RUSTIC or RUSTICATED WORK, in architecture, a species of decoration for walls, wherein the joints-between the courses, and between the separate stoned in each course, are strongly defined by sunk channels or grooves. Although an imitation of what would in itself be offensive, and therefore at first apparently quite at variance with good taste, this mode is only a legitimate, artistleal, or °pathetical imitation, suggested by accident or defects. The expression, originally derived from rudeness and coarseness of execution, from large stones irregularly put together, without their edges being smoothed and fitted to each other, is hero only partially retained so as to indicate boldness and strength, and also a certain attention to finish and to regularity in the symmetrical arrangement of the courses and stones. There is a studied intention manifested, which prevents our con founding the imitation with what furnished the hint, for it. In reality rustication contributes in an eminent degree to richness of surface, and it was accordingly frequently employed by the ancients—by the Romans at least, not only in those works which were characterised by massiveness and by a certain degree of rudeness, such as amphitheatres, bridges, &c., but on the exterior of temples and other edifices, on which the moat finished decoration was bestowed. For not only ;lees rusticating the face of the walls occasion contrast, and thereby teed to set off columns or painters to greater advantage, but the hues and shadows so produced remove that blankness which might otherwise attend too much uniform plain surface.
Besides being different from plain masonry, rustication admits of great variety, both in regard to design and execution, and of great diversity of character, from severity and heaviness to studied elegance. The most obvious distinction is that arising from the surfaces of the rustics, according as they are either plain or rough; and if the former, they may be either smooth, or hammer-dressed, that is, left slightly chipped ; else tooled, or with the marks of the chisel. Or it intended to be rough, the rustics way be remark/sled, hatched, or freak]. The first of these modes is pioduced by cutting deep hollows into the surface, the second by making it jagged and rugged, while the third consists in giving a delicate crispness like frost-work to the stone.
As regards joint;Ny, there are two modes : one in which the channels between the stones are jrooicd, or form rectangular sinkings; the other in which they are chamfered, that is, the edges of the atones aro bevelled off in such manner that the section of the joints forma a rectangular triangle. Neither are the above by any means all the varieties, as will be seen by some examples at the end of this article, which cannot be very well explained without cuts. Great variety of character and design may further be produced by an intermixture of the different modes,—for instance, by smooth and rough rustics to gether, or by different kinds of rusticating for different stories, the bolder and coarser being placed below and the more delicate above.
Italian architecture presents many fine studied and examples of rusticated work. The Florentine style—which, it may be observed, is the direct antithesis of the Palladian—shows what may be accom plished by little more than rustication alone. If it be severe, it is also simple, yet rich and dignified.
In this country we have very few examples of rusticated work upon a grand scale : for here it is almost entirely confined to basements. It is scarcely ever employed as the general decoration of an entire front, except it be occasionally for prisons, for which it is certainly appro priate, though it does not therefore follow that it is unsuitable where richness and magnificence are more required than severity.
Much of the beauty of rusticated fronts depends upon the form and proportions of the arches or openings, and on the arrangement, &c., of the rustics which form the voussoirs either to arched or straight-headed windows. Occasionally, moulded archivolts are substituted for radiating voussoirs, but the effect is not good, because they cut tho horizontal joints of the courses very disagreeably ; which, it may be observed, is likewise the case where the voussoirs form an extrados either concentric with the arch, or making a more elevated curve, as in moit of the Florentine examples. It is far better to make the voussoirs elbowed, so ns to unite with the horizontal courses, whereby the whole looks firmly bonded together. Sometimes imposts to arches are omitted altogether, or if there be such member, it is usually a mere plat-band, although occasionally it is moulded. in arches the keystone may either be similar or distinguished from the other voussoirs ; which last may be done in a variety of ways, although the most usual one is to cut it into the form of a console, or else enrich it with a mask sculptured upon it, of which kind are the keystones to the arches of the Strand front cf Somerset House, representing the nine principal rivers of England, personified as old men. Iiossages is a term more particularly applied to rusticated cinctures on the shafts of columns, which may be either square or cylindrical, but should not greatly exceed the diameter of the shaft itself, more especially in the former cases Columns of this kind ought invariably to be engaged, and the wall behind them of course rusticated also. In such case the cinctures serve as ligatures to bind and incorporate them with the rest, whereas insulated columns with blocks upon their shafts are equally unmean ing and uncouth. The same remark applies to rustic blocks stuck at intervals, upon the architraves of doors and windows, as, for instance, those of St. Martin's Church, London, although there is no rusticating in that building. Of columns with bossages or rusticated cinctures, the two arches within the court of Somerset House arc a tastefully &aligned and well-executed example.
The following are some of the varieties of rusticating above referred to, drawn sufficiently Large to show the precise form and section of the joints or No. I. Rustics with rectangular joints or channels.
Rustics of this kind have always plain faces. French or horizontal rusticating, without vertical joints, has generally rectangular channels ; this sort of rusticating, or pseudo-rusticating with horizontal joints only, has in V:is country been still further impoverished by makiug the channels breed and shallow, and the courses so deep that there are only a few horizontal streaks along the face of a wall.
No. 2 is an instance of chamfered joints and vermiculatod rustics, bordered, that is, having a plain surface around their faces.
No. 3 shows an example of Florentine rusticating with moulded channels, the effect of which is particularly rich. One of the rustics is fiseetta in the cut, iu order to give an example of that mode in rusticated quoins.
dado to the building. This example is from the same building as the preceding.
No. 5 shows one-half of a rusticated arch having elbowed voussoirs running into the horizontal courses.
No. 6 represents half of another arch with voussoirs whose extrados form an eccentric curve from that of the arch itself, or else a pointed arch, while the intrados form a semicircular ono.
No. 4 is another mode peculiar to the Florentine style, in which the rustics aro facetted, or cut no as to form four triangular surfaces. It is not used throughout, but only in the lower course, farming a sort of