Corinthian Columns

My favorite architectural element would have to be columns. Out of the three types; Ionic, Doric, and Corinthian, the later is the most detailed and sublime. This image is taken from the Lantern Slides of Classical Antiquity from Bryn Maur College. This capital detail shows the volute (the scroll) and acanthus leaves that generally indicate a Corinthian column. This particular capital is from the Forum of Augustus, Temple of Mars the Avenger. It is certainly impressive how the artisans sculpted this so intricately out of stone.

The best examples of these original columns are from well preserved sites like The Treasury (Al Khazneh) in Petra, Jordan. Over the years however, most originals are battered emblems of old grandeur. The well keptFontana di Trevi (pictured above) was commissioned in the 18th Century and shows us what the ruins would have looked like in their better days.

The Temple of Neptune has few intact sculpted freizes and columns, but the ones that are left look fantastic. See the two addorsed dolphins on either side of the shell? We will talk a bit more about those in the next article……