Medallion_(architecture)

Medallion (architecture)

Medallion (architecture)

Round or oval decoration used in architecture

Not to be confused with Modillion or medaillon.

A medallion is a round or oval ornament[1] that frames a sculptural or pictorial decoration in any context, but typically a façade, an interior, a monument, or a piece of furniture or equipment.

Roman medallion or imago clipeata on the Arch of Augustus, Rimini, Italy, 27 BC

Ancient Roman round versions are called an imago clipeata, from the clipeus or Roman round shield.

This was a popular form of decoration in neoclassical architecture. The frame and portrait were carved as one, in marble for interiors, and in stone for exterior walls.

It is also the name of a scene that is inset into a larger stained glass window.

The following gallery shows how medallions changed over time, from style to style, and how decorated or simple they were. Sometimes they were one of the key ornaments of a style, like the Louis XVI style of the 18th century and the Beaux Arts architecture of the Belle Époque. They also came in different shapes, not just circles and ovals. Many Art Deco medallions are octagonal, showing the use of angular and stylized shapes that characterize the style, inspired by Cubism. They also had different reliefs inside over time. For example, some medieval Moldavian churches are decorated with colourful medallions that feature animals and mythological creatures, while many oval Neoclassical ones feature profiles, inspired by Roman cameos.

See also

References

  1. [1]
    Mish, Frederick C., ed. (2003). Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th ed.). Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster. ISBN 0-87779-808-7. See definition 2.
  2. [2]
    Smith, David Michael (2017). Pocket Museum - Ancient Greece. Thames & Hudson. p. 217. ISBN 978-0-500-51958-5.
  3. [3]
    Eastmond, Anthony (2013). The Glory of Byzantium and early Christendom. Phaidon. p. 28. ISBN 978-0-7148-4810-5.
  4. [4]
    Eastmond, Anthony (2013). The Glory of Byzantium and early Christendom. Phaidon. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-7148-4810-5.
  5. [5]
    Eastmond, Anthony (2013). The Glory of Byzantium and early Christendom. Phaidon. p. 204. ISBN 978-0-7148-4810-5.
  6. [6]
    Eastmond, Anthony (2013). The Glory of Byzantium and early Christendom. Phaidon. p. 210. ISBN 978-0-7148-4810-5.
  7. [7]
    Bresc-Bautier, Geneviève (2008). The Louvre, a Tale of a Palace. Musée du Louvre Éditions. p. 122. ISBN 978-2-7572-0177-0.
  8. [8]
    Bresc-Bautier, Geneviève (2008). The Louvre, a Tale of a Palace. Musée du Louvre Éditions. p. 28. ISBN 978-2-7572-0177-0.
  9. [9]
    artic.edu https://www.artic.edu/artworks/68769/londonderry-vase. Retrieved 19 June 2023. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. [10]
    "Immeuble en bordure du Palais-Royal, restaurant Le Grand Véfour". pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  11. [11]
    "Boulangerie". pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  12. [12]
    Marinache, Oana (2015). Ernest Donaud - visul liniei (in Romanian). Editura Istoria Artei. p. 79. ISBN 978-606-94042-8-7.
  13. [13]
    Criticos, Mihaela (2009). Art Deco sau Modernismul Bine Temperat - Art Deco or Well-Tempered Modernism (in Romanian and English). SIMETRIA. p. 44. ISBN 978-973-1872-03-2.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Medaillons.


Stub icon

This architectural element–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Medallion_(architecture), and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.