Books of columns and 16'th-18'th century architectural rhetoric

Ancient architect Vitruvius linked the strong Doric, the graceful Corinthian and moderate Ionic orders of architecture with different temperaments of gods. S. Serlio and other New Age theorists translated this idea into Christian practice. Rules that spread through Column Books in Western and Central Europe regulated proportions and proper use of orders: their typical peculiarities had to be harmonised with the purpose of a building. Knowing Vitruvius’ thinking, one will notice codified orders, their hierarchy, functional use and signs. Compared with Vitruvius’ interpretation, New Age construction practice was quite consistent. In Column Books, there is a connection between order forms and wider concepts, but these concepts are of the most common nature. The “ornamental language” can hardly be considered a united system suitable for different periods and customers. The distinctiveness of each building should be explained individually, taking into consideration public mentality, craftsmen’s education, conventions, etc. The same applies to Lithuanian architectural monuments and interior objects. There was tension between rhetorical architectural “clarity” and “expressiveness” in New Age architecture. Their harmony and equality is reflected in only a few extant monuments. The aim to achieve such a balance helps to understand the logic of composition of many objects. The use of superposition regularity to represent the customer’s “status and power” would not always comply with classical canons, but facilitated variations in the nuances of expression of order structures and demonstration of hierarchical relations