXV.,besidethearabesquesofBiscornette?
Andifweentertheinterioroftheedifice,whohasoverthrownthatcolossusofSaintChristopher,proverbialformagnitudeamongstatues,asthegrandhallofthePalaisdeJusticewasamonghalls,asthespireofStrasbourgamongspires?
Andthosemyriadsofstatues,whichpeopledallthespacesbetweenthecolumnsofthenaveandthechoir,kneeling,standing,equestrian,men,women,children,kings,bishops,gendarmes,instone,inmarble,ingold,insilver,incopper,inwaxeven,—whohasbrutallysweptthemaway?Itisnottime.
Andwhosubstitutedfortheancientgothicaltar,splendidlyencumberedwithshrinesandreliquaries,thatheavymarblesarcophagus,withangels'headsandclouds,whichseemsaspecimenpillagedfromtheVal–de–GrâceortheInvalides?
Andwhoputthecold,whitepanesintheplaceofthosewindows,"highincolor,"whichcausedtheastonishedeyesofourfatherstohesitatebetweentheroseofthegrandportalandthearchesoftheapse?
Andwhatwouldasub–chanterofthesixteenthcenturysay,onbeholdingthebeautifulyellowwash,withwhichourarchiepiscopalvandalshavedesmearedtheircathedral?
Hewouldrememberthatitwasthecolorwithwhichthehangmansmeared"accursed"edifices;hewouldrecalltheHôtelduPetit–Bourbon,allsmearedthus,onaccountoftheconstable'streason.
"Yellow,afterall,ofsogoodaquality,"saidSauval,"andsowellrecommended,thatmorethanacenturyhasnotyetcausedittoloseitscolor."
Andifweascendthecathedral,withoutmentioningathousandbarbarismsofeverysort,—whathasbecomeofthatcharminglittlebelltower,whichresteduponthepointofintersectionofthecross–roofs,andwhich,nolessfrailandnolessboldthanitsneighbor(alsodestroyed),thespireoftheSainte–Chapelle,burieditselfinthesky,fartherforwardthanthetowers,slender,pointed,sonorous,carvedinopenwork.
Anarchitectofgoodtasteamputatedit(1787),andconsidereditsufficienttomaskthewoundwiththatlarge,leadenplaster,whichresemblesapotcover.
Onecandistinguishonitsruinsthreesortsoflesions,allthreeofwhichcutintoitatdifferentdepths;first,time,whichhasinsensiblynotcheditssurfacehereandthere,andgnawediteverywhere;next,politicalandreligiousrevolution,which,blindandwrathfulbynature,haveflungthemselvestumultuouslyuponit,tornitsrichgarmentofcarvingandsculpture,burstitsrosewindows,brokenitsnecklaceofarabesquesandtinyfigures,tornoutitsstatues,sometimesbecauseoftheirmitres,sometimesbecauseoftheircrowns;lastly,fashions,evenmoregrotesqueandfoolish,which,sincetheanarchicalandsplendiddeviationsoftheRenaissance,havefollowedeachotherinthenecessarydecadenceofarchitecture.
Theyhavecuttothequick;theyhaveattackedtheveryboneandframeworkofart;theyhavecut,slashed,disorganized,killedtheedifice,informasinthesymbol,initsconsistencyaswellasinitsbeauty.
Theyhaveaudaciouslyadjusted,inthenameof"goodtaste,"uponthewoundsofgothicarchitecture,theirmiserablegewgawsofaday,theirribbonsofmarble,theirpomponsofmetal,averitableleprosyofegg–shapedornaments,volutes,whorls,draperies,garlands,fringes,stoneflames,bronzeclouds,pudgycupids,chubby–cheekedcherubim,whichbegintodevourthefaceofartintheoratoryofCatherinedeMedicis,andcauseittoexpire,twocenturieslater,torturedandgrimacing,intheboudoiroftheDubarry.
Mutilations,amputations,dislocationofthejoints,"restorations";thisistheGreek,Roman,andbarbarianworkofprofessorsaccordingtoVitruviusandVignole.
Thecenturies,therevolutions,whichatleastdevastatewithimpartialityandgrandeur,havebeenjoinedbyacloudofschoolarchitects,licensed,sworn,andboundbyoath;defacingwiththediscernmentandchoiceofbadtaste,substitutingthe~chicorées~ofLouisXV.
HowfaritisfromtheepochwhenRobertCenalis,comparingNotre–DamedeParistothefamoustempleofDianaatEphesus,*somuchlaudedbytheancientpagans*,whichErostatus*has*immortalized,foundtheGallictemple"moreexcellentinlength,breadth,height,andstructure."*
Notre–DamedeParishasnot,liketheAbbeyofTournus,thegraveandmassiveframe,thelargeandroundvault,theglacialbareness,themajesticsimplicityoftheedificeswhichhavetheroundedarchfortheirprogenitor.
Itisnot,liketheCathedralofBourges,themagnificent,light,multiform,tufted,bristlingefflorescentproductofthepointedarch.
Impossibletoclassitinthatancientfamilyofsombre,mysteriouschurches,lowandcrushedasitwerebytheroundarch,almostEgyptian,withtheexceptionoftheceiling;allhieroglyphics,allsacerdotal,allsymbolical,moreloadedintheirornaments,withlozengesandzigzags,thanwithflowers,withflowersthanwithanimals,withanimalsthanwithmen;theworkofthearchitectlessthanofthebishop;firsttransformationofart,allimpressedwiththeocraticandmilitarydiscipline,takingrootintheLowerEmpire,andstoppingwiththetimeofWilliamtheConqueror.
ImpossibletoplaceourCathedralinthatotherfamilyoflofty,aerialchurches,richinpaintedwindowsandsculpture;pointedinform,boldinattitude;communalandbourgeoisaspoliticalsymbols;free,capricious,lawless,asaworkofart;secondtransformationofarchitecture,nolongerhieroglyphic,immovableandsacerdotal,butartistic,progressive,andpopular,whichbeginsatthereturnfromthecrusades,andendswithLouisIX.
TheSaxonarchitectcompletedtheerectionofthefirstpillarsofthenave,whenthepointedarch,whichdatesfromtheCrusade,arrivedandplaceditselfasaconqueroruponthelargeRomanesquecapitalswhichshouldsupportonlyroundarches.
Nevertheless,timidandinexperiencedatthestart,itsweepsout,growslarger,restrainsitself,anddaresnolongerdartupwardsinspiresandlancetwindows,asitdidlateron,insomanymarvellouscathedrals.
However,theseedificesofthetransitionfromtheRomanesquetotheGothic,arenolesspreciousforstudythanthepuretypes.
Eachface,eachstoneofthevenerablemonument,isapagenotonlyofthehistoryofthecountry,butofthehistoryofscienceandartaswell.
Thus,inordertoindicatehereonlytheprincipaldetails,whilethelittleRedDooralmostattainstothelimitsoftheGothicdelicacyofthefifteenthcentury,thepillarsofthenave,bytheirsizeandweight,gobacktotheCarlovingianAbbeyofSaint–GermaindesPrés.
Thereisnoone,noteventhehermetics,whodoesnotfindinthesymbolsofthegrandportalasatisfactorycompendiumoftheirscience,ofwhichtheChurchofSaint–JacquesdelaBoucheriewassocompleteahieroglyph.
Thus,theRomanabbey,thephilosophers'church,theGothicart,Saxonart,theheavy,roundpillar,whichrecallsGregoryVII.,thehermeticsymbolism,withwhichNicolasFlamelplayedthepreludetoLuther,papalunity,schism,Saint–GermaindesPrés,Saint–JacquesdelaBoucherie,—allaremingled,combined,amalgamatedinNotre–Dame.
Thiscentralmotherchurchis,amongtheancientchurchesofParis,asortofchimera;ithastheheadofone,thelimbsofanother,thehaunchesofanother,somethingofall.
Werepeatit,thesehybridconstructionsarenottheleastinterestingfortheartist,fortheantiquarian,forthehistorian.
Theymakeonefeeltowhatadegreearchitectureisaprimitivething,bydemonstrating(whatisalsodemonstratedbythecyclopeanvestiges,thepyramidsofEgypt,thegiganticHindoopagodas)thatthegreatestproductsofarchitecturearelesstheworksofindividualsthanofsociety;rathertheoffspringofanation'seffort,thantheinspiredflashofamanofgenius;thedepositleftbyawholepeople;theheapsaccumulatedbycenturies;theresidueofsuccessiveevaporationsofhumansociety,—inaword,speciesofformations.
Eachwaveoftimecontributesitsalluvium,eachracedepositsitslayeronthemonument,eachindividualbringshisstone.
Artoftenundergoesatransformationwhiletheyarepending,~pendentoperainterrupta~;theyproceedquietlyinaccordancewiththetransformedart.
Thenewarttakesthemonumentwhereitfindsit,incrustsitselfthere,assimilatesittoitself,developsitaccordingtoitsfancy,andfinishesitifitcan.
Thethingisaccomplishedwithouttrouble,withouteffort,withoutreaction,—followinganaturalandtranquillaw.
Certainlythereismatterhereformanylargevolumes,andoftentheuniversalhistoryofhumanityinthesuccessiveengraftingofmanyartsatmanylevels,uponthesamemonument.
Theman,theartist,theindividual,iseffacedinthesegreatmasses,whichlackthenameoftheirauthor;humanintelligenceistheresummedupandtotalized.
NottoconsiderhereanythingexcepttheChristianarchitectureofEurope,thatyoungersisterofthegreatmasonriesoftheOrient,itappearstotheeyesasanimmenseformationdividedintothreewell–definedzones,whicharesuperposed,theoneupontheother:theRomanesquezone*,theGothiczone,thezoneoftheRenaissance,whichwewouldgladlycalltheGreco–Romanzone.
TheRomanlayer,whichisthemostancientanddeepest,isoccupiedbytheroundarch,whichreappears,supportedbytheGreekcolumn,inthemodernandupperlayeroftheRenaissance.
Theedificeswhichbelongexclusivelytoanyoneofthesethreelayersareperfectlydistinct,uniform,andcomplete.
ThereisNotre–DamedeParis,apointed–archedifice,whichisimbeddedbyitspillarsinthatRomanzone,inwhichareplungedtheportalofSaint–Denis,andthenaveofSaint–GermaindesPrés.
ThereisthecathedralofRouen,whichwouldbeentirelyGothicifitdidnotbathethetipofitscentralspireinthezoneoftheRenaissance.**
Therearefoursisterandparallelarchitectures,eachhavingitsspecialcharacter,butderivedfromthesameorigin,theroundarch.
However,alltheseshades,allthesedifferences,donotaffectthesurfacesofedificesonly.Itisartwhichhaschangeditsskin.
Whatevermaybethecarvedandembroideredenvelopeofacathedral,onealwaysfindsbeneathit—inthestateofagerm,andofarudimentattheleast—theRomanbasilica.
Thereare,invariably,twonaves,whichintersectinacross,andwhoseupperportion,roundedintoanapse,formsthechoir;therearealwaysthesideaisles,forinteriorprocessions,forchapels,—asortoflateralwalksorpromenadeswheretheprincipalnavedischargesitselfthroughthespacesbetweenthepillars.
Thatsettled,thenumberofchapels,doors,belltowers,andpinnaclesaremodifiedtoinfinity,accordingtothefancyofthecentury,thepeople,andart.
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