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French

Romanesque Capital, early 1100s

Description

Maker

  • Unknown

Culture

French

Title

Romanesque Capital

Year

early 1100s

Medium

Limestone

Materials/Techniques

Materials

  • limestone

Dimensions

52.1 x 55.9 cm (20 1/2 x 22 inches)

Type

  • Sculpture

Credit

Museum Appropriation Fund

Object Number

40.166

About

This capital is carved on only three sides. It was made for the top of a column that was embedded in a wall. Its decorative components are predominantly elements of foliage, derived from capitals of the Corinthian type. Its simplified acanthus leaves are arranged in two layers, the lower of which forms a smooth collar. The surging leaf-forms of the second tier support curved volutes that in turn carry a flat tablet. A medieval twist to this classical format may be seen in the three carved heads that emerge from the pairs of upright leaves. The faces of two young men peer from the sides, while the front is dominated by a larger, bearded head with wide, deeply drilled eyes. Human figures sometimes served a symbolic or narrative purpose on church capitals, but these heads give no indication of specific meaning and may merely serve to enliven the sculptural decoration.

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Projects & Publications

Publications

The Renaissance of the Twelfth Century

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Renaissance of the Twelfth Century

May 8 - June 22, 1969

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Romanesque Capital with the accession number of 40.166. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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