Archaeology | Capitals | Corinthianizing | Corinthianizing column capital | Artwork profile

White marble

H. 36 cm; lower diam. 31 cm; abacus’ side 54 cm

Middle of the I - beginning of the II century AD


Report

Corinthianizing column capital

Corinthianizing column capital with lyre-shaped motif and, at the base, four acanthus-like leaves (h. 17,5 cm) that are linked to each other, have indented lobes and oval voids; their points overlap, while the midrib, flanked by grooves and with central incised line, tapers towards the bottom. Behind these acanthus-like leaves and below the abacus’ corners, there are four other leaves of the same form, partially preserved, that reached the mid of the kalathos with their slightly bent tip, now missing from some of them. Always at the corners there are two further leaves that spread below the abacus’ edge with their curled tip, now missing. From behind the acanthus-like leaves spring four central palmettes with a slightly bent tip (h. 17 cm) and eight long flat lobes, divided by rather shallow grooves; the lower part is concealed by a vegetal membrane.

The remaining kalathos surface (h. of the kalathos with rim 19 cm; rim 2 cm) is decorated with a lyre-shaped motif, consisting of two symmetrically arranged curved tendrils, wrapped up in half leaves, bent outwards and ending in a flower with four indented, three-lobes petals; the two tendrils, each springing from a leaf, are connected to the stem of the abacus’ rosette by means of a thin strip with central incised line. The abacus is carved with plain mouldings: plain ovolo (h. 1,5 cm) and cavetto (h. 3,5 cm). Only one abacus’ rosette is preserved: it appears to be formed by a small, four petals flower with central hole, wrapped in a sort of a leafy involucre.

One of the sides, in origin certainly not meant to be visible, shows uncarved vegetal elements which are either left at the stage of plain shapes or only roughed out with a claw chisel, whereas on the rest of the piece the carving was regularly carried out.

This Corinthianizing column capital wholly fits into the Roman decorative tradition, which was in fact characterized by a great abundance of vegetalized elements, and for its stylistic features, its type of indentation with very neat carving as well as its delicate and elegant shapes it can be dated between the middle of the I and the II century AD (Pensabene P., I capitelli, in Scavi di Ostia, vol. VII, Roma 1973, p. 138, nn. 554-562).