. The story of architecture: an outline of the styles in all countries. Fig. iio.—Giralda a drawing by Gi-rault de Irangey. DURABILITY OF WOODWORK. 283 of sardonyx, rock crystal, porcelain, and mosaic filledthe corners. Flowery carpets and softly cushionedcouches encouraged drowsy repose, and filtered foun-tains, kept at a constant temperature, perfumed theatmosphere with the fresh clean smell of washed airafter a storm. But the most astonishing fact concerning the Al-hambra is the durability of the woodwork, which was. Fig. hi.—Screen of the Chapel of Villa Viciosa in the Mosque of
. The story of architecture: an outline of the styles in all countries. Fig. iio.—Giralda a drawing by Gi-rault de Irangey. DURABILITY OF WOODWORK. 283 of sardonyx, rock crystal, porcelain, and mosaic filledthe corners. Flowery carpets and softly cushionedcouches encouraged drowsy repose, and filtered foun-tains, kept at a constant temperature, perfumed theatmosphere with the fresh clean smell of washed airafter a storm. But the most astonishing fact concerning the Al-hambra is the durability of the woodwork, which was. Fig. hi.—Screen of the Chapel of Villa Viciosa in the Mosque of Cordova. so treated that all worms, spiders, and other insectsinvariably shun it, and now, though six hundredyears have passed, there still appear no signs ofdry rot or decay. Woodwork added by later sov-ereigns is frequently found covered with cobwebs,but that of the thirteenth century ever remains 284 THE MAHOMETAN OR SARACENIC STYLE. unclouded and bright as the day on which it wasset up. Spain boasts no minarets save one, the GiraldaTower, at Seville, said to have been designed by ElGebir, the inventor of algebra. Its vaulting is ac-complished by thickening the walls gradually, asthey rise from the ground, until they meet; a veryinferior method, and quite unworthy of the greatmathematician. This tower is now surmounted by aRenaissance top designed by Fernan Ruiz, which,though exquisite in itself, is quite out of keeping withthe substructure. The restoration suggested byGirault de Prangey would doubtless be much morea
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