WINDOW. Though almost unknown in ancient architecture, at least in the religious and other monumental structures of the Egypt ians, Greeks, and Roman., which were not of a nature to require them, windows are exceedingly important features in the Gothic and other styles, and that not only for one, but every class of buildings. In the Pointed Gothic more especially they are so characteristic by their general forms and proportions, as well as their decoration and details, as to be in that style equivalent to what the orders are in the temple architecture of antiquity : the division of Gothic into periods, as First, Second, end Third Pointed, or Early-English, Decorated and Perpendicular, depends indeed mainly on the window-forms. [Gornto ARCHITECTURE ; ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE.] Gothic without windows would be as deficient in expression as Grecian architecture without columns. Grecian architecture, on the contrary, hardly admits windows, since, instead of adding to, they rather mar its expression, and detract from its character. There are, indeed, some examples of windows, for instance in the Erechtheum at Athens, yet no more than barely to serve as authorities, and to show how apertures of the kind were designed. Besides being of exceedingly rare occurrence in Grecian architecture, the windows themselves were very few in number, and never placed so as to form more than one tier or story of them ; consequently the effect was totally different from that attending two or more continuous ranges of windows placed one over the other. This arrangement was, however, adopted by the Romans in such buildings as their amphitheatres, and also in their basilicas, and in the former with a very fine effect, as may be seen in the Colosseum at Rome, and the amphitheatres of Verona and Nimes.
It is one very great advantage of the Pointed Gothic style, that there the windows derive strong architectural expression from the apertures themselves ; which, with the mullions, transoms, and tracery inserted in them, mainly form the design and decoration ; while the external mouldings and ornaments contribute to them only in a subor dinate degree. Consequently, if otherwise quite plain, the windows can never appear mere vacant spaces. Widely diflbrent is it in those styles where the ornamental design is confined to the mere exterior or framing of the aperture ; in which, however they may be so decorated, the openings will, if of very large dimensions, always have a vacant look, and the glazing of the windows will appear to be in want of ade quate support. It is, another advantage peculiar to Pointed Gothic, that it allows windows to be of any dimensions—of the smallest as well as the largest, and windows of very different sizes and propor tions to be introduced into the same elevation. [Gorimuc ARCHITEC TURE; ORIEL.) In the Italian style, windows, by which we mean the window opening and the dressings around them, which last term is employed to designate the whole of the decoration bestowed on such apertures, or, in other words, the entire " compoaition." form as essential a feature as in Gothic, though admitting of comparatively little of the diversity of size, form, and character. French, German, and English Renais sance exhibit much greater variety of illustrstion than the Italian. [RENAISSANCE A RCIIITECTUBE ELIZABETHAN A RCIIITECTenE.) In Italian buildings of the better class, the principal story, or that imme diately over the basement or groqnd-floor, is marked by windows more highly decorated and of loftier proportions than the rest. For these
the apertures aro generally made from 2 to 2i squares, or even some thing more, that is, their height is something more than double their breadth ; those on the next floor rather less than two squares ; and for the third they ere made tatzzanincs—either a perfect square or very little more. The character and proportions of ground-floor windows depend very much upon the manner in which that part of the eleva tion is treated ; if it be no more than a low rusticated basement, the window, will only be of mezzanine form, without dressing ; or at the most a few mouldings surrounding the apertures, the rusticated surface of the wall itself here producing a sufficient degree of finish and deco ration ; or if more be required, it is obtained by distinguishing the rustics around the windows, making them smooth if the others be rough, and rice revs/ Thus, while the windows are essential, they arc still kept subordinate features in the design. What has been said in regard to the sequence of the different tiers of windows in an elevation, is to be understood only generally, there being many exceptions, and not a few anomalous CAMS. In the facade of the Palazzo Massimi at Rome, one of Peruzzi's best works, there are two tiers of mezzanine windows above thew of the principal floor ; in the celebrated Palazzo Farnese, on time contrary, the xecond.floor windows (which are also the uppermost) are somewhat loftier than the others, at least in their aper tures, owing to these last being arched, and are further remarkable as having pediments, which are seldom used for windows higher up than the first floor. In Sangallo's facade of the Palazzo Sacchetti, there is a range of mezzanines between time windows of the first and the upper moat floor, and instead of being made principal in the deaign, the former are considerably leas than those of the ground-floor, and aro narrower at top than at bottom. The facade of time Palazzo Negroni, by Ammrumati, is similar in its general character to the preceding, there being a row of mezzanine and square window, between the first and third floor ; and It also resembles it in the importance given to the ground floor windowas In regard to windows of time last-mentioned clams, the Palazzo Buoncompagno at Home, a work attributed to Bramante,offers an unusual example, for there the lower floor and its windows are made the next principal features after those immediately above them : in both the apertures themselves are round-headed, with imposts and archivolts, but flanked by pilasters supporting an entablature, whereby the general form of the chantbranle, or dressing, becomes square-headed ; the chief difference between these two tiers of windows is, that those above have pediments talternately angular and segmental), while the others have none. Triple, or Venetian windows, as they are called, and grouped windows, are sometimes introduced in Renaissance buildings with excellent effect ; and where a great degree of magnificence is desired, caryatides are substituted fur columns as decorations. From the time of Palladio, balustrades have been added to windows, adding often greatly to their picturesqueness of character, but sometimes with a .very different result. [ITALIAN ARCHITECTURE;