Counterfort, Arch. A buttress.
Counterpoint, Music. The art of combining melodies, or rather of adding to a melody harmonious parts. Double Counterpoint is “a kind of artificial composition, where the parts are inverted in such a manner that the uppermost becomes the lowermost, and vice versâ.” (See Stainer and Barrett, Dic. of Musical Terms.)
Counter-proof. An impression of an engraving printed from a wet proof.
Counter-seal or Secretum. A seal on the reverse or back of another seal. Early seals were generally impressed on both sides.
Countess, Arch. A roofing slate, 20 inches by 10 inches.
Couped, Her. Cut off smoothly. The reverse of erased.
Coupled (columns), Gen. Two columns are said to be coupled when they are placed quite close to each other without touching. Coupled heads is the term applied to two heads placed back to back upon the same pedestal or the same trunk. Many pedestals ornamented with Hermæ (q.v.) are surmounted by coupled heads.
Courant, Her. Running.
Course, Arch. One range, or stratum, of bricks, stones, or other material in the construction of a wall.
Court Cards. The king, queen, and knave of a suit. They were originally named in France; e. g. the four kings were Charlemagne, Cæsar, Alexander, and David; the four queens, Judith, Rachel, Argine, and Pallas; and the valets, Lahire, Hector, Lancelot, and Hogier. Of these the kings were said to represent the four ancient monarchies of the Jews, Greeks, Romans, and Franks; and the queens, wisdom, birth, beauty, and fortitude. (Taylor.) (See Chatrang.)