Positivistic Study on the Changing Process of Catholic Churches

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

It is obvious that so-called European-style architecture in Japan has developed from the last days of the Tokugawa Goverment under the direct influence of European architecture. A history of this type of architecture, however, presents particularities which can not be interpreted from the point of view of a history of European architecture. Especially a history of catholic churches refuses an explanation by principles of history of European architecture. So we have tried the positivistic study on the process of an autonomous evolution of our catholic churches.The churches of the 10's of the Meiji era are characterized by exposed Nuki, and we have affirmed that the reconstructed Tachiya church possesses the primordial form. The ecclesiastical architecture achieves a state of perfection with Imamura church from the 2nd of the Taisho era (1913). But forms became diversified with the appearance of churches built by reinforced concrete and with the introduction of Oriage-Tenjo. Thus, we hav … More e shown all the phases of the process of change of the churches in accordance with the interrelationship between principles of organization and structure. Moreover, we have proposed to classify this process into five eras, that is Preparation, Development, Perfection, Stagnation, and Diversification. Such a classification is one of the important subjects in architectural history in general.We have also considered the relation between Japanese carpenters and foreign missionries, and have made it clear by investigating existing church buildings where three French missionaries taught the technology of European architecture to Japanese carpenters including Yosuke Tetsukawa. Mr.Tetsukawa not only designed and constructed a number of churches, but also played an important role in leading the development to perfection. Moreover he wished further development and tried to create new interior space. In this respect, we have attemped to give him an historical position as an "architect-master-builder". Less