DK Ching VD - Ornament

ornament

an accessory, article, or detail that lends grace or beauty to something to which it is added or of which it is an integral part

pictograph

a pictorial sign or symbol

graffito

an ancient drawing or writing scratched on stone, plaster, or other hard surface

sgraffito

decoration produced by cutting or scratching through a surface layer of paint or plaster to reveal a ground of contrasting color

mosaic

a picture or decorative pattern made by inlaying small, usually colored pieces of tile, enamel, or glass in mortar

tessera

one of the small pieces of colored marble, glass, or tile used in mosaic work

smalto

colored glass or enamel, esp. in the form of minute squares, used in mosaic work

Cosmati work

a decorative mosaic technique for architectural surfaces developed by Roman architects; balancing intricate geometric patterns of colored stones and glass with smooth areas of plain stone disks and strips

relief

the projection of a figure or form from the flat background on which it is formed

cavo-relievo

sculptural relief in which the highest points of the modeled forms are below or level with the original surface; also called "sunk relief"

altro-relievo

sculptural relief in which the modeled forms project from the background by at least half their depth; also called "high relief"

mezzo-relievo

sculptural relief intermediate between high relief and bas-relief; also called "demirelief", "half-relief"

bas-relief

sculptural relief that projects very slightly from the background; also called "low relief"

anaglyph

an ornament carved or embossed in low relief

mural

a large picture painted on or applied directly to a wall or ceiling surface

fresco

the art or technique of painting on a freshly spread, moist plaster surface with pigments ground up in water or a limewater mixture

opus sectile

any mosaic of regularly cut material

opus Alexandrium

a form of opus sectile having a geometric pattern formed with few colors, such as black and white, or dark green and red

opus reticulatum

an ancient Roman masonry wall faced with small pyramidal stones set diagonally with their square bases forming a netlike pattern

opus vermiculatum

a mosaic of tessera arranged in waving lines resembling the form or tracks of a worm

Florentine mosaic

a mosaic made by inlaying fine, delicately colored stones into a white or black marble surface

applique

a decoration or ornament made by cutting out a design and fastening it to a larger piece of material

inlay

to decorate by setting pieces of wood, ivory, or the like into a surface, usually at the same levl

emboss

to raise, mold, or carve a surface design in a relief

engrave

to carve, cut, or etch designs on a hard surfaces as that of metal, stone, or the end grain of wood

intaglio

a figure or design incised into the surface of a stone or metal plate so that an impression yields a figure in relief

openwork

ornamental or structural work having a latticework nature or showing openings through its substance

filigree

ornamental openwork of delicate or intricate design

grotesque

a decorative style characterized by the fantastic shaping and combining of incongruous human and animal forms with foliage or similar figures, often distorting the natural into caricature or absurdity

antic

a grotesque sculpture of animal, human, or foliated forms such as a gargoyle

mask

an often grotesque representation of a head or face, used as an architectural ornament

griffe

an ornament projecting from the round base of a column toward a corner of a square or polygonal plinth; also called a "spur"

ballflower

a medieval English ornament suggesting a flower of three or four petals enclosing and partially concealing a ball

Latin cross

a cross having an upright or vertical shaft crossed near the top by a shorter horizontal bar

Celtic cross

a cross shaped like a Latin cross and having a ring about the intersection of the shaft and crossbar

Greek cross

a cross consisting of an upright crossed in the middle by a horizontal of the same length

Jerusalem cross

a cross whose four arms each terminate in a crossbar, often with a small Greek cross centered in each quadrant

Maltese cross

a cross formee having the outer face of each arm indented in a V

cross formee

a cross having arms of equal length, each expanding outward from the center

pastiche

an artistic composition consisting of forms or motifs borrowed from different sources

postiche

artificial, counterfeit, or false, as of an architectural ornament that is added superfluously or inappropriately

Star of David

a hexagram used as a symbol of Judaism

hexagram

a six-pointed starlike figure, formed by extending each of the sides of a regular hexagon into equilateral triangles

aureole

a circle of light or radiance surrounding the head or body in the representation of a sacred personage

vesica piscis

an elliptical, pointed figure used esp. in early Christian art as an emblem of Christ; also called "mandorla"

Chi-Rho

a Christian monogram and symbol formed by superimposing the first two letters of the Greek work for Christ; also called "chrismon"

table

a raised or sunken rectangular panel on a wall, distinctively treated or ornamented with inscriptions, painting, or sculpture

tablet

a flat slab or plaque having a surface suitable for or bearing an inscription, carving, or the like

medallion

a usually oval or circular tablet, often bearing a figure or ornament in relief

cartouche

an oval or oblong, slightly convex surface, usually surrounded with ornamental scrollwork, for receiving a painted or low-relief decoration

motif

a distinctive and recurring shape, form, or color in a design

checker

to mark or decorate with a squared pattern [A]

reticulate

resembling or covered with a network of regularly intersecting lines [B]

diaper

a pattern of small, repeated figures connecting or growing out of one another, originally used in the Middle Ages in weaving silk and gold [C]

imbrication

a pattern or design resembling the regular overlapping of tiles or shingles [D]

herringbone

a pattern consisting of rows of short, parallel lines that, in any two adjacent rows, slant in opposite directions, used in masonry, parquetry, and weaving [E]

chevron

a V-shaped pattern used in heraldry and as ornamentation [F]

dancette

an ornamental zigzag, as in a moulding [G]

fret

a decorative design contained within a band or border, consisting of repeated, often geometric figures; also called "key pattern" [H]

meander

a running ornament consisting of an intricate variety of fret or fretwork

guilloche

an ornamental border formed of two or more interlaced bands around a series of circular voids

dentil band

a molding occupying the position of a row of dentils, and often carved to resemble one [B]

Venetian dentil

any of a series of small rectangular blocks alternating with sloping surfaces on an archivolt or molding [C]

scroll

an ornament having a spiral or convoluted form resembling a partly or loosely rolled parchment

Vitruvian scroll

a series of scrolls forming a stylized wave pattern; also called "wave scroll" [D]

banderole

a sculptured band resembling a long ribbon or scroll, adapted to receive an inscription [E]

strapwork

ornamentation composed of folded, crossed, and interlaced bands, sometimes cut with foliations [F]

foliated

ornamented with foils or representations of foliage

wreath

a decorative band or garland of flowers, foliage, or other ornamental material

festoon

a decorative representation of a string or garland of flowers, foliage, ribbon, or the like, suspended in a curve between two point

fleur-de-lis

a stylized three-petaled iris flower tied by an encircling band, used as the heraldic bearing of the royal family of France

lotus

a representation of various aquatic plants in the water lily family, used as a decorative motif in ancient Egyptian and Hindu art and architecture

anthemion

an ornament of honeysuckle or palm leaves in a radiating cluster; also called "honeysuckle ornament"

palmette

a stylized palm leaf shape used as a decorative element in classical art and architecture

rosette

an ornament having a generally circular combination of parts resembling a flower or plant

dogtooth

any of a series of closely spaced, pyramidal ornaments, formed by sculptured leaves radiating from a raised center, used esp. in early English Gothic architecture

arabesque

a complex and ornate design that employs flowers, foliage, and sometimes animal and geometric figures to produce an intricate pattern of interlaced lines

calf's-tongue

a molding having pendant, tonguelike elements carved in relief against a flat or curved surface

scallop

any of a series of curved projections forming an ornamental border

purfle

to decorate a shrine or tabernacle with miniature architectural forms so as to produce a lacy effect

molding

any of various long, narrow, ornamental surfaces with uniform cross sections and a profile shaped to produce modulations of light, shade, and shadow; by extension, the term now refers to a slender strip of wood or other material having such a surface and used for ornamentation and finishing

half round

a molding having a semicircular cross section [M]

profile

an outline of an object formed on a vertical plane passed through the object at right angles to one of its principal horizontal dimensions

quarter round

a convex molding whose section is a quarter circle [L]

ovolo

a convex molding having a profile approximating a quarter section of a circle or ellipse [K]

boltel

a convex, rounded molding [J]

gardroon

a convex molding elaborately carved with reeding or indented with notches [I]

Aaron's rod

a convex molding having pointed leaves or scrollwork emerging at regular intervals [L]

cable molding

a convex molding having the form of a rope [K]

bead

a small convex molding usually having a continuous cylindrical surface [J]

astragal

a small convex molding usually semicircular in section [I]

baguette

a small convex molding of semicircular section, smaller than an astragal

bead and reel

a convex molding having the form of disks alternating with spherical or elongated beads [H]

pearl molding

a molding having the form of a row of pearls or beads; also called "bead molding", "Paternoster" [G]

reeding

a parallel set of small convex moldings for ornamenting a plane or curved surface [F]

arris

a sharp edge or ridge formed by two surfaces meeting at an exterior angle; also called "piend" [A]

bullnose

a rounded or obtuse exterior angle [B]

splay

a surface that makes an oblique angle with another [C]

fillet

a narrow flat molding or area, raised or sunk to separate larger moldings or areas; also called "list" [D]

billet

any of a series of closely spaced cylindrical forms ornamenting a hollow molding or cornice [E]