Fig. 135.—Section of Wren’s rejected scheme for St. Paul’s.
The scheme was clearly based on the model of St. Peter’s in Rome, to which frequent reference is made in _Parentalia_ as having been in the mind of the architect as he developed his idea. The dome partakes of the character of Bramante’s design on the one hand, and of that of Michael Angelo, as finally constructed, on the other. The likeness to Bramante’s scheme (Fig. [23], p. 48) is in the form of the inner shell, and its adjustment to the supporting drum. The likeness as to adjustment is not, indeed, very close; for Wren has raised the springing so that it is almost at the top of the drum, but he has fortified it with a continuous abutment which, though of different outline, has substantially the same structural effect. The likeness to St. Peter’s is further shown in the encircling order of the inner face of the drum, which occurs in both Bramante’s scheme and in that of Michael Angelo. There can be little doubt that Wren had studied Bramante’s design in Serlio’s book, and had appreciated its structural merits. But he wished, in emulation of Michael Angelo, to make his dome externally more imposing, and he therefore raised its springing level as we see, and adopted from Michael Angelo’s scheme the idea of a double dome. The external outline from the top of the drum to the haunch of the vault is too nearly the same as the corresponding part of Michael Angelo’s design to be considered as an accidental coincidence. The structural difference between the two is indeed great, since the concave portion in Wren’s design is a continuous ring, while in that of Michael Angelo it is an isolated and insignificant abutment. Wren’s scheme is thus superior in point of constructive merit, since it provides continuous resistance to continuous thrust. It will be seen that the two shells of Wren’s projected dome correspond to the inner and outer shells of Michael Angelo’s model (Fig. [26], p. 54), and thus in reproducing the main idea of this model Wren merely omitted the middle shell. He thus gave a wider divergence to the two vaults as they rise than occurs in the actual dome of St. Peter’s. He also omitted the well which in St. Peter’s connects the two shells at the crown.
A single order of pilasters adorns both the interior and the exterior of the church itself, the one on the outside being raised on a high basement and crowned with a plain attic; and a portico in the form of a temple front, with its order raised on high pedestals, gives emphasis to the west façade.
This design appears to have been rejected, to Wren’s great chagrin, as we learn from the following passage in _Parentalia_: “The surveyor in private conversation, always seem’d to set a higher value on this design, than any he had made before or since; as what was labour’d with more study and success; and, (had he not been over-rul’d by those, whom it was his duty to obey), what he would have put in execution with more Cheerfulness, and Satisfaction to himself.... But the Chapter, and some others of the Clergy thought the Model not enough of a Cathedral-fashion; to instance particularly, in that, the Quire was design’d circular, &c.... The Surveyor then turn’d his Thoughts to a Cathedral-form, (as they call’d it) but so rectified, as to reconcile, as near as possible, the Gothick to a better Manner of Architecture; with a Cupola, and above that, instead of a Lantern, a lofty Spire, and large Porticoes.”
I think that had the first design been accepted Wren would not have carried it out without material modifications. For he was too good an engineer not to have seen that the form and adjustment of the dome were seriously defective from a structural point of view. However this may be, the dome which he actually built is, as we shall see, fundamentally different in character (though it is not very different in either internal or external shape), and it is different in a way that no outside influences could have compelled.
The most noticeable feature of the second design is that part which rises over the crossing, and consists of a vast frustum of a dome supporting a tall buttressed drum, which in turn is surmounted by a smaller dome of oval outline, from the crown of which rises a telescopic spire of six stages with a strongly marked cornice to each. It was in this design that he is said to have sought to “reconcile the Gothic to a better Manner.” What he meant by this I do not know. Wren can hardly have supposed that he was effecting such a reconciliation by this remarkable combination of dome and spire. But in the actual cathedral of St. Paul we shall find some features that may, in part, explain his meaning.
It is noticeable that the west façade of this design is a close copy, with modifications of proportions and minor details, of the façade by Inigo Jones (Fig. [134], p. 231), which the fire had weakened or destroyed, and which Wren had much admired. This design was approved, and the king’s warrant for its execution was issued May 1st, 1675. But it is said that “the king was pleased to allow him the liberty in the prosecution of his work, to make some variations, rather ornamental than essential, as from time to time he should see proper.”[176] The actual building shows how largely Wren availed himself of this liberty.
Plate XI
DOME OF ST. PAUL’S