English
Ourladyreaderswillpardonusifwepauseforamomenttoseekwhatcouldhavebeenthethoughtconcealedbeneaththoseenigmaticwordsofthearchdeacon:"Thiswillkillthat.Thebookwillkilltheedifice."
Toourmind,thisthoughthadtwofaces.
Inthefirstplace,itwasapriestlythought.
Itwastheaffrightofthepriestinthepresenceofanewagent,theprintingpress.
Itwastheterroranddazzledamazementofthemenofthesanctuary,inthepresenceoftheluminouspressofGutenberg.
Itwasthepulpitandthemanuscripttakingthealarmattheprintedword:somethingsimilartothestuporofasparrowwhichshouldbeholdtheangelLegionunfoldhissixmillionwings.
Itwasthecryoftheprophetwhoalreadyhearsemancipatedhumanityroaringandswarming;whobeholdsinthefuture,intelligencesappingfaith,opiniondethroningbelief,theworldshakingoffRome.
Itwastheprognosticationofthephilosopherwhoseeshumanthought,volatilizedbythepress,evaporatingfromthetheocraticrecipient.
Itwastheterrorofthesoldierwhoexaminesthebrazenbatteringram,andsays:—"Thetowerwillcrumble."
Itsignifiedthatonepowerwasabouttosucceedanotherpower.
Itmeant,"Thepresswillkillthechurch."
Butunderlyingthisthought,thefirstandmostsimpleone,nodoubt,therewasinouropinionanother,newerone,acorollaryofthefirst,lesseasytoperceiveandmoreeasytocontest,aviewasphilosophicalandbelongingnolongertothepriestalonebuttothesavantandtheartist.
Itwasapresentimentthathumanthought,inchangingitsform,wasabouttochangeitsmodeofexpression;thatthedominantideaofeachgenerationwouldnolongerbewrittenwiththesamematter,andinthesamemanner;thatthebookofstone,sosolidandsodurable,wasabouttomakewayforthebookofpaper,moresolidandstillmoredurable.
Inthisconnectionthearchdeacon'svagueformulahadasecondsense.
Itmeant,"Printingwillkillarchitecture."
Infact,fromtheoriginofthingsdowntothefifteenthcenturyoftheChristianera,inclusive,architectureisthegreatbookofhumanity,theprincipalexpressionofmaninhisdifferentstagesofdevelopment,eitherasaforceorasanintelligence.
Whenthememoryofthefirstracesfeltitselfoverloaded,whenthemassofreminiscencesofthehumanracebecamesoheavyandsoconfusedthatspeechnakedandflying,rantheriskoflosingthemontheway,mentranscribedthemonthesoilinamannerwhichwasatoncethemostvisible,mostdurable,andmostnatural.
Theysealedeachtraditionbeneathamonument.
Thefirstmonumentsweresimplemassesofrock,"whichtheironhadnottouched,"asMosessays.Architecturebeganlikeallwriting.Itwasfirstanalphabet.
Menplantedastoneupright,itwasaletter,andeachletterwasahieroglyph,anduponeachhieroglyphrestedagroupofideas,likethecapitalonthecolumn.
Thisiswhattheearliestracesdideverywhere,atthesamemoment,onthesurfaceoftheentireworld.
Wefindthe"standingstones"oftheCeltsinAsianSiberia;inthepampasofAmerica.
Lateron,theymadewords;theyplacedstoneuponstone,theycoupledthosesyllablesofgranite,andattemptedsomecombinations.
TheCelticdolmenandcromlech,theEtruscantumulus,theHebrewgalgal,arewords.
Some,especiallythetumulus,arepropernames.
Sometimeseven,whenmenhadagreatdealofstone,andavastplain,theywroteaphrase.
TheimmensepileofKarnacisacompletesentence.
Atlasttheymadebooks.Traditionshadbroughtforthsymbols,beneathwhichtheydisappearedlikethetrunkofatreebeneathitsfoliage;allthesesymbolsinwhichhumanityplacedfaithcontinuedtogrow,tomultiply,tointersect,tobecomemoreandmorecomplicated;thefirstmonumentsnolongersufficedtocontainthem,theywereoverflowingineverypart;thesemonumentshardlyexpressednowtheprimitivetradition,simplelikethemselves,nakedandproneupontheearth.
Thesymbolfelttheneedofexpansionintheedifice.
Thenarchitecturewasdevelopedinproportionwithhumanthought;itbecameagiantwithathousandheadsandathousandarms,andfixedallthisfloatingsymbolisminaneternal,visible,palpableform.
WhileDaedalus,whoisforce,measured;whileOrpheus,whoisintelligence,sang;—thepillar,whichisaletter;thearcade,whichisasyllable;thepyramid,whichisaword,—allsetinmovementatoncebyalawofgeometryandbyalawofpoetry,groupedthemselves,combined,amalgamated,descended,ascended,placedthemselvessidebysideonthesoil,rangedthemselvesinstoriesinthesky,untiltheyhadwrittenunderthedictationofthegeneralideaofanepoch,thosemarvellousbookswhichwerealsomarvellousedifices:thePagodaofEklinga,theRhamseionofEgypt,theTempleofSolomon.
Thegeneratingidea,theword,wasnotonlyatthefoundationofalltheseedifices,butalsointheform.
ThetempleofSolomon,forexample,wasnotalonethebindingoftheholybook;itwastheholybookitself.
Oneachoneofitsconcentricwalls,thepriestscouldreadthewordtranslatedandmanifestedtotheeye,andthustheyfolloweditstransformationsfromsanctuarytosanctuary,untiltheyseizeditinitslasttabernacle,underitsmostconcreteform,whichstillbelongedtoarchitecture:thearch.
Thusthewordwasenclosedinanedifice,butitsimagewasuponitsenvelope,likethehumanformonthecoffinofamummy.
Andnotonlytheformofedifices,butthesitesselectedforthem,revealedthethoughtwhichtheyrepresented,accordingasthesymboltobeexpressedwasgracefulorgrave.
Greececrownedhermountainswithatempleharmonioustotheeye;Indiadisembowelledhers,tochiselthereinthosemonstroussubterraneanpagodas,borneupbygiganticrowsofgraniteelephants.
Thus,duringthefirstsixthousandyearsoftheworld,fromthemostimmemorialpagodaofHindustan,tothecathedralofCologne,architecturewasthegreathandwritingofthehumanrace.
Andthisissotrue,thatnotonlyeveryreligioussymbol,buteveryhumanthought,hasitspageanditsmonumentinthatimmensebook.
Allcivilizationbeginsintheocracyandendsindemocracy.
Thislawoflibertyfollowingunityiswritteninarchitecture.
For,letusinsistuponthispoint,masonrymustnotbethoughttobepowerfulonlyinerectingthetempleandinexpressingthemythandsacerdotalsymbolism;ininscribinginhieroglyphsuponitspagesofstonethemysterioustablesofthelaw.
Ifitwerethus,—astherecomesinallhumansocietyamomentwhenthesacredsymboliswornoutandbecomesobliteratedunderfreedomofthought,whenmanescapesfromthepriest,whentheexcrescenceofphilosophiesandsystemsdevourthefaceofreligion,—architecturecouldnotreproducethisnewstateofhumanthought;itsleaves,socrowdedontheface,wouldbeemptyontheback;itsworkwouldbemutilated;itsbookwouldheincomplete.
Butno.
LetustakeasanexampletheMiddleAges,whereweseemoreclearlybecauseitisnearertous.
Duringitsfirstperiod,whiletheocracyisorganizingEurope,whiletheVaticanisrallyingandreclassingaboutitselftheelementsofaRomemadefromtheRomewhichliesinruinsaroundtheCapitol,whileChristianityisseekingallthestagesofsocietyamidtherubbishofanteriorcivilization,andrebuildingwithitsruinsanewhierarchicuniverse,thekeystonetowhosevaultisthepriest—onefirsthearsadullechofromthatchaos,andthen,littlebylittle,onesees,arisingfrombeneaththebreathofChristianity,frombeneaththehandofthebarbarians,fromthefragmentsofthedeadGreekandRomanarchitectures,thatmysteriousRomanesquearchitecture,sisterofthetheocraticmasonryofEgyptandofIndia,inalterableemblemofpurecatholicism,unchangeablehieroglyphofthepapalunity.
Allthethoughtofthatdayiswritten,infact,inthissombre,Romanesquestyle.
Onefeelseverywhereinitauthority,unity,theimpenetrable,theabsolute,GregoryVII.;alwaysthepriest,nevertheman;everywherecaste,neverthepeople.
ButtheCrusadesarrive.Theyareagreatpopularmovement,andeverygreatpopularmovement,whatevermaybeitscauseandobject,alwayssetsfreethespiritoflibertyfromitsfinalprecipitate.Newthingsspringintolifeeveryday.
HereopensthestormyperiodoftheJacqueries,Pragueries,andLeagues.Authoritywavers,unityisdivided.
Feudalismdemandstosharewiththeocracy,whileawaitingtheinevitablearrivalofthepeople,whowillassumethepartofthelion:~Quianominorleo~.
Seignorypiercesthroughsacerdotalism;thecommonality,throughseignory.ThefaceofEuropeischanged.Well!
thefaceofarchitectureischangedalso.
Likecivilization,ithasturnedapage,andthenewspiritofthetimefindsherreadytowriteatitsdictation.
Itreturnsfromthecrusadeswiththepointedarch,likethenationswithliberty.
Then,whileRomeisundergoinggradualdismemberment,Romanesquearchitecturedies.
Thehieroglyphdesertsthecathedral,andbetakesitselftoblazoningthedonjonkeep,inordertolendprestigetofeudalism.
Thecathedralitself,thatedificeformerlysodogmatic,invadedhenceforthbythebourgeoisie,bythecommunity,byliberty,escapesthepriestandfallsintothepoweroftheartist.
Theartistbuildsitafterhisownfashion.Farewelltomystery,myth,law.Fancyandcaprice,welcome.
Providedthepriesthashisbasilicaandhisaltar,hehasnothingtosay.Thefourwallsbelongtotheartist.
Thearchitecturalbookbelongsnolongertothepriest,toreligion,toRome;itisthepropertyofpoetry,ofimagination,ofthepeople.
Hencetherapidandinnumerabletransformationsofthatarchitecturewhichownsbutthreecenturies,sostrikingafterthestagnantimmobilityoftheRomanesquearchitecture,whichownssixorseven.
Nevertheless,artmarchesonwithgiantstrides.
Populargeniusamidoriginalityaccomplishthetaskwhichthebishopsformerlyfulfilled.
Eachracewritesitslineuponthebook,asitpasses;iterasestheancientRomanesquehieroglyphsonthefrontispiecesofcathedrals,andatthemostoneonlyseesdogmacroppingouthereandthere,beneaththenewsymbolwhichithasdeposited.
Thepopulardraperyhardlypermitsthereligiousskeletontobesuspected.
Onecannotevenformanideaofthelibertieswhichthearchitectsthentake,eventowardtheChurch.
Therearecapitalsknittedofnunsandmonks,shamelesslycoupled,asonthehallofchimneypiecesinthePalaisdeJustice,inParis.
ThereisNoah'sadventurecarvedtothelastdetail,asunderthegreatportalofBourges.
Thereisabacchanalianmonk,withass'searsandglassinhand,laughinginthefaceofawholecommunity,asonthelavatoryoftheAbbeyofBocherville.
Thereexistsatthatepoch,forthoughtwritteninstone,aprivilegeexactlycomparabletoourpresentlibertyofthepress.Itisthelibertyofarchitecture.
Thislibertygoesveryfar.Sometimesaportal,afaade,anentirechurch,presentsasymbolicalsenseabsolutelyforeigntoworship,orevenhostiletotheChurch.
Inthethirteenthcentury,GuillaumedeParis,andNicholasFlamel,inthefifteenth,wrotesuchseditiouspages.
Saint–JacquesdelaBoucheriewasawholechurchoftheopposition.
Thoughtwasthenfreeonlyinthismanner;henceitneverwroteitselfoutcompletelyexceptonthebookscallededifices.
Thought,undertheformofedifice,couldhavebehelditselfburnedinthepublicsquarebythehandsoftheexecutioner,initsmanuscriptform,ifithadbeensufficientlyimprudenttoriskitselfthus;thought,asthedoorofachurch,wouldhavebeenaspectatorofthepunishmentofthoughtasabook.
Havingthusonlythisresource,masonry,inordertomakeitswaytothelight,flungitselfuponitfromallquarters.
HencetheimmensequantityofcathedralswhichhavecoveredEurope—anumbersoprodigiousthatonecanhardlybelieveitevenafterhavingverifiedit.
Allthematerialforces,alltheintellectualforcesofsocietyconvergedtowardsthesamepoint:architecture.
Inthismanner,underthepretextofbuildingchurchestoGod,artwasdevelopedinitsmagnificentproportions.
Thenwhoeverwasbornapoetbecameanarchitect.Genius,scatteredinthemasses,repressedineveryquarter
underfeudalismasundera~testudo~ofbrazenbucklers,findingnoissueexceptinthedirectionofarchitecture,—gushedforththroughthatart,anditsIliadsassumedtheformofcathedrals.
Allotherartsobeyed,andplacedthemselvesunderthedisciplineofarchitecture.
Theyweretheworkmenofthegreatwork.
Thearchitect,thepoet,themaster,summedupinhispersonthesculpturewhichcarvedhisfaades,paintingwhichilluminatedhiswindows,musicwhichsethisbellstopealing,andbreathedintohisorgans.
Therewasnothingdowntopoorpoetry,—properlyspeaking,thatwhichpersistedinvegetatinginmanuscripts,—whichwasnotforced,inordertomakesomethingofitself,tocomeandframeitselfintheedificeintheshapeofahymnorofprose;thesamepart,afterall,whichthetragediesofAEschylushadplayedinthesacerdotalfestivalsofGreece;Genesis,inthetempleofSolomon.
Thus,downtothetimeofGutenberg,architectureistheprincipalwriting,theuniversalwriting.
Inthatgranitebook,begunbytheOrient,continuedbyGreekandRomanantiquity,theMiddleAgeswrotethelastpage.
Moreover,thisphenomenonofanarchitectureofthepeoplefollowinganarchitectureofcaste,whichwehavejustbeenobservingintheMiddleAges,isreproducedwitheveryanalogousmovementinthehumanintelligenceattheothergreatepochsofhistory.
Thus,inordertoenunciatehereonlysummarily,alawwhichitwouldrequirevolumestodevelop:inthehighOrient,thecradleofprimitivetimes,afterHindooarchitecturecamePhoenicianarchitecture,thatopulentmotherofArabianarchitecture;inantiquity,afterEgyptianarchitecture,ofwhichEtruscanstyleandcyclopeanmonumentsarebutonevariety,cameGreekarchitecture(ofwhichtheRomanstyleisonlyacontinuation),surchargedwiththeCarthaginiandome;inmoderntimes,afterRomanesquearchitecturecameGothicarchitecture.
Andbyseparatingtherethreeseriesintotheircomponentparts,weshallfindinthethreeeldestsisters,Hindooarchitecture,Egyptianarchitecture,Romanesquearchitecture,thesamesymbol;thatistosay,theocracy,caste,unity,dogma,myth,God:andforthethreeyoungersisters,Phoenicianarchitecture,Greekarchitecture,Gothicarchitecture,whatever,nevertheless,maybethediversityofforminherentintheirnature,thesamesignificationalso;thatistosay,liberty,thepeople,man.
IntheHindu,Egyptian,orRomanesquearchitecture,onefeelsthepriest,nothingbutthepriest,whetherhecallshimselfBrahmin,Magian,orPope.
Itisnotthesameinthearchitecturesofthepeople.Theyarericherandlesssacred.
InthePhoenician,onefeelsthemerchant;intheGreek,therepublican;intheGothic,thecitizen.
Thegeneralcharacteristicsofalltheocraticarchitectureareimmutability,horrorofprogress,thepreservationoftraditionallines,theconsecrationoftheprimitivetypes,theconstantbendingofalltheformsofmenandofnaturetotheincomprehensiblecapricesofthesymbol.
Thesearedarkbooks,whichtheinitiatedaloneunderstandhowtodecipher.
Moreover,everyform,everydeformityeven,hasthereasensewhichrendersitinviolable.
DonotaskofHindoo,Egyptian,Romanesquemasonrytoreformtheirdesign,ortoimprovetheirstatuary.
Everyattemptatperfectingisanimpietytothem.
Inthesearchitecturesitseemsasthoughtherigidityofthedogmahadspreadoverthestonelikeasortofsecondpetrifaction.
Thegeneralcharacteristicsofpopularmasonry,onthecontrary,areprogress,originality,opulence,perpetualmovement.
Theyarealreadysufficientlydetachedfromreligiontothinkoftheirbeauty,totakecareofit,tocorrectwithoutrelaxationtheirparureofstatuesorarabesques.Theyareoftheage.
Theyhavesomethinghuman,whichtheymingleincessantlywiththedivinesymbolunderwhichtheystillproduce.
Hence,edificescomprehensibletoeverysoul,toeveryintelligence,toeveryimagination,symbolicalstill,butaseasytounderstandasnature.
Betweentheocraticarchitectureandthisthereisthedifferencethatliesbetweenasacredlanguageandavulgarlanguage,betweenhieroglyphicsandart,betweenSolomonandPhidias.
Ifthereaderwillsumupwhatwehavehithertobriefly,verybriefly,indicated,neglectingathousandproofsandalsoathousandobjectionsofdetail,bewillbeledtothis:thatarchitecturewas,downtothefifteenthcentury,thechiefregisterofhumanity;thatinthatintervalnotathoughtwhichisinanydegreecomplicatedmadeitsappearanceintheworld,whichhasnotbeenworkedintoanedifice;thateverypopularidea,andeveryreligiouslaw,hashaditsmonumentalrecords;thatthehumanracehas,inshort,hadnoimportantthoughtwhichithasnotwritteninstone.
Andwhy?
Becauseeverythought,eitherphilosophicalorreligious,isinterestedinperpetuatingitself;becausetheideawhichhasmovedonegenerationwishestomoveothersalso,andleaveatrace.
Now,whataprecariousimmortalityisthatofthemanuscript!
Howmuchmoresolid,durable,unyielding,isabookofstone!
Inordertodestroythewrittenword,atorchandaTurkaresufficient.
Todemolishtheconstructedword,asocialrevolution,aterrestrialrevolutionarerequired.
ThebarbarianspassedovertheColiseum;thedeluge,perhaps,passedoverthePyramids.
Inthefifteenthcenturyeverythingchanges.
Humanthoughtdiscoversamodeofperpetuatingitself,notonlymoredurableandmoreresistingthanarchitecture,butstillmoresimpleandeasy.Architectureisdethroned.
Gutenberg'slettersofleadareabouttosupersedeOrpheus'slettersofstone.
*Thebookisabouttokilltheedifice*.
Theinventionofprintingisthegreatesteventinhistory.Itisthemotherofrevolution.
Itisthemodeofexpressionofhumanitywhichistotallyrenewed;itishumanthoughtstrippingoffoneformanddonninganother;itisthecompleteanddefinitivechangeofskinofthatsymbolicalserpentwhichsincethedaysofAdamhasrepresentedintelligence.
Initsprintedform,thoughtismoreimperishablethanever;itisvolatile,irresistible,indestructible.Itismingledwiththeair.
Inthedaysofarchitectureitmadeamountainofitself,andtookpowerfulpossessionofacenturyandaplace.
Nowitconvertsitselfintoaflockofbirds,scattersitselftothefourwinds,andoccupiesallpointsofairandspaceatonce.
Werepeat,whodoesnotperceivethatinthisformitisfarmoreindelible?Itwassolid,ithasbecomealive.
Itpassesfromdurationintimetoimmortality.
Onecandemolishamass;bowcanoneextirpateubiquity?
Ifafloodcomes,themountainswillhavelongdisappearedbeneaththewaves,whilethebirdswillstillbeflyingabout;andifasinglearkfloatsonthesurfaceofthecataclysm,theywillalightuponit,willfloatwithit,willbepresentwithitattheebbingofthewaters;andthenewworldwhichemergesfromthischaoswillbehold,onitsawakening,thethoughtoftheworldwhichhasbeensubmergedsoaringaboveit,wingedandliving.
Andwhenoneobservesthatthismodeofexpressionisnotonlythemostconservative,butalsothemostsimple,themostconvenient,themostpracticableforall;whenonereflectsthatitdoesnotdragafteritbulkybaggage,anddoesnotsetinmotionaheavyapparatus;whenonecomparesthoughtforced,inordertotransformitselfintoanedifice,toputinmotionfourorfiveotherartsandtonsofgold,awholemountainofstones,awholeforestoftimber–work,awholenationofworkmen;whenonecomparesittothethoughtwhichbecomesabook,andforwhichalittlepaper,alittleink,andapensuffice,—howcanonebesurprisedthathumanintelligenceshouldhavequittedarchitectureforprinting?
Cuttheprimitivebedofariverabruptlywithacanalhollowedoutbelowitslevel,andtheriverwilldesertitsbed.
Beholdhow,beginningwiththediscoveryofprinting,architecturewithersawaylittlebylittle,becomeslifelessandbare.
Howonefeelsthewatersinking,thesapdeparting,thethoughtofthetimesandofthepeoplewithdrawingfromit!
Thechillisalmostimperceptibleinthefifteenthcentury;thepressis,asyet,tooweak,and,atthemost,drawsfrompowerfularchitectureasuperabundanceoflife.
Butpracticallybeginningwiththesixteenthcentury,themaladyofarchitectureisvisible;itisnolongertheexpressionofsociety;itbecomesclassicartinamiserablemanner;frombeingGallic,European,indigenous,itbecomesGreekandRoman;frombeingtrueandmodern,itbecomespseudo–classic.
ItisthisdecadencewhichiscalledtheRenaissance.
Amagnificentdecadence,however,fortheancientGothicgenius,thatsunwhichsetsbehindthegiganticpressofMayence,stillpenetratesforawhilelongerwithitsraysthatwholehybridpileofLatinarcadesandCorinthiancolumns.
Itisthatsettingsunwhichwemistakeforthedawn.
Nevertheless,fromthemomentwhenarchitectureisnolongeranythingbutanartlikeanyother;assoonasitisnolongerthetotalart,thesovereignart,thetyrantart,—ithasnolongerthepowertoretaintheotherarts.
Sotheyemancipatethemselves,breaktheyokeofthearchitect,andtakethemselvesoff,eachoneinitsowndirection.Eachoneofthemgainsbythisdivorce.Isolationaggrandizeseverything.
Sculpturebecomesstatuary,theimagetradebecomespainting,thecanonbecomesmusic.
OnewouldpronounceitanempiredismemberedatthedeathofitsAlexander,andwhoseprovincesbecomekingdoms.
HenceRaphael,MichaelAngelo,JeanGoujon,Palestrina,thosesplendorsofthedazzlingsixteenthcentury.
Thoughtemancipatesitselfinalldirectionsatthesametimeasthearts.
Thearch–hereticsoftheMiddleAgeshadalreadymadelargeincisionsintoCatholicism.
Thesixteenthcenturybreaksreligiousunity.
Beforetheinventionofprinting,reformwouldhavebeenmerelyaschism;printingconverteditintoarevolution.
Takeawaythepress;heresyisenervated.
WhetheritbeProvidenceorFate,GutenburgistheprecursorofLuther.
Nevertheless,whenthesunoftheMiddleAgesiscompletelyset,whentheGothicgeniusisforeverextinctuponthehorizon,architecturegrowsdim,losesitscolor,becomesmoreandmoreeffaced.
Theprintedbook,thegnawingwormoftheedifice,sucksanddevoursit.
Itbecomesbare,denudedofitsfoliage,andgrowsvisiblyemaciated.Itispetty,itispoor,itisnothing.
Itnolongerexpressesanything,noteventhememoryoftheartofanothertime.
Reducedtoitself,abandonedbytheotherarts,becausehumanthoughtisabandoningit,itsummonsbunglersinplaceofartists.Glassreplacesthepaintedwindows.Thestone–cuttersucceedsthesculptor.
Farewellallsap,alloriginality,alllife,allintelligence.
Itdragsalong,alamentableworkshopmendicant,fromcopytocopy.
MichaelAngelo,who,nodoubt,felteveninthesixteenthcenturythatitwasdying,hadalastidea,anideaofdespair.
ThatTitanofartpiledthePantheonontheParthenon,andmadeSaint–Peter'satRome.
Agreatwork,whichdeservedtoremainunique,thelastoriginalityofarchitecture,thesignatureofagiantartistatthebottomofthecolossalregisterofstonewhichwasclosedforever.
WithMichaelAngelodead,whatdoesthismiserablearchitecture,whichsurviveditselfinthestateofaspectre,do?
IttakesSaint–PeterinRome,copiesitandparodiesit.Itisamania.Itisapity.
EachcenturyhasitsSaint–Peter'sofRome;intheseventeenthcentury,theVal–de–Grâce;intheeighteenth,Sainte–Genevive.
EachcountryhasitsSaint–Peter'sofRome.
Londonhasone;Petersburghasanother;Parishastwoorthree.
Theinsignificanttestament,thelastdotageofadecrepitgrandartfallingbackintoinfancybeforeitdies.
If,inplaceofthecharacteristicmonumentswhichwehavejustdescribed,weexaminethegeneralaspectofartfromthesixteenthtotheeighteenthcentury,wenoticethesamephenomenaofdecayandphthisis.
BeginningwithFranoisII.,thearchitecturalformoftheedificeeffacesitselfmoreandmore,andallowsthegeometricalform,likethebonystructureofanemaciatedinvalid,tobecomeprominent.
Thefinelinesofartgivewaytothecoldandinexorablelinesofgeometry.
Anedificeisnolongeranedifice;itisapolyhedron.
Meanwhile,architectureistormentedinherstrugglestoconcealthisnudity.
LookattheGreekpedimentinscribedupontheRomanpediment,andviceversa.
ItisstillthePantheonontheParthenon:Saint–Peter'sofRome.
HerearethebrickhousesofHenriIV.,withtheirstonecorners;thePlaceRoyale,thePlaceDauphine.
HerearethechurchesofLouisXIII.,heavy,squat,thickset,crowdedtogether,loadedwithadomelikeahump.
HereistheMazarinarchitecture,thewretchedItalianpasticciooftheFourNations.
HerearethepalacesofLouisXIV.,longbarracksforcourtiers,stiff,cold,tiresome.
Here,finally,isLouisXV.,withchiccoryleavesandvermicelli,andallthewarts,andallthefungi,whichdisfigurethatdecrepit,toothless,andcoquettisholdarchitecture.FromFranoisII.
toLouisXV.,theevilhasincreasedingeometricalprogression.
Arthasnolongeranythingbutskinuponitsbones.Itismiserablyperishing.
Meanwhilewhatbecomesofprinting?Allthelifewhichisleavingarchitecturecomestoit.
Inproportionasarchitectureebbs,printingswellsandgrows.
Thatcapitalofforceswhichhumanthoughthadbeenexpendinginedifices,ithenceforthexpendsinbooks.
Thus,fromthesixteenthcenturyonward,thepress,raisedtothelevelofdecayingarchitecture,contendswithitandkillsit.
Intheseventeenthcenturyitisalreadysufficientlythesovereign,sufficientlytriumphant,sufficientlyestablishedinitsvictory,togivetotheworldthefeastofagreatliterarycentury.
Intheeighteenth,havingreposedforalongtimeattheCourtofLouisXIV.,itseizesagaintheoldswordofLuther,putsitintothehandofVoltaire,andrushesimpetuouslytotheattackofthatancientEurope,whosearchitecturalexpressionithasalreadykilled.
Atthemomentwhentheeighteenthcenturycomestoanend,ithasdestroyedeverything.
Inthenineteenth,itbeginstoreconstruct.
Now,weask,whichofthethreeartshasreallyrepresentedhumanthoughtforthelastthreecenturies?whichtranslatesit?
whichexpressesnotonlyitsliteraryandscholasticvagaries,butitsvast,profound,universalmovement?
whichconstantlysuperposesitself,withoutabreak,withoutagap,uponthehumanrace,whichwalksamonsterwithathousandlegs?—Architectureorprinting?
Itisprinting.Letthereadermakenomistake;architectureisdead;irretrievablyslainbytheprintedbook,—slainbecauseitenduresforashortertime,—slainbecauseitcostsmore.Everycathedralrepresentsmillions.
Letthereadernowimaginewhataninvestmentoffundsitwouldrequiretorewritethearchitecturalbook;tocausethousandsofedificestoswarmoncemoreuponthesoil;toreturntothoseepochswhenthethrongofmonumentswassuch,accordingtothestatementofaneyewitness,"thatonewouldhavesaidthattheworldinshakingitself,hadcastoffitsoldgarmentsinordertocoveritselfwithawhitevestureofchurches."
~Eratenimutsimundus,ipseexcutiendosemet,rejectavetustate,candidaecclesiarumvestemindueret~.(GLABERRADOLPHUS.)
Abookissosoonmade,costssolittle,andcangosofar!
Howcanitsurpriseusthatallhumanthoughtflowsinthischannel?
Thisdoesnotmeanthatarchitecturewillnotstillhaveafinemonument,anisolatedmasterpiece,hereandthere.
Wemaystillhavefromtimetotime,underthereignofprinting,acolumnmadeIsuppose,byawholearmyfrommeltedcannon,aswehadunderthereignofarchitecture,IliadsandRomanceros,Mahabâhrata,andNibelungenLieds,madebyawholepeople,withrhapsodiespiledupandmeltedtogether.
Thegreataccidentofanarchitectofgeniusmayhappeninthetwentiethcentury,likethatofDanteinthethirteenth.
Butarchitecturewillnolongerbethesocialart,thecollectiveart,thedominatingart.
Thegrandpoem,thegrandedifice,thegrandworkofhumanitywillnolongerbebuilt:itwillbeprinted.
Andhenceforth,ifarchitectureshouldariseagainaccidentally,itwillnolongerbemistress.
Itwillbesubservienttothelawofliterature,whichformerlyreceivedthelawfromit.
Therespectivepositionsofthetwoartswillbeinverted.
Itiscertainthatinarchitecturalepochs,thepoems,rareitistrue,resemblethemonuments.
InIndia,Vyasaisbranching,strange,impenetrableasapagoda.
InEgyptianOrient,poetryhasliketheedifices,grandeurandtranquillityofline;inantiqueGreece,beauty,serenity,calm;inChristianEurope,theCatholicmajesty,thepopularnaivete,therichandluxuriantvegetationofanepochofrenewal.
TheBibleresemblesthePyramids;theIliad,theParthenon;Homer,Phidias.
DanteinthethirteenthcenturyisthelastRomanesquechurch;Shakespeareinthesixteenth,thelastGothiccathedral.
Thus,tosumupwhatwehavehithertosaid,inafashionwhichisnecessarilyincompleteandmutilated,thehumanracehastwobooks,tworegisters,twotestaments:masonryandprinting;theBibleofstoneandtheBibleofpaper.
Nodoubt,whenonecontemplatesthesetwoBibles,laidsobroadlyopeninthecenturies,itispermissibletoregretthevisiblemajestyofthewritingofgranite,thosegiganticalphabetsformulatedincolonnades,inpylons,inobelisks,thosesortsofhumanmountainswhichcovertheworldandthepast,fromthepyramidtothebelltower,fromCheopstoStrasburg.
Thepastmustberereaduponthesepagesofmarble.
Thisbook,writtenbyarchitecture,mustbeadmiredandperusedincessantly;butthegrandeuroftheedificewhichprintingerectsinitsturnmustnotbedenied.
Thatedificeiscolossal.Somecompilerofstatisticshascalculated,thatifallthevolumeswhichhaveissuedfromthepresssinceGutenberg'sdayweretobepiledoneuponanother,theywouldfillthespacebetweentheearthandthemoon;butitisnotthatsortofgrandeurofwhichwewishedtospeak.
Nevertheless,whenonetriestocollectinone'smindacomprehensiveimageofthetotalproductsofprintingdowntoourowndays,doesnotthattotalappeartouslikeanimmenseconstruction,restingupontheentireworld,atwhichhumanitytoilswithoutrelaxation,andwhosemonstrouscrestislostintheprofoundmistsofthefuture?Itistheanthillofintelligence.
Itisthehivewhithercomeallimaginations,thosegoldenbees,withtheirhoney.
Theedificehasathousandstories.Hereandthereonebeholdsonitsstaircasesthegloomycavernsofsciencewhichpierceitsinterior.
Everywhereuponitssurface,artcausesitsarabesques,rosettes,andlacestothriveluxuriantlybeforetheeyes.
There,everyindividualwork,howevercapriciousandisolateditmayseem,hasitsplaceanditsprojection.Harmonyresultsfromthewhole.
FromthecathedralofShakespearetothemosqueofByron,athousandtinybelltowersarepiledpell–mellabovethismetropolisofuniversalthought.
Atitsbasearewrittensomeancienttitlesofhumanitywhicharchitecturehadnotregistered.
Totheleftoftheentrancehasbeenfixedtheancientbas–relief,inwhitemarble,ofHomer;totheright,thepolyglotBiblerearsitssevenheads.
ThehydraoftheRomanceroandsomeotherhybridforms,theVedasandtheNibelungenbristlefurtheron.
Nevertheless,theprodigiousedificestillremainsincomplete.
Thepress,thatgiantmachine,whichincessantlypumpsalltheintellectualsapofsociety,belchesforthwithoutpausefreshmaterialsforitswork.
Thewholehumanraceisonthescaffoldings.Eachmindisamason.
Thehumblestfillshishole,orplaceshisstone.
RetifdleBretonnebringshishodofplaster.Everydayanewcourserises.
Independentlyoftheoriginalandindividualcontributionofeachwriter,therearecollectivecontingents.
TheeighteenthcenturygivestheEncyclopedia,therevolutiongivestheMoniteur.
Assuredly,itisaconstructionwhichincreasesandpilesupinendlessspirals;therealsoareconfusionoftongues,incessantactivity,indefatigablelabor,eagercompetitionofallhumanity,refugepromisedtointelligence,anewFloodagainstanoverflowofbarbarians.
ItisthesecondtowerofBabelofthehumanrace.
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