historiated or figured capital: A capital which is decorated with figures of animals, birds, or humans, used either alone or combined with foliage. The figures need not have any meaning, although they may be symbolic or part of a narrative sequence. Historiated capitals were most commonly used in the Romanesque from the late eleventh to mid-twelfth centuries.
See also capital.
See also other types of capital
Capital from Saint-Benôit-sur-Loire, France
Go to
Main
Glossary Page