Contrasts A parallel between the noble edifices of the middle ages and corresponding buildings of the present day shewing the present decay of taste accompanied by appropriate text 1841 [Hardcover]
eng, Pages 153. Reprinted in 2015 with the help of original edition published long back[1841]. This book is in black & white, Hardcover, sewing binding for longer life with Matt laminated multi-Colour Dust Cover, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or black spots. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. (Customisation is possible). Hope you will like it and give your comments and suggestions. Original Contrasts A parallel between the noble edifices of the middle ages and corresponding buildings of the present day shewing the present decay of taste accompanied by appropriate text 1841 [Hardcover], Original Welby Augustus
A moral manifesto in which Pugin convey the idea of how the architecture and art are deeply related with the faith of a nation. This was wrote when people in general still believe in the existence of an objetive truth, and in beauty being the splendor of it. Pugin was convinced that the Gothic art is the true outcome of the Catholic Civilization, and because of this the most elevated of all forms of art. Therefore, I think this book is an espectacular example of art critic, and practical apologetic. It remembers me a lot of the many writings of our founder Plinio Correa de Oliveira, in the famous "ACC" articles in the magazine “Catolicismo”, where he proclaims the same convictions, and the existence of what he called "trending revolution”.
The shortest of Pugin's works that I could find; I anticipated an architectural survey, but found instead a history of the protestant reformation in England and the atrocities produced by it upon the religious and their buildings. There is also a great lament over the general switch in Europe from Christian architecture to what Mr. Pugin calls pagan architecture, which was also being taken up by the Anglican clergy in the renovations made to old buildings in England. Pagan architecture refers to the revived classical Greek and Roman forms, which I hardly find disastrous, but which Mr. Pugin clearly disliked. The purpose of the book is ultimately futile: to return to an Age of Faith, to rediscover now almost forgotten principles of Catholic architecture.
So bad. So rather utterly bad. I did not come for the invective, and I only stayed out of obduracy, meaning to see the thing to the end. Favorably for me there were entire tracts of the appendix – about half of the whole thing, mind – and that’s if we’re only considering the textual portions – in French, which meant I could ramp the skimming up to skipping, where said appendix was concerned. I also did not come for detailed descriptions of Catholic persecution and the desecration of sacred buildings (see appendix), although what did at least interest me from a purely rhetorical perspective was the relationship between the thing at the end and the rest of the book. Pugin loads up on extracts – sometimes lengthy, esp. if French – that seem to afford him the remorselessly prejudicial view he takes of Protestantism, to the effect that the sources are fairly cleanly divorced from their analysis. Not the first thing I’d teach my students as a persuasive tactic. Obviously, perhaps, my bemusement at this was nothing compared to my irritation at the sophomoric argument propounded here. We have the Protestants to blame for architectural-cum-spiritual dissipation? I don’t even want challenge this position – because it doesn’t even deserve to be challenged. And needless to say, it doesn’t matter that I’m not even a Protestant. I learned about three things from this book, all contained within the second chapter or so, and representing just about the only architectural comments Pugin makes, and I wouldn’t vouch for their veracity. I seriously hope True Principles has got legs enough for all the lost ground it has to cover.
Pugin is as biased as it's suggested by comment on his work, but while biased he comes across as essentially correct, and who doesn't love a little Anglican-bashing.
He's also limited in scope but that can hardly be helped. Would have loved to drop the lad into Hagia Sophia and see him rethink what 'pure' Christian architecture truly looks like but we can't have everything in life ('everything' here being the ability to move time and space to see a new revised edition of a book).
The book really did get me thinking about classical architecture's entry into Catholic church-building...