Festoon

A festoon (from French feston, Italian festone, from a Late Latin festo, originally a festal garland, Latin festum, feast) is a wreath or garland hanging from two points, and in architecture typically a carved ornament depicting conventional arrangement of flowers, foliage or fruit bound together and suspended by ribbons.[1] The motif is sometimes known as a swag when depicting fabric or linen.[2][3]

For other uses, see Festoon (disambiguation).
Architectural festoon from the Panthéon in Paris
Corbel decorated with a festoon, photographed from different angles, in Bucharest (Romania)

In modern English the verb forms, especially "festooned with", are often used very loosely or figuratively to mean having any type of fancy decoration or covering.

Origins and design

Its origin is probably due to the representation in stone of the garlands of natural flowers, etc., which were hung up over an entrance doorway on fête days, or suspended around an altar.[1][3]

The design was largely employed both by the Ancient Greeks and Romans and formed the principal decoration of altars, friezes and panels.[3] The ends of the ribbons are sometimes formed into bows or twisted curves; when in addition a group of foliage or flowers is suspended, it is called a drop or margent.[1]

The motif was later used in Neoclassical architecture and decorative arts, especially ceramics and the work of silversmiths. Variations on the exact design are plentiful; for example, the ribbons can be suspended either from a decorated knot, or held in the mouths of lions, or suspended across the tops of bucrania as in the Temple of Vesta at Tivoli.

  • Detail of the Hellenistic mosaic floor panel, from the 2nd century BC, in the Pergamon Museum (Berlin, Germany)
    Detail of the Hellenistic mosaic floor panel, from the 2nd century BC, in the Pergamon Museum (Berlin, Germany)
  • Trompe-l'œil wall painting from a Roman villa, with festoons and bucrania, circa 50-40 BC, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City)
    Trompe-l'œil wall painting from a Roman villa, with festoons and bucrania, circa 50-40 BC, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City)
  • Frieze with festoons and bucrania, in the Ephesus Archaeological Museum (Selçuk, Turkey)
    Frieze with festoons and bucrania, in the Ephesus Archaeological Museum (Selçuk, Turkey)
  • Highly decorated Roman sarcophagus, with two festoons, circa 130-125 BC, in the Louvre
    Highly decorated Roman sarcophagus, with two festoons, circa 130-125 BC, in the Louvre
  • Large wrought iron festoon, possibly from mid 18th century France
    Large wrought iron festoon, possibly from mid 18th century France
  • Pair of festoons hanged in the mouth of a lion, above a door from Paris
    Pair of festoons hanged in the mouth of a lion, above a door from Paris
  • Pair of festoons at the entrance of the Église Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis (Paris)
    Pair of festoons at the entrance of the Église Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis (Paris)
  • Two etchings of two designs of festoons, from 1694, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
    Two etchings of two designs of festoons, from 1694, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • Design for a frieze with wreath and festoons, from the 18th century, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
    Design for a frieze with wreath and festoons, from the 18th century, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • Hard-paste porcelain teapot with reliefs of festoons, 1720–1727, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
    Hard-paste porcelain teapot with reliefs of festoons, 1720–1727, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • French gilt bronze festoon, 18th century, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
    French gilt bronze festoon, 18th century, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • Cupid seated on a festoon made of flowers, circa 1770-1790, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
    Cupid seated on a festoon made of flowers, circa 1770-1790, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • Festoons painted on the ceiling of room 644 of the Louvre
    Festoons painted on the ceiling of room 644 of the Louvre
  • Stuccos with festoons in a house from Bucharest
    Stuccos with festoons in a house from Bucharest
  • Door in Bucharest, decorated with a pair of swags in its upper parts
    Door in Bucharest, decorated with a pair of swags in its upper parts
  • Capital with an angel who holds a festoon with his wings, in Stiftskirche Mariae Himmelfahrt in Schlägl (Austria)
    Capital with an angel who holds a festoon with his wings, in Stiftskirche Mariae Himmelfahrt in Schlägl (Austria)

See also

References
  1. Chisholm 1911.
  2. Fleming, John; Honour, Hugh; Pevsner, Nikolaus (1986) [1966]. Dictionary of Architecture (3 ed.). Penguin Books Ltd. p. 114. ISBN 0-14-051013-3.
  3. Sturgis, pp. 22-23

Attribution:

Further reading
  • Lewis, Philippa; G. Darley (1986). Dictionary of Ornament. New York: Pantheon. ISBN 0-394-50931-5.
  • Sturgis, Russell (1901). A Dictionary of Architecture and Building, Volume II. New York: Macmillan.
  • The dictionary definition of festoon at Wiktionary
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