DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42778#0093
MATERIALS AND MODES OF CONSTRUCTION. 49
that the composite capital originated in the desire to give a richer
effect to the capitals of the Ionic order. The composite capitals
of the Colosseum are plain, and the leaves are left quite smooth.
In those of the Arches of Titus, Septimius Severus, of a capital
from the Forum of Trajan (Plate XXV), and of the Thermae of
Diocletian, the upper fillet of the volute is raised into the cavetto
moulding of the abacus, and is carried through horizontally1; a
similar treatment exists in every Roman composite capital, of
which there are many examples still existing in the museums and
churches of Rome.2
The Superposed Orders.
The combination of the arcade as a constructive feature with
the orders employed as a wall decoration, and the superposition of
the orders, may be taken to constitute that which virtually became
a new Roman order, inasmuch as in the earlier examples there seems
to have been a definite proportion both in the intercolumniation of
the shafts and the relative proportion of the orders superposed.
Thus in the Tabularium the distance from centre to centre of column
is five diameters, and five and a quarter in the Theatre of Marcellus
and in that of Pompey. In the Basilica Julia it was five and a half.
In the lower or Doric order of the Theatre of Marcellus (Plate
XIX) the columns are eight diameters high, and taper by one-
seventh of the lower diameter at the top, and this becomes the lower
diameter of the Ionic column above, of which the height is nine
diameters.
The upper storey has gone, so that it is not possible to trace the
principle further. In the Colosseum, where there are three super-
posed orders, the proportions are defective ; and the mouldings
which, in the Theatre of Marcellus and the Tabularium, still pre-
served some Greek character, in the Colosseum become portions
of circles, and of a very commonplace type. This suggests that the
architect confined his attention to the general design of the plan,
and left the details to his subordinates. The distance from centre
1 In many of the published drawings the volutes are represented as dying
into the echinus, and in the interpretation of the capital by the Italian masters
and as executed at the present day the origin and meaning of the upper fillet
as the junction of the volutes is entirely lost, as each volute is made a separate
feature tucked in on the top of the echinus.
2 For the Byzantine composite capital, see Rivoira, Lombardic Architec-
ture, i, 16. We may also notice the spread of the use of figured capitals which
is found at Pompeii and doubtless goes back to the Hellenistic period.
that the composite capital originated in the desire to give a richer
effect to the capitals of the Ionic order. The composite capitals
of the Colosseum are plain, and the leaves are left quite smooth.
In those of the Arches of Titus, Septimius Severus, of a capital
from the Forum of Trajan (Plate XXV), and of the Thermae of
Diocletian, the upper fillet of the volute is raised into the cavetto
moulding of the abacus, and is carried through horizontally1; a
similar treatment exists in every Roman composite capital, of
which there are many examples still existing in the museums and
churches of Rome.2
The Superposed Orders.
The combination of the arcade as a constructive feature with
the orders employed as a wall decoration, and the superposition of
the orders, may be taken to constitute that which virtually became
a new Roman order, inasmuch as in the earlier examples there seems
to have been a definite proportion both in the intercolumniation of
the shafts and the relative proportion of the orders superposed.
Thus in the Tabularium the distance from centre to centre of column
is five diameters, and five and a quarter in the Theatre of Marcellus
and in that of Pompey. In the Basilica Julia it was five and a half.
In the lower or Doric order of the Theatre of Marcellus (Plate
XIX) the columns are eight diameters high, and taper by one-
seventh of the lower diameter at the top, and this becomes the lower
diameter of the Ionic column above, of which the height is nine
diameters.
The upper storey has gone, so that it is not possible to trace the
principle further. In the Colosseum, where there are three super-
posed orders, the proportions are defective ; and the mouldings
which, in the Theatre of Marcellus and the Tabularium, still pre-
served some Greek character, in the Colosseum become portions
of circles, and of a very commonplace type. This suggests that the
architect confined his attention to the general design of the plan,
and left the details to his subordinates. The distance from centre
1 In many of the published drawings the volutes are represented as dying
into the echinus, and in the interpretation of the capital by the Italian masters
and as executed at the present day the origin and meaning of the upper fillet
as the junction of the volutes is entirely lost, as each volute is made a separate
feature tucked in on the top of the echinus.
2 For the Byzantine composite capital, see Rivoira, Lombardic Architec-
ture, i, 16. We may also notice the spread of the use of figured capitals which
is found at Pompeii and doubtless goes back to the Hellenistic period.