Medieval drawings and the apostolic succession (of artists)

["Simon Brown" <moonsong@zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz>]

Ian,

John James writes extensively in 'The template makers of the Paris Basin'
about 'memes'. He gives Richard Dawkins' defining concept of a meme as a
'gene-of-memory'. James investigates how building campaigns under different
master masons produced an evolving Gothic style. He spent 20 years recording
French Gothic Cathedrals and I think that 'The Template makers' is the
defining book about Gothic technique. This and other books by James are
displayed here: http://www.cruciblecentre.com/chartres/chartres.html
Richard Brodie elaborates about memes here: http://www.memecentral.com/

Reading 'The Cathedral Builders of the Middle Ages' by Alain
Erlande-Brandenburg (1993) also helped me understand why there are so few
medieval drawings today. The fact that knowledge was shared in ways other
than writing lessened the need for recording it. A pre-determined plan also
decreased opportunities for artistic license.

Classical architecture, for me, is defined in Andrea Palladio's 'I Quattro
Libri' (The Four Books of Architecture). I bought a 1965 Dover publication a
few years ago. A facsimile copy is here:
http://www.basilicapalladiana.it/4libri/thumbs6.htm

As sculptors, stone carvers, artists - what work is truly original?
Technically, we must be craftsman, architect, geologist, project manager.
Artistically, we share a common resource that is constantly subject to
individual striving for identity.

Can you please elaborate a little on Eric Gill and Seamus Murphy?

Simon