Plate 47. Ionic Order by Andrea Palladio

Leo Baptista Alberti (1398-1472), a Florentine architect, was one of the first who endeavored to apply the forms and combinations of the old monuments to newer structures. He was followed in the sixteenth century by the so-called later masters, who, after studying the Roman works, formed their own rules for the orders. As already done with the Doric and Tuscan orders, we present in the following five plates the Ionic orders of the most celebrated of these masters. By comparing them with the foregoing plates, one will soon recognize them as a sober imitation of Roman architecture, but without a consideration of the scale, be the order 15 feet or 51 feet high, although Vitruvius had already given sound advice which which will be considered at Plate 88.

On Plate 47 is represented the Ionic order by Palladio. Of the five orders which he has left us, we find that this example is the most worthy. The entablature is to be considered as an imitation of that shown on Plate 46, but with an unfavorable departure in the cornice. The modillions and members under are too heavy in comparison with the other parts. The decorative connection of the volutes on the column capital is hidden by the excessively projecting egg and dart echinus. The latter also cuts into the volute in an unpleasing manner. The construction of the volute winding is shown on Plate 51. The impost is heavy in comparison with the capital of the column and other principal parts.