Egg-and-dart is an ornamental device often carved in wood, stone, or plaster quarter-round ovolo mouldings, consisting of an egg-shaped object alternating with an element shaped like an arrow, anchor or dart. Egg-and-dart enrichment of the ovolo molding of the Ionic capital is found in Ancient Greek architecture at the Erechtheion and was used by the Romans. This design motif has been common in the classical architecture of Europe since the Renaissance.---- Wikipedia
Egg and Dart
From Meyer’s Ornament
Some of you might know that I love to travel. My traveling started when I was a child and I didn’t even have to leave home. As a child and to this day I am an avid reader. Through reading I have traveled to many places in the world. When I was in grade school one of my favorite subjects was Geography. While I was in college I took an Art Appreciation class during the summer in the early 1980s. In that class I learned about many types of architecture. That is where I learned about Ionic, Doric, and Corinthian groups along with egg and dart decoration.
A little over twenty years ago I started flying around the world to see and experience the places I had read about. This year I will be going to Egypt. Besides reading I also like to take pictures, lots and lots and lots of pictures. I am so glad we now have digital. The subjects I tend to photograph are flowers, pavements, doors, and architecture. So I went through some of the many pictures I had taken in 2007 and 2008 while I was in Europe. In these four pictures egg and dart is present in the often decorative architecture. Click on the pictures for more detail.
At the Vatican in Italy
egg and dart in the upper right corner
Door Archway in Arles, France
Double row of egg and dart above the main figures
Double row of egg and dart above the main figures
The chateau of Chantilly, France
Doorway in Paris, France
