The Composite order is a mixed order, combining the volutes of the Ionic order capital with the acanthus leaves of the Corinthian order.[1] In many versions the composite order volutes are larger, however, and there is generally some ornament placed centrally between the volutes. The column of the composite order is typically ten diameters high, though as with all the orders these details may be adjusted by the architect for particular buildings. The Composite order is essentially treated as Corinthian except for the capital, with no consistent differences to that above or below the capital.
Illustration of the Composite order, made in 1695 and kept in Deutsche Fotothek
The Composite order is not found in ancient Greek architecture and until the Renaissance was not ranked as a separate order. Instead it was considered as an imperial Roman form of the Corinthian order. Though the Arch of Titus, in the forum in Rome and built in 82 AD, is sometimes cited as the first prominent surviving example of a composite order, the order was probably invented "a little before Augustus's reign, and certainly well-developed before his death, the very time when the Roman version of Corinthian was being established."[1]
With the Tuscan order, a simplified version of the Doric order, also found in ancient Roman architecture but not included by Vitruvius in his three orders, the Composite was added by Renaissance writers to make five classical orders. Sebastiano Serlio (1475–1554) published his book I Sette libri dell'architettura in 1537 in which he was the second to mention the Composite order as its own order and not just as an evolution of the Corinthian order as previously suggested by Leon Battista Alberti. Leon Battista Alberti in his De re aedificatoria (English: On the Art of Building) mentions the Composite order, calling it "Italic".[2]
The Composite is partly based on the Ionic order, where the volutes (seen frontally) are joined by an essentially horizontal element across the top of the capital, so that they resemble a scroll partly rolled at each end. Despite this origin, very many Composite capitals in fact treat the two volutes as different elements, each springing from one side of their leafy base. In this, and in having a separate ornament between them, they resemble the Archaic GreekAeolic order, though this seems not to have been the route of their development in early Imperial Rome.
Equally, where the Greek Ionic volute is usually shown from the side as a single unit of unchanged width between the front and back of the column, the Composite volutes are normally treated as four different thinner units, one at each corner of the capital, projecting at some 45° to the façade. This has the advantage of removing the necessity to have a different appearance between the front and side views, and the Ionic eventually developed bending forms that also allowed this.
The treatment of details has often been very variable, with the inclusion of figures, heraldic symbols and the like in the capital. The relationship of the volutes to the leaves has been treated in many different ways, and the capital may be distinctly divided into different horizontal zones, or may treat the whole capital as a single zone. The composite order, due to its delicate appearance, was deemed by the Renaissance to be suitable for the building of churches dedicated to The Virgin Mary or other female saints. In general, it has since been used to suggest richness and grandeur.
ExamplesEdit
Donato Bramante (1444–1514) used the Composite order in the second order of the cloister of Santa Maria della Pace, Rome. For the first order, the Ionic order was used. Francesco Borromini (1599–1667) developed the Composite order in San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, Rome (1638). The interior of the church has 16 Composite columns. The load-bearing columns placed underneath the arches have inverted volutes. This choice was highly criticised at the time, thinking it was a lack of knowledge of the Vittruvian orders that led him to his decision.
The inverted volutes can also be seen in Borromini's Oratorio dei Filippini in the lower order. There the controversy was even higher, considering that Borromini also removed the acanthus leaves, leaving a bare capital.[3]
^ abHenig, Martin (ed.), A Handbook of Roman Art, p. 50, Phaidon, 1983, ISBN0714822140
^Zampa, P. L'ordine composito: alcune considerazioni, 1978, pp. 37–50
^Buonincasa, C. Architettura come dis-identità, 1978
ReferencesEdit
Buonincasa, Carmine (1978). Architettura come dis-identità. Bari: Dedalo librerie.
Zampa, Paola (1993). L'ordine composito: alcune considerazioni. Reggio calabria: Dipartimento Patrimonio Architettonico e Urbanistico.
External linksEdit
Media related to Composite order at Wikimedia Commons
Classical orders and elements
August 28, 2023
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The Composite order is a mixed order combining the volutes of the Ionic order capital with the acanthus leaves of the Corinthian order 1 In many versions the composite order volutes are larger however and there is generally some ornament placed centrally between the volutes The column of the composite order is typically ten diameters high though as with all the orders these details may be adjusted by the architect for particular buildings The Composite order is essentially treated as Corinthian except for the capital with no consistent differences to that above or below the capital Illustration of the Composite order made in 1695 and kept in Deutsche FotothekThe Composite order is not found in ancient Greek architecture and until the Renaissance was not ranked as a separate order Instead it was considered as an imperial Roman form of the Corinthian order Though the Arch of Titus in the forum in Rome and built in 82 AD is sometimes cited as the first prominent surviving example of a composite order the order was probably invented a little before Augustus s reign and certainly well developed before his death the very time when the Roman version of Corinthian was being established 1 With the Tuscan order a simplified version of the Doric order also found in ancient Roman architecture but not included by Vitruvius in his three orders the Composite was added by Renaissance writers to make five classical orders Sebastiano Serlio 1475 1554 published his book I Sette libri dell architettura in 1537 in which he was the second to mention the Composite order as its own order and not just as an evolution of the Corinthian order as previously suggested by Leon Battista Alberti Leon Battista Alberti in his De re aedificatoria English On the Art of Building mentions the Composite order calling it Italic 2 Contents 1 Form of the capital 2 Examples 3 Gallery 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksForm of the capital Edit The Five Orders illustrated by Vignola 1641The Composite is partly based on the Ionic order where the volutes seen frontally are joined by an essentially horizontal element across the top of the capital so that they resemble a scroll partly rolled at each end Despite this origin very many Composite capitals in fact treat the two volutes as different elements each springing from one side of their leafy base In this and in having a separate ornament between them they resemble the Archaic Greek Aeolic order though this seems not to have been the route of their development in early Imperial Rome Equally where the Greek Ionic volute is usually shown from the side as a single unit of unchanged width between the front and back of the column the Composite volutes are normally treated as four different thinner units one at each corner of the capital projecting at some 45 to the facade This has the advantage of removing the necessity to have a different appearance between the front and side views and the Ionic eventually developed bending forms that also allowed this The treatment of details has often been very variable with the inclusion of figures heraldic symbols and the like in the capital The relationship of the volutes to the leaves has been treated in many different ways and the capital may be distinctly divided into different horizontal zones or may treat the whole capital as a single zone The composite order due to its delicate appearance was deemed by the Renaissance to be suitable for the building of churches dedicated to The Virgin Mary or other female saints In general it has since been used to suggest richness and grandeur Examples EditDonato Bramante 1444 1514 used the Composite order in the second order of the cloister of Santa Maria della Pace Rome For the first order the Ionic order was used Francesco Borromini 1599 1667 developed the Composite order in San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane Rome 1638 The interior of the church has 16 Composite columns The load bearing columns placed underneath the arches have inverted volutes This choice was highly criticised at the time thinking it was a lack of knowledge of the Vittruvian orders that led him to his decision The inverted volutes can also be seen in Borromini s Oratorio dei Filippini in the lower order There the controversy was even higher considering that Borromini also removed the acanthus leaves leaving a bare capital 3 RomanArch of Titus Rome Arch of Septimius Severus Rome Santa Costanza Rome interior mid 4th centuryModernOspedale degli Innocenti Florence 1421 Filippo Brunelleschi Palazzo Valmarana Vicenza 1565 Andrea Palladio Palazzo del Capitaniato Vicenza 1571 1572 Andrea Palladio Lescot Wing Louvre Palace Paris Church of the Gesu Rome Easton Neston England c 1700 Palazzo Madama Turin c 1720 Filippo Juvarra Archbasilica of St John Lateran Somerset House London 1776 William Chambers Narva Triumphal Arch Saint Petersburg 1814 Ethnographic Museum former Palace of Justice Budapest Alabama Governor s Mansion 1907Gallery Edit Unlike the Composite capital this Ionic capital has a different appearance from the front and sides Roman capital in Ostia Antica a large archaeological site close to the modern town of Ostia in Italy Remains of the capital of a Roman Composite column in Ephesus in present day coastal Turkey Late Roman Byzantine capital at the Euphrasian Basilica 10th century Islamic Composite capital with Arabic inscribed abacus probably from Medina Azahara in the Umayyad Caliphate of Cordoba Metropolitan Museum of Art Palazzo Capitaniato from Vicenza Italy by Andrea Palladio Rococo capital in the Engelszell Abbey from Austria 1754 1764 Illustration of the Composite order that shows the column and the proportion of the column in relation to the diameter of the base of the shaft Composite pilasters on a facade of the Galerie de Valois from Paris Composite columns of a bookshelf from Bibliotheque Mazarine Paris Composite capital in the former Palace of Justice Budapest Hungary Capital of a column from Cărturești Carusel Bucharest Romania Notes Edit a b Henig Martin ed A Handbook of Roman Art p 50 Phaidon 1983 ISBN 0714822140 Zampa P L ordine composito alcune considerazioni 1978 pp 37 50 Buonincasa C Architettura come dis identita 1978References EditBuonincasa Carmine 1978 Architettura come dis identita Bari Dedalo librerie Zampa Paola 1993 L ordine composito alcune considerazioni Reggio calabria Dipartimento Patrimonio Architettonico e Urbanistico External links Edit Media related to Composite order at Wikimedia Commons Classical orders and elements Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Composite order amp oldid 1170189650, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
