A colonnette is a small, slender column often used in window groups, arcades or as a decorative element in medieval architecture.
What characterises a colonnette?
A colonnette follows the same basic anatomy as a full-size column — base, shaft and capital — but at a much smaller scale. Shafts are typically slender in proportion, with a height-to-diameter ratio considerably greater than that of structural columns. They may be monolithic (carved from a single piece of stone) or built up from drum sections, and are frequently made from polished marble, limestone or Purbeck stone for decorative contrast.
Unlike structural columns that carry significant loads, colonnettes primarily serve an architectural and decorative function. They divide window openings, articulate wall surfaces and create rhythmic patterns in arcading. However, they do carry the weight of the elements directly above them — mullions, tracery or small arches.
Where are colonnettes found?
Colonnettes are characteristic of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. In Gothic cathedrals, clustered colonnettes (colonnes en délit) surround piers to visually express the separate ribs of the vault above. In Romanesque cloisters, paired or single colonnettes support the arcade arches. Window tracery in both styles uses colonnettes as mullions separating the lights.
Applications
- Mullions in Gothic and Romanesque window openings
- Clustered pier decoration in cathedral naves
- Cloister and gallery arcades in religious buildings
- Blind arcading on exterior wall surfaces
- Restoration and conservation of historic masonry
Related terms
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