ARCHITECTURE - Karatunov.net

CH. xx] FRANCE PROVENCE 67so hemmed in by other buildings that only the west front,s. Trophandthe central tower make any show. The latter isa fine piece of sturdy Romanesque work (Plate CIV)rising with three storeys above the roof, each stage setback considerably within that below, and marked by acornice of little arches on corbels. The top storey hasin the centre of each face a flat pilasterwith a Corinthianizingcapital, and there is a similar pilaster returnedround each angle of the tower. A row of small openingsand a corbelled cornice finishes the design at the eavesof a low pyramidal tiled roof, which maynot be thecovering originally intended, but has a very satisfactoryeffect.The west front (Plate CV), otherwise plain, has the Portal ofwell-known portal which is one of the glories of Provencal ^ ropRomanesque.It illustrates the advantage this part ofFrance had over the rest in possessing so many monumentsof ancient art, for nowhere else does sculpture playso important a part in the design, or attain the samedegree of excellence at so early a period. This portaldates from the 1 2th century, and may perhaps be a littlelater than the church behind it.The composition shows the hand of a consummateartist. Splendid as it is, ornament does not run riot overthe whole of the design as it does in some later FrenchGothic portals, but is held well within bounds. Of thethree parts into which the front is divided the lower iskept severely plain, and the upper which contains thearch has a great deal of plain wall-space and hardly anysculpture except in the tympanum. On the middle stagethe artist has lavished the utmost resources of his art, withthe happiest effect, and it forms a magnificent band ofdecoration from side to side between the two plainer52ime '