Page:Ware - The American Vignola, 1920.djvu/30

20 The Capital, Fig. 78, is seven-sixths of a Diameter high, the upper sixth being taken up by the Abacus, which is nine-sixths, or a Diameter and a half, in width, though it does not look so. It is molded on the edge with an Ovolo and Fillet above a large Congé and small Fascia. The corners are cut off at an angle of 45 degrees, and the sides hollowed out in a curve of 60 degrees. The width across from curve to curve is seven-sixths of a Diameter. Each face of the Abacus bears a flower, called the Fleuron, that springs from a small bud above the middle leaf.

The Bell of the capital, Fig. 79, is one Diameter high, or six-sixths; it terminates under the Abacus in a Beak Molding called the Lip of the Bell, which measures seven-sixths of a Diameter across, its greatest projection coming just under the least projection of the upper line of the Abacus. The lower two-sixths are covered by a row of eight Acanthus leaves, which bend down at the top to the extent of half a sixth, or a quarter of their own height. The next two-sixths show a similar row of eight leaves, set alternately with those below, four facing the sides of the Capital, and four the corners. Like those of the first row, they spring from the Astragal at the top of the Shaft, and the mid-rib of each leaf shows between two lower leaves, it being really four-sixths high. These also bend down half a sixth. Between the eight leaves of the second row are eight Caulicoli, or cabbage stalks, which terminate in a Button, upon which rests a sort of Bud, which divides into two leaves. These turn right and left, the larger- one toward the corner of the Capital, the smaller toward the side or front under the Fleuron. From each Bud rise also two scrolls, or Volutes, one of which runs out to support the projecting corner of the Abacus. The other, which is smaller, and does not rise higher than the Lip of the Bell, supports the Fleuron. The sixteen leaves of the third row curl over under these sixteen volutes, making with them eight masses of ornament, one on each corner of the column, and one in the middle of each side. These give in plan an eight-pointed star, each point consisting of a large leaf, two small leaves, two Volutes, and above them, either the Fleuron or the horn of the Abacus. Between them is seen the Bell of the Cap, with its Lip.

Here, again, the Attic Base is commonly used, but sometimes, especially in large columns, a base is used that resembles Vignola's Ionic Base, with two Beads between the Scotias, except that it has a lower Torus, Fig. 78. Palladio uses a very elegant variety of Attic Base, enriched ~by the addition of Beads and Fillets, Fig. 80. The Shaft is fluted like the Ionic shaft, with twenty-four semicircular flutings, but these are sometimes filled with a convex molding, or Cable, to a third of their height, Fig. 75.

Almost all the buildings erected by the Romans employ the Corinthian Order.