[M2.161L]                                                             [M2.161]								161
                                                                      			Valence Cathedral
[diagram]                                                             
                                                                      		adding the effect of the clustered pier, vide Willis,
                                                                      		it becomes in effect a tall, light, involved Gothic
                                                                      		aisled church:  while its details are for the most part
                                                                      		pure Roman the capitals of the nave shafts being imitative
                                                                      		of Corinthian cut with an elegance and sharpness altogether
                                                                      		unknown in the North.  Then the apse is circular with the
                                                                      		Gothic arrangement complete - its plan, as opposite;
                                                                      		the two large flanking arches a - b semicircular, the seven
                                                                      		small ones: I think narrower than the plan:  and stilted
                                                                      		to make them equal, like a Byzantine palace:  Finally on
                                                                      		the outside of the apse one at d and 3 two (semi?) circular
                                                                      		chapels:  supported by piers composed of a
                                                                      		pure bold {thick} shaft with an imitative Corinthian
                                                                      		capital and complete base, raised on a huge square
                                                                      		pedestal and carrying (first I think) a huge abacus
                                                                      		continued into a running plinth;  and then - a bit of
                                                                      		the top of a buttress - a profile of the arrangement at
                                                                      		p 51, 1 (fig 1)  Veron book I never saw aught so barbarous
                                                                      		or so curious - but what an exact mixture of the two
                                                                      		styles with renaissance faults added.
                                                                      		This raising on pedestals has entirely spoiled the [fine?] bases
                                                                      		of the Nave piers which are as fig 1 p 3 Veron book -
                                                                      		or rather the circular bases should not expand so much;
                                                                      		for there is no proportion nor ease about them they are
                                                                      		cramped and

[Version 0.05: May 2008]