Allegory, the representation of one thing under the image of another. It was mostly confined to human figures, but to aid its comprehension attributes were added. Among the Pagans strength was shown as Hercules with his club; health as a woman with a serpent; rivers were represented as gods with crowns of sedge or rushes; towns as gods or goddesses with mural crowns. Among the Christians, a man holding a lamb, or a shepherd with his flock, was an allegorical representation of Christ the Good Shepherd; the seven cardinal virtues and the seven deadly sins were represented by allegorical figures, and each had its proper attributes.
Alternation, two different forms in succession, or alternating with each other. Figs. [67], [75], and [76].
Anthemion, a radiating ornament with a palmate outline; the honeysuckle ornament of the Greeks.
Attributes, the things assigned to any one. Amongst the Pagans the eagle and thunderbolt to Jupiter, the trident to Neptune, the peacock to Juno, &c. Amongst the Christians the nimbus was the attribute of divinity, saintship, or martyrdom, the lily of chastity, &c.
Balance, equilibrium or counterpoise. In compositions that are not symmetrical the weight of the masses must be alike on either side of a central axis; in those of symmetrical outline with different fillings there must be equality of weight in the fillings. Renaissance ornament affords many admirable examples of balance. See page [46], and Figs. [126] and [131].
Banding, decorating by means of horizontal stripes, mostly filled with ornament. Figs. [116] and [117].
Catenary, the curve formed by a chain hanging from two points. Fig. 27.
Cauliculus, the shoot or stem of a plant forming the volutes under the angles of the abacus, and those in the centre of each face of a Corinthian capital; in modern works this name is mostly confined to the central spirals, the outer ones being called volutes. Figs. [180], [181], [185], [187] and [188].
Checkering, covering a surface with a square pattern like a chess-board, in which the colour or the ornament alternates. The outline is formed by equidistant vertical and horizontal lines crossing one another. Figs. [98] and [99].
Colour, apart from the literal meaning of the word, is a vague technical term to express character and contrast in ornament.