How to Study Architecture by Charles H. Caffin (free reads .txt) 📕

Pendentive: one of the four triangular, concave members that convert a square space into a circle for the support of a dome. Their apexes rest on the four piers at the angles of the square, and, as the triangles arch inward, their bases unite in a circle.

Peripteral (lit. “winged-around”): designating a temple, when the cella is surrounded by a single range of columns. Compare Pseudo-peripteral.

Peristyle: a system or range of Columns, specifically surrounding a temple or court. See Colonnade.

Piano nobile: Italian term for the principal story of a building. Compare French Bel Étage.

Pier: a vertical supporting member, other than a column or pillar.

Pilaster: a square column, projecting about one-sixth of its width from the wall, and of the same proportions as the Order with which it is used.

Pinnacle: a small turret-like termination; especially at the top of buttresses to increase their weight and capacity of lateral resistance.

Plate Tracery: See Tracery.

Plinth: specifically, a block, usually square, which forms the lowest member of the base of a column. Generally, the block on which a column, pedestal or statue rests.

Podium: a wall supporting a row of columns; specifically, in Roman architecture, the temple platform that does not project beyond the line of the columns as does a Stylobate (which see).

Polygonal: a figure composed of more than four angles, of equal size.

Porte-cochère (pr. port´-co-share´): a covered entrance, under which a carriage can be driven.

Portico: an open space or ambulatory covered by a roof, supported on columns, forming a porch. In Classic temples the front of the portico consists of Columns, Entablature, and Pediment, covered by the extension of the roof of the Cella. According as the Portico has four, six, eight or ten columns in front the temple is distinguished as Tetrastyle, Hexastyle, Octostyle or Decastyle. When the Portico is enclosed on the left and right by an extension of the sides of the Cella it is distinguished as “In Antis.”

Post: an upright supporting member, as of a door. An element in the principle of construction known as Post and Beam.

Post and Beam: generic term for the constructive principle of a horizontal member, supported upon vertical ones.

Posticum (Latin for Epinaos): See Naos.

Pot Metal: glass fused in a crucible.

Pozzolana: a clean, sandy earth, of volcanic origin, used by the Romans in combination with lime to form concrete.

Profile: specifically, the outer edge of the section of a moulding.

Projection: a general term for any member that extends beyond the main planes of a structure, especially used of mouldings.

Pronaos: See Naos.

Proportion: a principle of Beauty, that regulates the quantity and quality of the parts of a work of art according to their functional importance in the organic unity of the whole.

Propylæa: the entrance gate or vestibule to a group of buildings.

Proscenium (lit. “before the scene” [skene]): in the Classic theatre a structure, occupying the open end of the horse-shoe plan, to screen from view the “skene” or actor’s dressing-place. It formed the background to the Drama.

Prostyle (lit. “having columns in front”): used to describe a temple plan that has a Portico at only one of its ends. Compare Amphi-prostyle.

Prototype: the primitive, rude, original form, out of which finer and more efficient types have been developed.

Pseudo-dipteral (lit. “false-double-winged”): when the temple appears to have a double row of columns on the sides, but the inner range is omitted and the space between the columns and wall of the Cella is thereby double the usual Intercolumniation (which see).

Pseudo-peripteral (lit. “false-winged-around”); when the columns on the sides of a temple, instead of standing free, are Engaged (which see) in the wall of the Cella.

Pteroma (pr. ter-ō´-ma): pl. pteromata: term applied to the side walls of a Cella; hence, sometimes to the space between the latter and the columns of the Peristyle.

Pylon: a doorway, flanked by two Truncated Pyramids with oblong bases. See Pyramid.

Pyramid: a structure of masonry, generally with a square base, with triangular sides meeting at an apex. When the sides mount in steps it is distinguished as a Stepped Pyramid. When the sides end abruptly, before reaching the apex, it is called a Truncated Pyramid.

Quadriga: a four horse chariot.

Quatrefoil: See Foil.

Quatrocento: Italian term for the period called in English the fifteenth century.

Queen-Post: in timbered roof construction, one of the two posts resting on one of the Tie-beams, at equal distance from the centre, to reinforce the rafters. See King-Post.

Quoin: specifically, one of the large, square stones at the angle (coign) of a building.

Ramp: an inclined approach to a terrace or platform, usually parallel to the sustaining wall of the latter.

Rayonnant: (“radiating”): used to distinguish the second period of French Gothic (Fourteenth Century); from the characteristic radiating or “wheel” tracery of the rose-windows. Compare “Decorated.”

Refinements: a term applied to the instances in Hellenic, Byzantine, and Gothic architecture of deviations from geometrical symmetry, to secure a more flowing, rhythmic beauty. See Asymmetries.

Regula: one of a series of short, flat fillets placed under the Tenia (which see) of a Doric Architrave, above each of the Triglyphs (which see); usually having six Guttæ (which see) on the under side.

Reja (pr. rā-hah): Spanish term for an elaborate grille or screen of hammered and chiselled iron, characteristic of which were repoussé figures set into or attached to the vertical bars.

Relief: a design of ornament or figures raised upon a surface that forms the background; distinguished, according to the extent of projection, as High or Low; in both cases distinguished from modelling or carving “in the round” where the design, is detached from the background; and from Intaglio, where the design is sunk below the surface.

Renaissance: the period of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in which the Classic culture and the Classic forms were revived in Europe.

Reredos (pr. rir´-dos): a screen behind an altar, usually of marble, decorated with sculptured ornament and figures. Called Retablo in Spain, where examples reach prodigious size and great elaboration.

Retablo: Spanish for Reredos (which see).

Retrochoir: the space, other than that of the Lady Chapel behind the altar.

Rhythm: primarily used to describe the harmonious recurrence of certain sound-relations in musical and poetic compositions; a movement of sound characterised by recurrence of stress and accent. It is based on time, but eludes the measured repetition of the bar and metre. Hence a relation of lines and masses, characterised by harmonious recurrence of stress or accent. Not a repetition of measured intervals and identical parts, but of general similarities, involving variety, uniting in closest relationship the parts of an organic design to one another and to the whole. Rhythm is the subtlest element of artistic harmony and yet is nearest to the free growth and articulations of nature.

Rib: a projecting band or moulding on a ceiling. Specifically, the projecting members of Gothic vaulting. These were first constructed—probably with the support of a Cerce (which see) as light arches, which then formed the support of the intervening masonry surfaces. The Ribs which parallel the axis of the nave are called Longitudinal, those which cross it from column to column at right angles are called Transverse, while those crossing the axis diagonally are called Diagonal. Sometimes, especially in English Gothic, to strengthen the vault, extra ribs, known as Tiercerons, were inserted between the main ribs. They spring from the Impost (which see) and abut on an extra ridge, projecting along the axial line, known as the Ridge-Rib. The vaulting, thus formed by the tiercerons radiating from the Impost is called Fan Vaulting. Sometimes, for additional strength and to increase the decorativeness, short intermediate ribs were introduced, which are known as Liernes, their distinction being that they do not connect with the Impost. When the geometrical pattern, made by the Liernes, resembles a star the vaulting is distinguished as Stellar Vaulting. Sometimes a vertical rib, known as a Formeret, was applied to the wall to separate one vault compartment from another.

Rib Vault: See Vault.

Ridge: the highest point or line of a roof.

Ridge Rib: See Rib.

Rococo: style of decoration, distinguished by rock-work, shells, scrolls, etc., which originated in France during the period of the Regency and Louis XV.

Rood-loft: a gallery over the entrance to the chancel, in which stood a cross or rood. Used for reading portions of the service and also in the performance of miracle plays.

Rose-window or Wheel-window: a circular window, whose Mullions (which see) converge toward the centre.

Rostral Column: a column decorated with imitations of the prows (rostra) of vessels; used by the Romans to commemorate a naval victory.

Rubble: Rubblework: masonry composed of irregularly shaped or broken stone, whether mixed or not with cement; also the fragments of stone, mixed with cement, used to fill in the thickness of a wall, between the two faces of dressed stone.

Rustication: treatment of masonry with deeply recessed joints, grooved or beveled; the surface of the stone is sometimes made rough.

Scotia: a concave moulding, frequently used in the base of Classic columns.

Screen: a partition of wood, metal, marble, or stone, separating the choir from the nave. Latin cancellus; hence by corruption the English term, Chancel.

Secco (lit. “dry”): as contrasted with Fresco (which see), “fresh or wet.” Terms used in connection with Tempera painting (which see) according as the surface of plaster be dry or freshly spread at the time the colour is applied.

Section: a drawing showing a building or part of a building, as it would appear if it were cut through vertically, and the part between the plane of section and the spectator’s eye were removed.

Serdab: the cell within an Egyptian tomb, in which images of the deceased were placed.

Sexpartite: applied to vaults, divided into six compartments. In Romanesque churches, owing to the short intercolumniation, the bays were oblong. Hence for convenience of construction two were treated together as a square. Sometimes from the intermediate columns a transverse shafting was constructed, which together with the diagonals divided the square into six divisions.

Shaft: the main member of a Column between the Capital and (where there is one) the Base.

Soffit: the under side of an entablature, lintel, cornice, or arch.

Solar: a private upper chamber for the use of the family, in a Mediæval Castle.

Spandril or Spandrel: the triangular space on each side of an arch that is enclosed in a rectangle.

Sphinx: a winged monster, combining human and animal forms.

Spire: the pointed termination to a tower. See Steeple.

Squinch: a small arch, set diagonally across the angle of a square space to transform the latter into an octagon.

Stalls: the fixed seats in a chancel for the clergy and choir.

Stanza: Italian for Chamber.

Steeple: the combination of tower and Spire. See Spire.

Stele: Stela: an upright tablet of stone or marble, often sculptured and engraved; serving as a tombstone, or boundary mark or milestone, etc.

Stellar Vaulting: See Rib.

Stepped: See Gable; Pyramid.

Stilted: applied to an arch when its curve begins some distance above the impost and is connected to the latter by vertical sections of moulding.

Strap Ornament: geometrical patterns formed of bands, that suggest straps of leather kept in place with studs.

Stretcher: in masonry, a brick or stone, laid lengthwise of the course. See Bond, Header.

Stucco: specifically, a plaster made of gypsum, powdered marble or fine sand, mixed with water; used for wall surfaces and raised ornament; generally, any plaster or cement used for external coating.

Stylobate (lit. “column-stand”): in Classic Architecture, a continuous base supporting columns; specifically, the platform on which a Greek temple is raised. Compare Podium.

Tabernacle: a structure to contain the “Host” or consecrated Bread; resembling a tower or spire and elaborately embellished with windows, mouldings, pinnacles, etc., often rising to a great height—90 feet in the Cathedral of Ulm. A feature of German decorative art. Appears in Spanish Gothic under the name of Custodia.

Temenos: the sacred enclosure or precinct of a Greek temple or group of temples.

Tempera painting or painting in distemper: the process of painting on a ground, usually prepared with a coat of fine plaster, with pigments that are mixed with yolk of egg or some other glutinous medium and are soluble in water. The method