The architecture of humanism; a study in the history of taste

18

THE

ARCHITECTURE OF

HUMANISM

workingsofanimaginationtoo

swiftand

restlessto

abidethefulfilmentofitsowncreations.

Inthisthe

Renaissance stands alone.

J

The

mediaeval Gothic

hadindeedbeenequallyrapid,

andequallyoblivious

ofitspast,sorapid andsooblivious

thatfewofits

principal buildings were completed in the style in

which they were begun.

Nevertheless it pursued

one undeviating course of constructive

evolution.

Beside this scientific zeal the achievement of the

Italian

buildersmight

appear,

at

first sight,

to

be

as confused in aim as it was fertile in invention.

Contrastit

withthecumulative

labour,theintensive

concentration,

by which the idea of Greek atchi-

tecture, ever reiterated, was sharpened to its per-

fection, and the Renaissance in Italy seems

hut

a

pageant of great suggestions.
Set it beside the

antiquestylesoftheEast,compareitwiththemonu-

mental immobilitywhich for
eighteencenturieswas

maintained in the architectural tradition of Egypt,

and it might pass for
an energy disquieted and^:

frivolous.
Yet,ateveryinstantinthebriefsequence

of

itsforms,itispowerfulandit

isconvinced

;

and

fromthecontrolofits
influenceEuropehasattempted

tofreeitselfinvain.

Weshall seek withoutsuccess,

amongconditions

externaltoart, for

causes adequate

toan effectso

varied,soviolent,

andso

far-reaching.

The revolu*

tions

whicharchitecture

underwentin

Italy,fromthe