The Origin of the Corinthian Capital

Abstract

The only member of the Corinthian column that differentiates it from the Ionic column is the capital, which may be regarded primarily as a special example among the numerous variations of the volute capital.1 Ferd. Noack,2 emphasizing the continuity of Greek art, regards the Corinthian capital, like the Ionic, as a development out of the old Aeolic capital and illustrates his view by describing how, he thinks, the anta capital from Megara Hyblea (Fig. 2) developed from the Aeolic type (Fig. 1).3 His description of the process of development consists of beautiful imagery.