172 The Perforated Cresting.

The Cross.
The Perforated Cresting. (Plate 108.)
In modern wood buldings, the dressings, intended to form an
ornamental finish to the construction, are often perforated.
The Gable is decorated by a Finial; smaller corner -ornaments
are attached to the lower ends of the lines of the gable; the pro-
jecting ends of the gable
-
rafters are also provided with Barge-boards,
both for decorative effect, and also, no doubt, to serve as a protection
against the weather. The Pinials are fashioned as Knobs of varied
profile, with a direction downwards. The oblique lines of the Gable
and the horizontal lines of the Eoof are also covered with Barge
-
boards.
The material requires a special treatment; as the ornamentation
must be large and broad, and have as many points of connection in
itself as possible.
Wooden ornaments of this kind are found on Pavilions, watchmen's
Huts, Farm-houses of richer construction, country Villas in the Swiss
cottage style, &c.
Among architectural works which deal with wood buildings and
especially with the decoration of them: we may mention the works of
H. Bethke (Details fiir dekorativen Holzbau), from which the majority
of the figures on Plate 108 have been taken.
Plate 108. The Perforated Cresting.
1. Top ornament of a gable, by the architect Eisenlohr, of Carls
-
ruhe.
2
7. Various Barge-boards, (Bethke).
The Cross. (Plate 109.)
The Cross (Latin crux, French croix) is the most important
symbol of Christian art. It symbolises the person of Christ, Christ-
ianity and Sacrifice. Its decorative applications are innumerable, and
of great variety.
Various fundamental forms of the cross have been distinguished
and are known by different names. The Greek (or St. George's) cross
consists of two arms of equal length, bisecting each -other at right
angles. In the Latin cross the lower limb is lengthened. These two
forms are those most often used. In the St. Andrew's cross the
arms cross each -other diagonally. St. Anthony's (the Egyptian or
Old Testament Cross) is a Latin Cross without the upper limb.
Omitting from consideration the Crucifix, which represents the
crucifixion of Christ, we shall find the Cross in the utmost variety