Corinthian is the most ornate of the three Greek orders of classical architecture, distinguished by a tall, bell-shaped capital richly carved with acanthus leaves and small corner scrolls known as volutes. The column shaft is slender and usually fluted, and the order is typically finished with an elaborate entablature with a decorated frieze and dentilled cornice.
The Roman writer Vitruvius told the story that the capital was inspired by a basket left on a young girl's grave, around which an acanthus plant had grown. Although Greek in origin, the Corinthian order was taken up most enthusiastically by the Romans and later revived by Renaissance architects, Palladian designers and the Neoclassical movement of the eighteenth century. In Britain it appears on grand porticoes, chimneypieces, door cases and interior pilasters, and it was adapted freely by cabinetmakers, silversmiths and lighting makers. Corinthian columns support candlesticks, lamp bases, clock cases and pier tables, and the motif signals a deliberate reference to classical grandeur. When assessing Corinthian ornament, crisp, well-defined carving or casting of the leaves is a good indication of quality.
