Decorative Scheme Research Articles

The decorative program of the domes and area under the domes in the church of the monastery Resava

The decorative program of the domes and area under the domes in the church of the monastery Resava

Ben Jonson, William Fowler and the Pinkie Ceiling

Alexander Seton's inscription about his building at Pinkie serving ‘the decent pleasures of heart and mind’ is of a piece with the emblems and inscriptions painted in its long gallery. These are referred to in a letter of 1619 from Ben Jonson to Drummond of Hawthornden. Drummond's reply records the emblems embroidered on Mary Queen of Scots' Bed of State, which were also recorded in 1603 by his uncle, William Fowler, who had served as an agent for Francis Walsingham whilst Giordano Bruno was in London. Bruno's reference to Henri III's Manet ultima coelo device shows that it had been drawn into humanist efforts to advocate politique alliances that would overcome religious differences. These values are shown to be wholly relevant to the emblematic devices that are characteristic of both Mary's and Seton's decorative schemes and, indeed to the architectural values which are proclaimed by Seton's inscription at Pinkie.

HOUSING IN LATE ANTIQUITY: REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES

To a certain extent, our knowledge of late antique domestic architecture in the different areas of the Roman Empire is distorted by the uneven nature of archaeological research carried out to date. Regions such as Italy, Turkey and Syria, which have traditionally received a great deal of attention, and have for decades witnessed large-scale excavations, understandably offer more information than areas only more recently explored, such as the Danube and the Balkans. In the western provinces, aspects of Roman domestic architecture, such as house plans and decorative schemes, were adopted by the native upper classes from the early period of Romanisation, ranging from the 1st c. B.C. to the 1st c. A.D. Roman aristocratic architecture in the East owed much more to earlier traditions than was the case in the western provinces, with the Hellenistic legacy being strongest in the former region. Keywords: Balkans; Danube; Italy; late antique domestic architecture; Roman Empire; Syria; Turkey

Influences baroques européennes dans l’art brancovane

The Brancovan style has developed under the sign of the Baroque -an artistic style manifested between the XVII-th and the XVIII-th centuries. For almost two centuries all Europe became baroque and through it, a good part of the entire world. The Brancovan style is famous in Europe through the assimilation of Baroque elements and trying an acquisition of new artistic conceptions, of a synthesis of influences. It was, though, a Baroque of a special essence, we can say a Baroque turned into a Romanian manner. Looking into the creations of different genres of the Brancovan art and trying to compare them with what is normally called Baroque, we notice that, this definition corresponds only to same artistic Brancovan manifestations, as for example, work techniques or some decorative motifs taken isolately : in sculpture and silverware, narrative motifs, pathetic and decorative schemes in painting. All these elements are part of a general compositional scheme, with a strong classic character. This study presents the European Baroque influences in architecture, in monumental sculpture, in wood sculpture, artistic genres that have known remarkable achievements in the Brancovan art. As far as the ornamental repertoire is concerned, the difference between western decoration and the Brancovan one, resides in the diversity of the elements used in the Romanian territories, the selection being made according to the Romanian decorative art tradition. The western influences prove to be, for the Brancovan art, prominent and this was done according to the general opening of the Brancovan times for forms, ideas and artistic conceptions of the western world.

Red-and-Black Painted Medieval Architecture: St Mary's Church, New Shoreham, Sussex

Recent survey of the late twelfth- to early thirteenth-century chancel of St Mary's church, New Shoreham (Grade I listed) has revealed traces of two consecutive medieval paint schemes on the architecture, dating from c. 1210. No previous research or publication has taken account of these remains, which indicate the original interior appearance of this large and historic parish church. Samples of the paint have been scientifically analysed, revealing the pigments used and their stratigraphic relationship across the survey area; the identification of carbon black on architectural features is particularly important. Comparison with other ecclesiastical buildings in England and on the Continent indicates that St Mary's chancel is a key example of a widespread decorative scheme of red-and-black architectural polychromy, reinforcing its significance as an exemplar of early Gothic style in medieval England.

'this little Westminster': The Chantry-Chapel of Sir Henry Vernon at Tong, Shropshire

In his last will and testament, dated January 1514, Sir Henry Vernon detailed his intent that a chapel should be founded at the collegiate church of St Bartholomew at Tong, as a final resting place for himself and his wife, and as a chantry for the souls of his family. Completed, it seems, by early 1519, the form of the chapel and its decoration indicates that Sir Henry was commemorated in the artistic language of the very finest contemporary chantry projects. Indeed, a number of the chapel's features are directly copied from the most illustrious of all late medieval chantries: Henry VII's chapel at Westminster Abbey. The chapel, physically and institutionally, also offers insight into the nature of late medieval piety. Unusually, the foundation makes no explicit charitable provision, long established as a central element of the contemporary doctrine of salvation. Yet the chantry-chapel was a physical and institutional appendage to a 'family' mausoleum, whose collegiate function had a strong charitable element. As such, the chapel suggests that, although chantries and tombs were themselves intensely personal, spiritual legacies were viewed in the same way as territorial interests: as inherited familial institutions, which could and should be augmented, rather than enterprises by, and limited to, individuals. In short, through its location, form and decorative scheme, the chapel demonstrates that, whilst numbering in their hundreds by the Reformation, such chapels were far from simply formulaic expressions of piety. Rather, they could serve as the vehicle for the creation of a very specific identity for the chapel's founder.

Early Georgian interiors

The interiors of the great country and town houses built in Britain in the eighteenth century were splendid creations, increasingly extravagant as fashions changed and aristocratic owners attempted to outdo one another. This gorgeous book surveys the decorative schemes of these houses, considering the combined effects created by design, furniture, textiles, silver, and artworks. John Cornforth, the foremost authority on British interiors of this era, covers a wide range of subjects. He discusses changing social practice and the uses to which rooms were put; the way that fashions in dress mirrored fashions in interiors; the impact of chinoiserie and eastern styles that became prevalent due to burgeoning trade; the primacy of upholstery in beds, curtains, wall hangings, seat furniture, and case covers; the influence of decorator William Kent; and the ways that collections of art were integrated into designs. And he concludes with detailed case studies of eight preeminent country houses. Engagingly written and generously illustrated, this book is certain to appeal to anyone who maintains, restores, or enjoys visiting historic houses.

A study of the materials and techniques of 13th century tomb of aveline, countess of lancester, in Westminster Abbey

Abstract The subject of this study is the 13th century polychrome tomb of Aveline de Forz, Countess of Lancaster, which occupies a striking central position on the north side of the Sanctuary in Westminster Abbey. A key surviving work of the loosely termed ‘Westminster school’ of the 13th and 14th centuries, the tomb is remarkable for the outstanding quality of its once elaborate polychromy, the remains of which have survived for 700 years through periods of iconoclasm and neglect. Research was based around a visual survey and technical examination of the tomb's surviving paintwork. The focus of this article is on the materials and techniques of the decorative scheme and their context in the 13 th century: the current state of the tomb conceals the lavish use of expensive pigments and metal leaf, applied with consummate skill. The article also highlights some findings about the painted decoration which help to resolve questions raised by historians and architects about the structure and style of the tomb.

The decorative evolution of the John Adam Dining Room at Arniston House

This paper examines the decorative evolution of the Dining Room at Arniston House in Midlothian, built by John Adam in the mid 1750s. It proposes John Dawson as the craftsman responsible for executing the plasterwork and presents archival evidence to support this. It explores the possibility that Dawson's work in the Yellow Drawing Room at Hopetoun House helped determine the scheme adopted for the Arniston Dining Room. It also considers the part played by John Hope, Second Earl of Hopetoun, and Robert Adam in obtaining paintings to complete the decorative scheme.

Investigation, Analysis, and Authentication of Historic Wallpaper Fragments

Although wallpapers are more ephemeral than painted finishes, they share an equal significance with paint in the investigation of finishes in historic buildings. Ceiling and wall papers were important in a room's overall decorative scheme, but they were often removed as fashion changed. If removed, finding evidence of their use is sometimes as challenging as determining their original colors and patterns. This evidence may include fragments as small as a millimeter or as large as several meters. Whatever the fragment size, microscopical analysis of associated paper fibers and paint pigments coupled with identification of any apparent style or pattern can provide critical information before restoring a room or reproducing a wallpaper. In this article, the process of investigation and analysis is organized into five principal categories that should assist those responsible for the interpretation and restoration of historic surfaces. Numerous examples illustrate the significance of each of these five categories.

American Art Deco: architecture and regionalism

Art deco architecture flourished in large cities and small towns throughout America in the 1920s and 1930s. Many of the best examples office buildings, movie theaters, hotels, and churches are still in use. Deco architects, artists, and designers drew on European styles but were most committed to a style that grew organically, as they saw it, from their native soil. Two themes bound Deco buildings and their decorative schemes together: a regional pride that tied buildings to their specific locales and functions, and a growing national symbolism that asserted the buildings' identity as uniquely, independently American. American Art Deco features description sand over 500 color photographs of seventy-five lavish and innovatively designed buildings across the country that have been preserved both outside and in, giving the full scope of this beloved, exciting style.

제어체적 복사열정산을 위한 구분종좌표보간법의 오차 및 보정방안

The discrete ordinates interpolation method (DOIM) has shown good accuracy and versatile applicability for the radiation problems(¹, ²). The DOIM is a nonconservative method in that the intensity and temperature are computed only at grid points without considering control volumes. However, when the DOIM is used together with a finite volume algorithm such as SIMPLER(3), intensities at the control surfaces need to be calculated. For this reason, a 'quadratic' and a 'decoration' schemes are proposed and examined. They are applied to two kinds of radiation problem in one-dimensional geometries. In one problem, the intensity and temperature are calculated while the radiative heat source is given, and in the other, the intensity and the radiative heat source are computed with a given temperature field. The quadratic and the decoration schemes show very successful results. The quadratic scheme gives especially accurate results so that further decoration may not be needed. It is recommended that the quadratic and the decoration schemes may be used together, or, one of them may be applied for control volume radiative energy balance.

Archaeological Fantasies: Constructing History on the Moscow Metro

The Moscow metro has long been acknowledged as one of the most spectacular technological and cultural achievements of the early Stalinist period. Among the numerous station designs produced during the 1930s, Ploshchad Revoliutsii, or Revolution Square, stands out as one of the most monumental and most striking. This article explores the synthesis of architectural and sculptural decoration at this station in the context of debates within the contemporary historical and scientific communities. It proposes that the decorative scheme deployed at Ploshchad Revoliutsii station alludes to concepts of evolution to justify an ideological construction of Soviet history.

Mastering the 'Visual Groove'

Mastering the 'Visual Groove'

The dating of graveyard memorials: evidence from the stones

The complexities involved in deciding the date of erection of graveyard memorials are discussed within the context of British, Irish and North American evidence. The factors involved in deciding the inscriptional phasing of a memorial are outlined, using examples from a wide range of burial grounds. A terminology is proposed to aid the identification of the primary inscription or commemoration, and the subsequent inscriptional events. A group of graveyard memorials from County Louth, Ireland, state the date of erection, and this is compared with the latest date of death in the primary commemoration on these stones. The value of closely dated stones is indicated through an examination of one form of headstone and two decorative schemes which were popular in County Louth. The study concludes that most external memorials can be dated to within a decade of the latest death mentioned in the primary inscription, but that some monuments were erected earlier or later. Such exceptions were relatively common in the 18th century, but became rare during the 19th century. The temporal dimension in the commissioning and erection of graveyard memorials is thus explored and clarified.

The Entrance Hall of the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge: A Conservation Approach to Nineteenth-Century Architectural Polychromy

The elaborate scheme of polychrome decoration in the Entrance Hall of the Fitzwilliam Museum was designed by the architect Edward Barry. It incorporates both architectural and figurative elements in stone and plaster, enriched with ornate polychromy and gilding.A detailed technical survey showed that, unlike many similar decorative schemes of the late nineteenth century, which have been extensively restored, the Entrance Hall decoration was almost entirely original. Although a significant layer of disfiguring dirt had accumulated on the surface, both the paint layer and substrate were found to be in relatively good condition. Tests indicated that the damaged paint layer could be successfully stabilized and the dirt layer reduced, resulting in a dramatic improvement in both the stability and the appearance of the decoration.A programme of treatment was therefore undertaken, whose aims were to conserve and clean the decorative scheme, in conjunction with a detailed study of the original materials and construction techniques. It was also seen as an opportunity to establish a precedent for the treatment of similar schemes, which are frequently treated in a manner that would be regarded as unacceptable for any other work of decorative art.

Decoration of ceramic articles by polymer-powder pigments

A technology of industrial decoration of majolica, faience, porcelain, and pottery using polymer-powder pigments is developed and implemented. The technological schemes of single-color and multi-color decoration of ceramics using such pigments are considered. Polymer-powder pigments can be used to decorate a wide range of ceramic products using an energy-saving technology. Two decoration technologies can be combined in the following order: glazing – polymer-powder decoration.

L'Annonciation de Carlo Crivelli et le problème de l'ornement

Carlo Crivelli's Annunciation and the problem of ornament. Carlo Crivelli's Annunciation is here examined in iconological and formal, historical and theoretical terms, allowing for the possibility of a renewed approach of the ornament. After drawing the political and religious implications of the work, its function as a civic ex-voto, the author focuses on its formal workings, revealing an ornamental order, which determines the decorative scheme as well as the work's system of signification.

A Grain of Truth

In 1756, alterations were made to the bookcases at either end of the High Library at Arniston House, Midlothian by George Stevenson. On completion, James Norie was engaged by Robert, Second President Dundas, to paint the room. This paper examines Stevenson's alterations and Norie's original decorative scheme. The latter may lie concealed beneath the present oak-graining.

Engaging the Mind's Eye: The Use of Inscriptions in the Architecture of Owen Jones and A. W. N. Pugin

In attempting to create an appropriate architecture for an industrialized world, nineteenth-century architects argued the merits of particular materials and styles and debated principles of ornamentation and polychromatics. Although opposed in many aspects of theory and built form, their works share one aspect: a new interest in the use of inscriptions as emblematic ornamentation. The article proposes Owen Jones's publication of the Plans, Sections, Elevations and Details of the Alhambra (1836-1845) as one source for this attention to inscriptions and investigates the significance of the use of text within the decorative schemes produced by the British architects Owen Jones (1809-1874) and A. W. N. Pugin (1812-1852). The article advances the position that although Jones and Pugin had different motives for using inscriptions, both display a comprehension of Islamic ornamentation as understood and explained by Jones. New information on the relationship between Jones and Pugin is introduced and their mutual agreement and involvement in many concerns important to nineteenth-century architecture and the decorative arts are stressed. In addition, the essay explores the topic of architectural inscriptions theoretically and from a sociocultural perspective, emphasizing the importance of epigraphs within studies of the built environment, ornamentation, and visual culture, as a rich resource for understanding the mentality of a particular period and as a significant expression of the intentions informing aesthetic schemes developed by individual patrons and designers such as Jones and Pugin. Inscriptions are classified and defined in the article as informative, aesthetic, or emblematic, and the ideas and terms introduced in the essay are compared with the findings and theoretical concepts proposed in the work of the noted Islamicist Oleg Grabar.