A grosette is the French term for the sharp outward projection or corbelling of the surround (moulding/profiling) around a window or door frame. It is a decorative architectural detail, often emphasised at the corners of the surround.
Characteristics
- Decorative facade detail: part of the surround (the moulding around a frame), not of the frame itself.
- The surround projects sharply outward at certain points, creating a profiled relief.
- Frequently emphasised at the corners of the surround.
- May have a triangular or angular projecting shape.
- Enriches the facade with shadow play and plasticity.
Applications
Grosettes appear on classically and traditionally inspired facades, where the surround around windows and doors is given extra relief and detailing. They are executed in the facade material itself (natural stone, brickwork, stucco or plaster) or as a separately applied profile. As a purely ornamental detail, the grosette has no building-physics function; it serves the aesthetics and the architectural articulation of the facade. When restoring historic buildings, it is important to accurately preserve or reconstruct the original shape and profiling, since this corner emphasis strongly defines the character of the facade.
Related terms
- Surround
- Moulding
- Ornament
- Frame
- Cornice
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