What is acanthus?
Acanthus is a decorative leaf ornament in architecture, based on the deeply cut leaves of the acanthus plant (Acanthus mollis or Acanthus spinosus). The acanthus motif is one of the most distinctive decorations in Western architecture and has been used for over 2,500 years.
Origin
According to the Roman architect Vitruvius, the sculptor Callimachus invented the acanthus motif when he spotted a basket on a girl’s grave that had been overgrown by acanthus leaves. Whether or not the story is true, the acanthus leaf was introduced into Greek architecture around the 5th century BC.
Application
The acanthus leaf appears at various points in architecture:
- Corinthian capital — the most famous use. The capital is surrounded by two or three rows of stylised acanthus leaves, from which volute-shaped stems emerge
- Composite capital — combines acanthus leaves with the volutes of the Ionic capital
- Friezes and mouldings — running scroll patterns of acanthus leaves along cornices and architraves
- Corbels and brackets — acanthus leaves as decoration beneath projecting elements
Style periods
The acanthus motif returned time and again through the centuries:
- Greek and Roman — origin and first flowering
- Romanesque — simplified and stylised
- Gothic — more naturalistic, sometimes combined with local plant species
- Renaissance and Baroque — return to classical forms
- Neoclassicism — precise copies of antique originals
Related terms
- Capital
- Classical orders
- Ornament
- Column
- Frieze
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