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PUBLISHED BY THE
Society for the Advancement of
TRUTH IN ART.
"Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, FT
 1864.
No. 9.1            and the things that shall be hereafter."  [Jal.?
1864.
SCULPTURE.*
WHAT we call Gothic sculpture is
the carved decoration of the buildings
and furniture of the nations of western
Europe, which was produced between
the middle of the twelfth and the close
of the fifteenth centuries. The best of
it was produced in a more limited area,
iamely, in northern and central Italy,
northern and central France, and in
England; and in a more limited space
of time, different in different countries.
B3ut while all attempts at Gothic work
outside the territorial limits mentioned,
show marked inferiority in every way,
thle temporal limits are not so absolute;
for a century before the best time the
w ork was strong in spirit and purpose,
and was gallantly pushed forward to-
wards perfection, and for a century
after the best time its forms were re-
tamined and its life simulated.  This
work thus widely scattered over time
and space, is varied enough in character,
as we shall discover: its materials,
sentiment and purposes all differ widely
in different places and times.
But it is all of one school, when we
Consider the Art of the world, and
differs as completely from the Greek
Wvork which we have been consider-
ng, as sculpture can differ from sculp-
ture.
Until within a few years it would
have been impossible to speak with
any confidence of the principles that
govern Gothic sculpture. Its amount is
S0 great, its manifestations are so many
and so varied, its spirit so subtle and
so removed from the spirit of our nine-
teenth century work, that, up to
the middle point of the century, now
only thirteen years over-past, all dis-
cussion of it took the form of puzzled
half-admiration of this or that carving
or series of carvings.   The carefnl
examination, abundant recording and
generous criticism of very recent
tinies have given us new insight into
the middle ages, and have made as-
certainable the principles of their
work. We propose only such state-
ment of these principles as will be
agreed to by all lovers and students of
Gothic Art.
Gothic sculpture began like all
sculpture, in the desire felt by all
people called barbarous to decorate
their buildings and utensils, a desire
which is more or less weakened, it
seems, as the people become what is
called civilized. Feudal and ecclesi-
astical Europe was fond of decorating
its walls reared for shelter, defence,
and pride, and the merchant towns
rivalled in their splendor, the priests
and barons whom they rivalled in arms
and diplomacy. Churches built with
the slowness of lavish expense and care
by wealthy and leisurely chapters,
were carved all over, of course. But
also castles and cloisters hurried to com-
pletion for protection against weather
or foe, had their square cushion capi-
tals softened by the lines of suggested
*Continued from December number.