The Akanthos Leaf, &c.

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and varied application is due to the ornamental possibilities and
beautiful serration of its leaves. It grows wild in the South of
Europe, but in more northern latitudes is only found in our botanical
gardens. There are many varieties of the plant, of which we may
mention the following: Akanthos mollis, with broad, blunt tips to
the leaves; Akanthos spinosus, with pointed lobes terminating in
spines, and comparatively narrow leaves. The conception and treat-
ment of the margin and shape of the leaf, is the principal characteristic
of the different styles. The Greek foliage has pointed leaf- edges; in
the Roman style, the tips of the leaves become rounder, broader, to
some extent with more vigorous curves; the Byzantine and Roma-
nesque styles, again, return to stiffer, less delicate forms. The Gothio
style, which used the foreign Akanthos 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 foliage:
in both cases the general conception is more or less naturalistic, but
the details are usually idealised beyond recognition. The Renascence,
which revived Antique ornament, developed the Akanthos, and parti-
cularly the Tendril, to the highest degree of perfection; in the follow-
ing styles formalism degenerates in this direction. Modern ornamental
art seeks its models in almost every style; and its creations have
generally no pronounced, specifically Modern character.
Plate 21. The Akanthos, and Artificial Leap.
1. Leaf of Akanthos Mollis, (Jacobsthal).
2. Akanthos calyx, the leaves and flower of Akanthos Mollis, natura-
listically treated, (Jacobsthal).
3. Leaf of Akanthos Mollis, (Raguenet).
4. Leaf of Akanthos Spinosus, (Gewerbehalle).
5. Cup, corona of a Greek Stele, (Raguenet).
6. Overlap of leaf, Roman candelabrum, Vatican.
7. Greek leaf, displayed, (Jacobsthal).
8. Roman leaf. Capital of a column, Pantheon, Rome, the spoon-
like roundings of the points of the leaves, as well as the deep
incisions, are characteristic; and designed to look well at a distance.
Plate 22. The Artificial Leap.
1. Leaf, Roman capital, (Raguenet).
2. Leaf displayed, as it is often used on Roman reliefs, e. g.: so-
mewhat more richly developed, on the so called Florentine Pilaster,
Uffizi, Florence, (Jacobsthal).
8. Byzantine leaf, Sta. Sofia, Constantinople, (Raguenet).
4. Romanesque leaf, St. Denis, (Li6vre).