A cabbage-leaf ornament is a decorative motif made up of several stylised cabbage leaves. A single curling cabbage leaf is the basic unit; several together form the ornament.
Form and recognition
The motif is recognised by its strongly curled, outward-rolling leaf with a wavy edge — hence the comparison with curly kale. Unlike the taut, symmetrical acanthus leaf of classical architecture, the cabbage leaf is restless and lively; it seems to curl forward out of the stone.
Where it appears
- Capitals — the crown of a column or shaft, where a wreath of cabbage leaves forms the transition to the vault or arch above. In English these are usually called crocket capitals.
- Corbels — the projecting bracket carrying a vault rib or a statue.
- Bosses and vault ribs — as a leafy termination at the junction of the ribs.
- Pinnacles, crockets and finials — the leaf motif recurs in the crowning elements of pinnacles and gables.
The cabbage leaf is characteristic of later Gothic work.
Related leaf motifs
| Motif | Characteristic | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Cabbage leaf / crocket | Strongly curled, wavy edge | Gothic |
| Acanthus | Symmetrical, pointed lobes | Antiquity, Renaissance, Neoclassicism |
| Bud capital | Still-closed, bud-shaped leaf | Early and High Gothic |
| Palmette | Fan-shaped, taut | Antiquity |
Restoration
Two things decide the quality of restored stone foliage: the right stone and the right carving. New ornament is carved from a plaster model taken off the best-surviving original, so the hand of the original mason is preserved. Replacement with a cast reconstituted-stone model is usually not permitted on listed buildings — agree the approach with the conservation officer before work starts.
Related terms
- Ornament
- Capital
- Corbel
- Acanthus
- Crocket capital
- Finial
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