Antique roman acanthus leaf Patrick Damiaens Ornamental Woodcarver The Acanthus Leaf Acanthus leaf carved in wood A blog entry from this site: https://www.patrickdamiaens.info 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