Ten Books on Architecture

to common artisans perhaps it will appear too subtle and sublime, yet one ought to remember that Vitruvius himself determines many things in his profession through the foundations of Music, and highly commends a philosophical spirit in an Architect. That is, he would wish (as I opine) for him to be not a superficial and wavering craftsman, but an investigator of the causes and mysteries of proportion. I shall speak elsewhere regarding the ornaments of both doors and windows: but let it be permitted here to add one observation: that our master (as is apparent from various places, and especially lib. 6, cap. 9) loved luminous buildings beyond measure; and indeed it must be confessed that liberal light does not disgrace any building; except only temples; which in antiquity were dark, just as some are today in a certain proportion. Light is diffusive of itself and of another. Devotion requiring spirits more collected than diffused. Meanwhile, one must take care not to make houses (even those of civil use only) all eyes, as was Argus; which in northern parts would be too cold, and in southern parts too hot; and for this reason, this matter requires a more than facetious comparison. Moreover, no part of a structure is of greater expense than windows, or more subject to ruin; not only for the common reason that they are exposed to the violence of all tempests, but also because they consist of such diverse and unsociable materials—wood, iron, lead, and glass—and these being so slight and infirm that they are easily shaken. I must also remember (though it is merely a grammatical observation) regarding doors. For of these, some were fores (doors), others valvae (folding doors); the former (as the name itself indicates) opened outward, the latter inward; and they were commonly made of two boards, or panes, as we commonly call them, and thus they required a smaller circuit in opening; for which reason they are still used extensively by the Italians today: but they are to be accused of imperfection, because, although they admit passage as well as the former, they exclude it more poorly.

On Stairs. To make a perfect staircase is a very curious part of Architecture. These are the common cautions. That they should have very liberal light, against all falls and collisions. That the space above the head should be large and airy, which the Italians call un bel sfogolo, as if to say proper ventilation, because one ascending expends much breath. That the areas (half-paces in English) should be distributed at convenient intervals for resting in the ascent and descent. That obstructions should be avoided, and furthermore, for the beauty of the aspect, the staircase should not have a spare width, that is, in the principal ascent, at least ten feet in royal buildings. That the width of each step should never be less than one foot, nor greater than a foot and a half. That they should in no way exceed half a foot in their height or thickness, for our legs labor more in elevation than in extension. These are familiar observations. To which add that the steps, where they are joined, should be placed con un tantino di scarpa, which we can interpret as slightly inclined, so that the foot can in some way ascend and descend at the same time, which, although observed by few, is a secret and subtle deception of annoyance in the ascent. Finally, so that this doctrine may be brought to a natural or at least mathematical foundation, our master (as can be seen in lib. 9, cap. 2) borrows these proportions, which constitute the sides of a right-angled triangle, and which the ancient school is accustomed to express in the lowest terms by the numbers 3, 4, and 5; that is, three for the perpendicular from the head of the staircase to the floor; four for the line of the floor itself or the recession from the wall; and five for the entire inclination or slope in the ascent; which proportion, he says, will produce tempered balances of the steps. So much for straight stairs; there are besides spiral or winding stairs, whether circular or oval, and sometimes running around a column, sometimes free-standing; in which Palladius (in this subject of singular felicity) divided the diameter of the former type into three parts: giving one to the column itself, and two to the steps; [and] of the second type into four, of which