HANDBOOK OF THE CLASSICAL TRADITION
Composite
The Composite Capital: Part I
Both the layout for the Composite and the Corinthian capitals share common characteristics. In the Composite capital, however, there is an echinus and astragal set below the abacus.
This elevation of the Composite Capital shows the first stage of drawing the capital, before the leaves and other ornament is added. The capital is viewed looking straight at the convex portion of the capital which is illustrated in the partial plan above the elevation.
The capital is 7/6 D high and is 9/6 from tip to tip of the abacus. The abacus which is 1/6 D high consists of an ovolo, fillet, conge and fascia. In many versions of the Corinthian one finds a large conge at the abacus which is indistinguishable from the fascia. Below the abacus is a cylindrical bell that tapers down to 5/6 D from the lip of the bell. The lip is a beak molding with a thickness of 1/18 or 1/12 D.
Situated below the bell, the astragal can be drawn within a 1/12 D by 1/12 D square. From the outermost point on the square, a dashed line should be drawn to the tip of the abacus. This line defines the boundaries for drawing the acanthus leaves of the capital.
Another set of dashed lines drawn from the outer edge of the bottom of the bell at 45 degrees will give the width of the abacus, previously noted as 9/6 D.
The Composite Capital: Part II
The Composite capital, as its name implies, exhibits both characteristics of the Ionic and Corinthian capitals. The lower 4/6 D of the capital has two rows of acanthus leaves like the Corinthian. Each pair of caulicoli at the second tier of leaves terminates in a small flower or bud which faces each other. The astragal and echinus with its egg and dart sit between the bud and abacus. Three eggs are visible on each side of the capital. Large volutes appear to spring from the top of the echinus and sit under the horn of each abacus. From the bottom of the abacus, the volutes extend down 2/6 D to rest on the second tier of leaves. Sprigs of honeysuckle grow out from the fillet of the volute to fill in the space next to the egg and dart. Between each volute above the echinus is a fleuron which tends to be leafier in character than the Corinthian version.
The Composite Entablature
The Composite entablature has the same general proportions as the Corinthian with D for the architrave, D for the frieze and 1 D for the cornice. The projection of the cornice is also 1 D. Five equal divisions define the elements of the cornice. A cyma recta (cymatium) sits at the top of cornice followed by the corona with its cyma reversa and flat fascia. Cut into the underside of the corona at the drip is a shallow cyma recta which leads into a cyma reversa. A dentil band below the cyma reversa is the most distinguishing feature of this entablature. Each dentil is 1/6 D wide by 1/5 D tall so that the dentils are larger and squatter in appearance than in the Ionic or Corinthian orders. An ovolo sits below the dentils. A conge slopes down into the upper moldings of the architrave. There are two distinct bands below these moldings.
Palladio’s version of the entablature has blocks which are large brackets resembling simplified modillions which take the place of dentils.
The Composite Base
Vignola’s Composite base is very similar to his Corinthian one. The only real difference is that Composite base has one bead separating the two scotias and the Corinthian has two beads. In the Composite base the lower scotia is also slightly bigger than the upper scotia.