Architecture: National Taiwan Museum & the National Library of Greece

Original images by Calder Loth

A Roman lattice is an openwork motif of crossed rectangular bars, forming a pattern of triangles—usually at right-angles—within repeated squares. This pattern was often used in ancient Rome as an infill for railings, doors, and windows and was made of bronze, stone, or marble. The motif is also a common feature of classically-inspired buildings in the first half of the 20th century.

The National Taiwan Museum’s main hall, constructed from 1913 to 1915, is an example of neo-classical architecture. The building also employs Roman lattices, most notably in the railings along the staircase in the main lobby and on the second floor. The pattern of bronze triangles is nestled in a frame made from marble sourced from Japan.

Original image by Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46684785

The same technique can also be found on the main building of the National Library of Greece, designed by the Danish architect Theophil Hansen as part of his renowned “Athenian Trilogy” in central Athens (the other two being the Academy of Athens and the original building of Athens University). Completed in 1908, the building features a Greek prostyle portico with six columns in Doric order, just like National Taiwan Museum’s main building. Perhaps the most striking feature of the building is the set of Roman lattice railings along the marble staircase and along the portico, where griffin motifs can be found between each railing panel.

 

The pattern continues to be an elegant treatment for railings, screens, and windows, whether left plain or enriched with ornaments, although with over 2000 years of history, its antique roots are often overlooked due to its ubiquity.

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The information on Roman lattices in this post was adapted from “Roman Lattice: Classical Comments” by Calder Loth, Institute of Classical Architecture & Art. You can read the article here.