TRACERY, in architecture, a term of uncertain origin, and almost peculiar to our own architectural vocabulary, there being no cor responding term in any other language to denote with equal brevity and clearness that species of pattern-work formed or traced in the head of a Gothic window by the mullions [Mett,rox) being there continued, but diverging into arches, curves, and flowing lines, enriched with foliations. The term is applied to ornamental design of the same character, whether for doors, panelling, or ceilings; the only difference being that in windows the pattern or tracery is perforated, and in other cases closed, that is, is a mere pattern carved on the surface of a solid part ; except in particular instances, where the tracery on parapets, battlements, turrets, spires, &c., is pierced, and then it is described as open-work. The latter term necessarily implies tracery of seine kind or other, though " tracery " does not imply " open-work," the latter being merely an the usual mode.
Much both of the beauty and character of the Gothic or Pointed style depends upon windows and their tracery ; and it is one great and peculiar merit of the style, that such indispensable apertures for the admission of light are made to constitute some of its most striking features. and to exhibit very forcibly the pervading principle of the entire system. On referring to GOTHIC Ancurrecrents, col. 440, it will be seen that tracery does not occur in the First Pointed or Early English style, for there the windows consist merely of so many single apertures, placed side by side, and united only by their external mouldings, instead of being included within a larger arch. The first principle followed was therefore rather of addition than of combination ; but as soon as the latter Idea was adopted, it necessarily led to the continuation of the window by perforating the tympanum, or space between the smaller arches and the larger one over them. At first
this was usually done by filling rip the head of the window with a single circle cut into foils, and with the open spandrels or smaller triangular spaces ao prodeced. Of such windows an example from Weirtmineter Abbey is shown in the column above referred to, and in the following columns are other instances where tracery of the same character becomes more elaborate and complicated, either by the circle being repeated, as in the example from York, or subdivided into smaller ornamental compartments, as in that from Exeter. This species of tracery has been very inappropriately distinguished by the name of Geometrical, while that which succeeded it Is termed Flowing from its being composed throughout of curved lines interwoven with each other, after the manner of the example from Kirton, which is shown along with the others above mentioned. In Third l'ointed or Perpen dicular tracery, on the contrary, the lines of the mullions are continued in the head of the window, and divide it into panda, which aro in turn subdivided Into smaller ones. The annexed is a specimen of such window, from St. 3lary's Church, Oxford.
What is called Flamboyant tracery is a species of the Flowing tracery peculiar to French Gothic, and is remarkable not only for its richness and intricacy, but for its irregularity, the pattern of the separate compartments not being perfectly symmetrical, although one half of the window corresponds with the other. To the above mentioned varieties may be added another peculiar to Germany, but not very common there ; this has obtained the name of Stump tracery, in consequence of some of the mouldings appearing to be broken off, and leaving only short ends or stumps where they intersect other lines.