 |
| Antique roman acanthus leaf |
Patrick Damiaens
Ornamental Woodcarver
The Acanthus Leaf
Acanthus leaf carved in wood
A blog entry from this site:
Of all the ornamental designs which have
been borrowed from nature, the Akanthos is the most popular. This is
an ornament which lends itself for endless many applications.
 |
| Acanthus Mollis |
Since its introduction by the
Greeks, it recurs again and again in every Western style. A symbolical
significance has never attached to the Acanthus, its frequent and varied
application is due to the ornamental possibilities and beautiful serration of its leaves.
This plant grows wild in the
South of Europe , there are many varieties , Akanthos Mollis, Akanthos Spinosus,….
The conception and treatment of the margin and shape of the leaf, is the
principal characteristic of the different period styles.
 |
| A Baroque Acanthus Leaf |
The acanthus leaf is also called acanthusmotif
, it is applied extensively within the Corinthian order of ancient Greek architecture,
mostly on columns and friezes
The Greek foliage has pointed
leaf-edges, in the Roman style, the tips of the leaves become rounder, broader,
to some extent wiyh more vigorous curves.
The Byzantine and Romanesque
styles, again return to stiffer, less delicate forms.
 |
| Drawing, Construction of a Acanthus leaf |
The Gothic style, which used
the foreign acanthus in addition to a
number of native plants, adopted in the early period, round, bulbous forms.
Later Gothic, on the contrary, preferred bizarre, long-extended, thistle like
folige. In both cases the general conception is more or less naturalistic, but the details
are usually idealised beyond recognition.
 |
| Acanthus Leaf |
The Renaissance which revived
Antique ornament, developed the Acanthus, and particularly the Tendril, to the
highest degree of perfection. The Renaissance is
the following period styles a great source
of inspiration.
But the following style periods have
still their own specific look, character and detail, which only a specialist in
or expert in the ornamentation can be distinguished.
 |
| Liege style ornaments, Acanthus leafs |
 |
| An acanthus leaf used in the furniture design |
The style of the period acanthus is sometimes only
by very small details and changes in the shape of the ornament detected
Even in the 16th to 19th century,
the appearance of the acanthus is not only different in the western stylistic
periods (Baroque, Rococo, Louis styles, Neo-Styles ...) but even from one
country to country. (France, Germany, Netherlands, England ...
Here are some examples of acanthus leaves. Applications for the interior (Wall-panelling)
 |
| Wall-Panelling | Louis XVI Style ornaments , Petit Trianon in Versailles |
 |
| Le Grand Trianon in Versailles |
 |
| Wall-Panelling in The Palace of Versailles |
Drawings: I have studied (1985-1989) for
Ornamental Woodcarver, 4 years at the famous 'Section Sculpture Don Bosco "
in Liège ,Belgium . These are a few drawings
and designs of that school.
Pictures Patrick Damiaens
 |
| https://www.patrickdamiaens.info |
MEMBER OF PEARLS OF CRAFTSMANSHIP
No comments:
Post a Comment