Pilasters

Pilasters can best be described as rectangular versions of columns attached to a wall. Chambers describes them as being proportioned and decorated in the same manner with the columns and differ from columns in their plan only; wihich is square, as that of the column is round. Their bases, capitals and entablatures, have the same parts, with all the same heights and projections, as those of columns, and they are distinguished in the same manner, by the names of Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Composite, and Corinthian.

In this chapter, I will:

Adapt the Tuscan Order profiles to form a pilaster order comprising pedestal, column & entablature
Show different ways to overcome the problem of handling the Ionic, Corinthian ∓ Composite capitals when transitioning to the square form of the pilaster from the round form of the column
and, Explain using the pedestal & entablature profiles to add classical elements to an existing wall or building (and how to handle repeating elements like the dentils of the entablature)

Some Notes on Pilasters

Before we get started, there are just a few areas I want to cover about how pilasters differ from columns, and some issues they cause and possible solutions.

Applying Diminution to Pilasters

On the question of Pilasters, there seems to be a great deal of disagreement on whether Pilasters should be diminished like Columns, or left undiminished with the Capitals enlarged accordingly.

Chambers notes that Scamozzi always gave to his pilasters the same diminution as to his columns, and mentions Inigo Jones doing so at the Banqueting House as well, while at the same time noting that Palladio, Vignola, Inigo Jones, and many of the greatest architects executed Pilasters without any diminution. He concludes by saying Nevertheless it is certain that diminished pilasters are on many accounts much preferable.

Batty Langley perhaps gave the simplest statement: when pilasters are used with columns, their shafts must have the same diminution as the columns, but when they are used alone, they should not be diminished.

What he doesn’t say, however, is whether they should be diminished both in depth as well as in width. Perrault (who agrees with Chambers on this in general) adds that when they are in line with columns we must give the pilaster the same diminution as the column, but this applies only to its front face, since the sides are left without diminution, as they are on the Temples of Antoninus and of Faustina. What he refers to is described by Desgodets: The Pilaster on the outward face does not diminish like the Columns, being full two modules in width at the fillet immediately under the Capital, but the side which faced the Columns was diminished like the columns, in order to support duly the Architrave which passed over both the Columns and the Pilasters..

Therefore, the steps below will assume that diminution is applied to the pilaster only on the front view (by which I mean when looked at from the front, the sides will diminish upwards, but when looked at from the side, the pilaster will project an equal amount from the wall all the way up the shaft).

Entasis & Pilasters

With regard to entasis, while there is disagreement about Diminution, I can’t find any specific references to Entasis ever being applied to Pilasters by any authority I have consulted.

However, there are two references that might be presumed to indicate it should by applied. The first is where Chambers refers to Pilasters as being proportioned and decorated in the same manner with the columns, and pilasters differ from columns in their plan only, which is square, as that of the column is round. And, the second is the quote above by Langley, which could indicate pilasters used with columns should have entasis applied to completely match the look of columns. However, in both instances the authorities don’t specifically mention entasis anywhere, so I am not certain this would apply. However, a problem with this is Chambers certainly does not use the word entasis, only diminution, so when he mentions diminution he could also be referring to the curve not just the diminishing diameter.

However, as there is no solid evidence (and it does not seem logical to apply it to a surface placed against a flat wall), the steps below will assume that Entasis will not be applied, only diminution.

Projection of Pilasters

Whether Pilasters are diminished or not, there is the question of how far they project out from the wall. This seems to be determined not only by the Authority you follow, but also the use and placement of the Pilasters.

Chambers, Le Clerc, Perrault, & Ware all go into detail regarding the handling of pilsters, so for more information you can read these or the authority of your choice.

Just note, that for the sake of the examples below, I am assuming the Pilaster will project 1/4 of the lower diameter following Chambers, who remarks they should project one quarter of their diameter beyond the walls, as Scamozzi teaches.

The Tuscan Pilaster Order

As quoted above, Chambers notes that Pilasters differ from columns in their plan only, which is square, as that of the column is round. Their bases, capitals and entablatures, have the same parts, with all the same heights and projections, as those of columns. As a result, the profiles used for the columns will serve as the basis for generating the pilaster order profiles, so the below instructions assume all the profiles needed to make the column order have already been created.

The steps in forming the pilaster order will differ from that of the column, as the pilaster itself will be created first, then the pedestal and entablature. The reason for this is that both of the latter can be used in a linear running fashion along a wall, while the pilaster, though attached to the wall, is still a separate element. Indeed, where the pedestal and entablature are concerned, the pilaster itself can simply be thought of as a forward break in the wall, which is exactly how the cores of both elements will be created.

Creating the Pilaster Profiles

The Pilaster Shaft Profiles

Two profiles will be created for the pilaster shaft in order to take into account the issue of diminution that gets applied here.

Therefore the pilaster shaft needs to have entasis removed, and also have profiles both for the front and side (to accommodate the diminished and non-diminished aspects).

Unhide the Column-Shaft-profile, copy it into memory, hide it again, Paste-in-Place, Make Unique, and rename Pilaster-Shaft-Diminished-profile
Open the component, erase the arc forming the outer edge of the profile, and replace with a line connecting the endpoints of the two congé moldings (to replace the entasis with simple diminution), then close the component

Select the component, copy it into memory, hide the original, Paste-in-Place, Make Unique, and rename Pilaster-Shaft-QuarterProjection-profile
Open the component, select the top right area of the profile (containing the astragal, fillet & congé), and move them 5 min to the right on the Red Axis (to remove diminution from this profile), then select the entire right side of the profile and move it 15 min to the left on the Red Axis (which will set the projection from the wall to be 1/4 of the diameter), then close the component

Forming the Pilaster Elements

The following steps are arranged in order of ease, not the same order as was used in forming the column.

The Pilaster Shaft

Copy the Pilaster-Shaft-QuarterProjection-profile into memory, hide the original, Paste-in-Place, and Make Unique (for temporary use)
Rotate the component 90 degrees clockwise towards the front, using the Centerline as the pivot
Open the component, join any divided arcs with the Weld extension, and use Push/Pull to extrude the face out about 60 min to the left and right (to make sure it spans the pilaster width), then close and hide the component
Unhide the Pilaster-Shaft-Diminished-profile, copy it into memory, hide the original, Paste-in-Place, Make Unique, and rename (I just remove ‘profile#1’ from the name)
Open the component, and join any divided arcs with the Weld extension
Next, select all, and rotate/copy the geometry 180 degrees clockwise centered on the Centerline, then reverse the face of the rotated side, and erase the line running through the new center, and use Weld again on the top edge to join the two segments together

Now use Push/Pull to pull the face out towards the front about 60 min, then close the component
Unhide the Pilaster-Shaft-QuarterProjection-profile#1, cut it into memory, open the Pilaster-Shaft-Diminished, Paste-in-Place, then explode the pasted component
Then select all, Right-click, and choose Intersect Faces With Selection
Double-click on the three ‘profile faces’ that extend beyond the intersecting geometry at the left, front and right, and delete them, followed by the lines remaining from their sides

Check over the resulting geometry, and erase any lines that are remaining on faces where they should not be located, and hide any lines that are not supposed to be seen, then close the component

The Pilaster Base

Unhide the Column-Base-Plinth-profile and Column-Base-Torus-profile, copy them, hide the originals, Paste-in-Place, and create new component Pilaster-Base
Open the new component, explode the two original components, erase the line running therough the center, and use Weld to join any separate arcs together
With the Pilaster-Shaft-Diminished still open, draw a line, from it’s rear right corner, downwards on the Blue Axis to the bottom of the base, then erase the geometry to the left of the line just drawn, and draw three lines over the edges of the front and sides of the bottom of the pilaster shaft
Select the three lines just drawn (outlining the exterior of the pilaster shaft), and use Follow-Me on the face of the base, then close the component

The Pilaster Capital

Unhide the Column-Capital-Abacus-profile and Column-Capital-Ovolo-profile, copy them, hide the originals, Paste-in-Place, and create new component Pilaster-Capital
Draw a line, on the top of the Pilaster-Shaft-Diminished, starting from the bottom right corner of the new component, coming forward 15 min on the Green Axis, then going leftwards 50 min towards & past the Centerline, then backwards 15 min on the Green Axis, then cut the three lines into memory

Open the new component, explode the two original components, erase the line running therough the center, and use Weld to join any separate arcs together
Draw a line, starting a short distance to the left of the bottom right corner of the capital, going up to the top of the capital, then erase all the geometry to the left of that line
Paste-in-Place the lines copied earlier, and use Follow-Me on the face of the capital, then close the component

The Full Pilaster

Select the Pilaster-Base, Pilaster-Shaft-Diminished & Pilaster-Capital, and make a new component Pilaster-standalone

The Pedestal & Entablature for the Pilaster

The steps to form these components are similar to those used for the standalone column pedestal and entablature, just customized for the pilaster.

<&>See Wrapping a Molding Profile around a Core (Or Path) on page ... for a refresher.

The Pedestal for the Pilaster

Unhide the Pedestal-Base-Molding-profile and Pedestal-Cap-Molding-profile, copy them into memory, hide the originals, Paste-in-Place, Make Unique, and Rename (I just add ‘Pilaster’ before ‘Pedestal’ and remove ‘profile#1’ from the end)
With the Pilaster-standalone visible, draw a rectangle around the bottom of the base, use Push/Pull to extend the face down to the bottom of the pedestal base molding component, then Triple-click and make a component Pilaster-Pedestal-Die-Core, and hide the Pilaster-standalone
Open the Pilaster-Pedestal-Cap-Molding, draw lines around the front and two sides of the top of the pedestal die, select them, then use Follow-Me on the face of the molding, then close the component
Repeat the above for the Pilaster-Pedestal-Base-Molding, except draw lines around the bottom of the die and hide the top edges of the congé molding before closing the component
Select the Pilaster-Pedestal-Die-Core, Pilaster-Pedestal-Cap-Molding & Pilaster-Pedestal-Base-Molding and make a new component Pilaster-Pedestal-standalone

The Entablature for the Pilaster

Unhide the Entablature-Architrave-Molding-profile, Entablature-Cornice-Molding-profile & Entablature-Frieze-Core-profile, copy them into memory, hide the originals, Paste-in-Place, and Make Unique, and rename (I just add ‘Pilaster’ before ‘Entablature’ and remove ‘profile#1’ from the end)
As the pilaster is not diminished in depth, the entablature core will project out 15 min, so open the Pilaster-Entablature-Frieze-Core, select all, and rotate/copy the geometry 180 degrees clockwise on the Centerline, reverse the rotated face, erase the center line, and Push/Pull the face out 15 min, and close the component
Now, just like for the pedestal, open each of the molding copies, draw lines around the frieze edges, select them and use them as the path for the Follow-Me tool to wrap the moldings around

Select the Pilaster-Entablature-Architrave-Molding, Pilaster-Entablature-Cornice-Molding and Pilaster-Entablature-Frieze-Core and join them into a new component Pilaster-Entablature-standalone

The Complete Pilaster Order

Unhide the Pilaster-standalone to see the three pilaster components together

The Running Pedestal and Entablature

There are two ways that can these components can be created, for two different scenarios. Although I will illustrate them separately, they could be used for either component as necessary.

The Running Tuscan Pedestal

If you want the pedestal moldings to stretch along a wall or around a room simply follow the steps above, but instead of wrapping the moldings just around the die you would select all the edges on the wall where you needed them to appear.

If you were using these moldings as just a baseboard and chair rail you could select just the walls for your path. However, if you are including pilasters, you would place your pedestal dies and then wrap around both wall and die at the same time.

The Running Tuscan Entablature

To utilize the entablature so they span multiple columns, place a copy of your profile in the proper position that you need and simply Push/Pull the core profile the desired length, then repeat the steps for Wrapping a Molding Profile Around a Core (or Path) in the Appendix.

The Doric Pilaster Order

The Doric pilaster order can be created in much the same way as the Tuscan pilaster order, as the only structural difference would be in accounting for the repeating elements of the entablature.

Just as with the Tuscan order, creating the pilaster assumes all the profiles needed to make the Doric order have already been created.

Creating the Pilaster Profiles

Just as with the Tuscan pilaster, only diminished and non-diminished profiles for the shaft need to be created here.

The Pilaster Shaft Profiles

Just as with the Tuscan pilaster order, diminution will be applied to the sides of the shaft while the depth remains a constant 1/4 diameter out from the wall.

The Doric pilaster shaft profiles can be created the same exact way as the Tuscan pilaster profiles.

<&>See the The Pilaster Shaft Profiles in the section The Tuscan Pilaster Order in the chapter The Tuscan Order on page … for a refresher.

When you are done, you should have the Pilaster.Shaft.Diminished.profile & Pilaster.Shaft.QuarterProjection.profile made, with the latter open on the screen.

Forming the Pilaster Elements

The Doric pilaster shaft, base and capital can all be created almost the same as for the Tuscan pilaster order, except for slight changes due to the added complexity of the base and capital elements.

The Pilaster Shaft

The pilaster can be formed exactly the same as for the Tuscan order.

<&>See the Forming the Pilaster Elements in the section The Tuscan Pilaster Order in the chapter The Tuscan Order on page … for a refresher.

When you are done, you should have the Pilaster.Shaft.Diminished complete and open on the screen.

The Pilaster Base

The Doric pilaster base can be formed much the same as for the Tuscan, but here you will be using the Column.Base.Plinth.profile and Column.Base.Torii.profile as your originals instead, and there will be one additional change needed.

After you have created your Pilaster.Base, exploded the inner components and erased the dividing line, you can’t draw a new line coming straight down from the rear right corner of the Pilaster.Shaft.Diminished as the scotia curve is in the way. Therefore, instead of drawing a line, draw an arc, starting from the same rear right corner, going inwards towards the Centerline, then coming back outwards to the bottom right corner of the base profile. This will give you the face you need for the Follow-Me tool.

Everything else is the same.

The Pilaster Capital

Just as for the base, there are slight differences when forming the pilaster capital.

Unhide the The Pilaster.Capital will be formed from three components (Column.Capital.Abacus.Fascia.Core.profile, Column.Capital.Abacus.Cymatium.Molding.profile and Column.Capital.Ovolo.profile) instead of two. Erase not just the line separating the abacus from the ovolo, but also the one separating the abacus cymatium from it’s fascia. *** Draw the lines for the path inside the new component after using weld *** Use an arc instead of line, then clean up by double-clicking curved back face, de-selecting top and bottom edges and deleteing face *** Draw line connecting top rear corners to create top of capital (back not needed)

The Pedestal & Entablature for the Pilaster

The steps to form the pedestal will match those for the Tuscan order, but additional steps are needed for the Doric entablature.

The Pedestal for the Pilaster

The steps to create the pedestal will be exactly the same as for the Tuscan order. When you are done you should have the Pilaster.Pedestal.standalone.

The Entablature for the Pilaster

The steps for the Doric pilaster entablature will follow those for the Tuscan, but with a few minor changes. Other than using the Entablature.Architrave.Tenia.profile as your architrave molding profile, the only other change will be additional steps for the repeating elements and the soffit of the corona. Once, the entablature moldings have been wrapped around the core, the following has to be done as well.

Un-hide the Entablature.RepeatingElements, copy, hide the original, and Paste-in-place The location of the component, following the instructions above, has it sitting with it’s rear midpoint on the wall plane of our pilaster, at the right edge facing towards the right.

Move the component forward on the Green Axis 25 min (this is the depth of the mutule band), then rotate it 90 degrees clockwise, using the corner of the mutule band as the pivot point

Finally, move it leftwards to the center of the pilaster entablature (you can use the corner of the mutule band as your start point and the midpoint of the band as your end point) As the depth of the frieze is 15 min and the distance between the edge of the frieze and corner of the Triglyph is 10 min, it is theoretically possible that some part of the Triglyph and Mutule should be on the sides, however, I can find nothing to prove this, and, to me at least, unless it were an actual half of the elements, would appear very strange. Therefore I am going to only have the front facing Triglyph and Mutule. If you feel the need for one at the side, such as if you had the pilaster projecting half it’s depth at the side, then you could make a unique copy of all your repeating elements, and then trim them so only half of each exists.

The Soffit of the Doric Pilaster Entablature

Unlike the Tuscan soffit, the Doric is heavily decorated (normally, and in this example) so must be handled special just as with the column entablature.

Open the Pilaster.Entablature.Cornice.Molding, select the face of the bottom of the corona (just it’s face, not it’s edges) and delete that face, then erase the bottom edge of the back of the cornice, and close the component

Unhide the Entablature.SoffitOverCorner, copy it, hide the original, Paste-in-place, Make Unique, rename (I just add “Pilaster.” to the beginning and remove “.profile#1” from the end)

Move the component backwards on the Green Axis, so it’s front right corner is even with the front right corner of the pilaster corona As you will see, due to the depth of the pilaster, we have 8 1/4 min of empty space left behind the rear panel and fillet, as well as 10 min of extra fillet projecting out the back.

First, open the component, draw a line, starting from the right rear bottom corner of the corona, leftwards on the Red Axis 31 3/4 min (thus reaching the mutule cymatium top edge), then continue it forwards on the Green Axis 8 1/4 min to reach the fillet of the soffit

Right-click the Entablature.Soffit.FilletOverCorner, Make Unique, rename (again, I add “Pilaster.” and remove “.profile#1”), cut the two lines just drawn, open the component, and Paste-in-place

Double-click the face of the fillet extending behind the line just pasted, Right-click and choose Unhide (this is to see the hidden end line of the fillet), then delete the three edges extending beyond the pasted line This leaves you ready to decide how to handle this area. As I can find no more information on this than regarding the frieze, there are three options I can see for handling this: Leave the area blank, and continue the fillet backwards as a flat plane; Resize the Entablature.Soffit.Panel.CavettoDiamond to fill the space backwards to a new rear fillet; Or, create a simple recessed panel to fill the space in front of a rearmost fillet. As I feel the first option would look too plain, and the second somewhat awkward since it would be differently proportioned than the same form of panel around the corner, I will do the third option here.

Open the Pilaster.Entablature.Soffit.FilletOverCorner again, select the two lines pasted earlier, and use Offset to copy them inwards 1 3/4 min (the width of the fillets)

Erase the two short lines separating them from the main fillet, along with the new face created in their middle, then close the component

Move/Copy the Entablature.Soffit.Panel.CavettoCorner so it’s front edge is positioned in the empty space the deleted face occupied, then Right-click, Make Unique, and rename (here I rename it to Pilaster.Entablature.Soffit.RearPanel

Open the new component, rotate your view so you see the underside at right angles to your screen (since the axes are diagonal for this component), select the rear half of the geometry (containing the moldings) and move them forward till their rear edge is even with the front of the last fillet (following the above instructions it should be 21 3/4 min), then close that component and the soffit component

Now move/copy the Pilaster.Entablature.SoffitOverCorner leftwards on the Red Axis till it is past the left side of the entablature, Right-click, Flip Along Component’s Red, and move back so it’s placed on the left of the entablature soffit

Select the Pilaster.Entablature.Cornice.Molding, Pilaster.Entablature.Frieze.Core, Pilaster.Entablature.Architrave.Tenia, Entablature.RepeatingElements and the two Pilaster.Entablature.SoffitOverCorner components, and make new component Pilaster.Entablature.standalone

The Complete Pilaster Order

image of completed full pilaster order Of course, all of the above assumes a standalone pilaster order. If you have the pilaster as part of a wall, the Entablature will be run along the wall and around the pilaster’s entablature core, so see below for details on that.

The Running Pedestal and Entablature

The Running Doric Pedestal

The running Doric pedestal (or chair rail & baseboard) can be created just like for the Tuscan order.

The Running Doric Entablature

This can initally be constructed just like the Tuscan, but afterward the repeating elements will need to be handled. The placement of the repeating elements is based on the principle of intercolumniation, or spacing between columns, so specific details will be handled in the section Notes on the Use of the Orders under Intercolumniation in the chapter Conclusion. Once you know the spacing, you can simply move/copy the first RepeatingElements component from one point to the next, then repeat the move/copy by typing “x” and the number of moves/copies you want repeated along the wall or colonnade. The soffit presents other problems, due to it’s complex nature in this order. If you are running a straight line, then it can be handled like the repeating elements, just delete the plain soffit and place your elements accordingly. However, if you are placing pilasters along a wall and will have the cornice wrap around the pilaster entablature cores (which is frequently done), then you will have to cope with adjusting your soffit to handle the inside and outside corners. This is too complex an issue to handle here, and depends on personal preference, so that is something that you must decide on your own. The method I used above in creating the standalone pilaster entablature will, hopefully, offer some help on the technical details. With regard to the soffit elements, they assume the existence of the mutule, which is why I included the fillets in front of the mutule locations, as when they are arrayed down they will completely cover the area once occupied by the soffit face.

Doric Conclusion

The creation of the Mutular Doric order has introduced several new methods and practices, as well as re-using a large number from the previous chapter. This will be true for the following chapters as well, where each order, while having it’s own character and introducing new methods, is built on the same classical background as the rest. One additional note here is that there are two other cornices used in the entablatures of the Doric order. These are what might be called the Antique cornice and the Denticular cornice. The Antique cornice is the type used by the Greeks, described by Vitruvius, and shown by both Serlio and Palladio. The main difference with the Mutular is that the mutules of the Antique don’t hang down out of the soffit, but are embedded up into it. Examples of this can be found in the treatises of both Serlio and Palladio, as well as in Chambers’ treatise, where he shows an example from Palladio’s Basilica at Vicenza. The Antique cornice can easily be created following the steps in this chapter. The main change will be just to adapt the formation of the guttae on the undersides of the mutules so they are on the undersides of the soffit. The Denticular cornice is first found used in the Doric order (to my knowledge) in the Theatre of Marcellus in Rome, dating to the 1st century B.C., and was made popular when Vignola adopted it as an alternative in his treatise on the orders. This form replaces the prominent hanging mutules with dentils placed under the soffit, combined with the inset mutules of the Antique form. The Denticular cornice can be created by combining what you learned here with what will be shown in the next chapter on the Ionic entablature, whose primary feature are it’s dentils under the soffit. The following is the suggested list of components to save for this order:

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The Ionic Pilaster Order

=============================================================================== The Ionic pilaster order is created the same as the previous orders in regards to the base & shaft of the pilaster. The capital, though, requires special handling due to the volutes. In addition, just like with the Doric pilaster order, we will have to deal with the repeating elements in the entablature. Just as with previous orders, creating the pilaster assumes all the profiles needed to make the column order have already been created.

Creating the Pilaster Profiles

Due to the nature of this order, in addition to the diminished and non-diminished shaft profiles, additional profiles will be created specific to the pilaster order.

The Pilaster Shaft Profiles

Just as with the previous pilaster orders, diminution will be applied such that the width at top is narrower than the bottom, but the depth will remain 1/4 of the diameter out from the wall plane. The Ionic pilaster shaft profiles can be created the same exact way as the Tuscan pilaster profiles. <&>See the The Pilaster Shaft Profiles in the section The Tuscan Pilaster Order in the chapter The Tuscan Order on page … for a refresher. When you are done, you should have the Pilaster.Shaft.Diminished.profile & Pilaster.Shaft.QuarterProjection.profile made, with the latter open on the screen.

The Pilaster Capital Profiles

Unlike the Tuscan & Doric capitals, special attention needs to be paid to the Ionic pilaster capital, due to it’s volutes. Of this issue, Chambers says “In the antique Ionic capital, the extraordinary projection of the ovolo makes it necessary, either to bend it inwards considerably towards the extremities, that it may pass behind the volutes ; or, instead of keeping the volutes flat in front, as they commonly are in the antique ; to twist them outwards, till they give room for the passage of the ovolo. Le Clerc thinks the latter of these expedients, the best ; and, that the artifice may not be too striking, the projection of the ovolo may be considerably diminished, as in the annexed design ; which, as the moulding can be seen in front only, will occasion no disagreeable effect.” Here, unfortunately, is where my lack of formal education shows. I cannot see how this can be done. The problem is simple geometry. Using a pilaster depth of 15 min, and the volute in it’s ‘correct’ position, where the front end of the bolster itself is even with the front upper diameter, leaves the volute fillet face 1 1/2 min behind the astragal projection. The only solutions I can think of are: Angle the lower curves of the volute outwards on the inner, pilaster, side of the capital; Move the volute outwards 3 3/4 min (which is the minimum to allow the volute to clear the astragal); Curve the ovolo from a roughly quarter-circle projection in front to a straight vertical surface at the corners; Or, a combination of two-or-more of the above. One thing to note about the above is that the first option requires creating a new bolster element, and modifying the upper volute element. As far as angling the volute out (keeping it’s correct location), rotating it from the outermost edge as a pivot would require a 15 degree rotation to clear the astragal and a reduced ovolo of 8 1/3 min projection. The design Chambers refers to, in regards to angling the volute and reducing the projection of the ovolo, does not have any dimensions placed on it. However, comparing the projections of the ovolo beyond the astragal with a pair of calipers on both the pilaster capital plan and column capital plan, the projection of the pilaster ovolo appears to be about 2/3 of that of the column ovolo. That gives a projection of approximately 8 1/3 min beyond the upper diameter for the pilaster ovolo. With upper depth of 15 min, volute (in ‘correct’ location) has midpoint 10 min behind pilaster, and front of volute is 1 1/2 min behind the astragal projection! Move volute/bolster forward 3 3/4 min clears front of astragal Projection of astragal is 29 1/2 min from centerline, 4 1/2 from side of upper diameter, 1 1/2 in front of volute fillet I just can’t see how creating a regular ovolo on top of capital will work. Since it is straight, the sides come out at square, so volute HAS to be fully in front; OR astragal is curved (like most I’ve seen), so need to make special ovolo. Using an 8 1/3 min projection, with front that curves starting from center completely clears volute, but too much. Dividing front into 4 parts, and will start curve halfway to side (to give straighter front)

Forming the Pilaster Elements

The Ionic pilaster shaft and base can be constructed the same as the previous orders.

The Pilaster Shaft

The pilaster can be formed exactly the same as for the previous orders. <&>See the Forming the Pilaster Elements in the section The Tuscan Pilaster Order in the chapter The Tuscan Order on page … for a refresher. When you are done, you should have the Pilaster.Shaft.Diminished complete and open on the screen. Fluting can be applied to the Ionic pilaster if you wish. See the section Apply Fluting to a Pilaster Shaft in the chapter Enrichments to the Orders for information on how this can be done.

The Pilaster Base

The Ionic pilaster base can be formed the same as the Doric, using the Column.Base.Plinth.profile and Column.Base.Torus.profile as the originals.

The Pedestal & Entablature for the Pilaster

The Pedestal for the Pilaster

The steps to create the pedestal will be exactly the same as for the Tuscan order. When you are done you should have the Pilaster.Pedestal.standalone.

The Entablature for the Pilaster

The steps for the Ionic pilaster entablature are the same as for the Tuscan, except for positioning the Dentils at the end. Once, the entablature moldings have been wrapped around the core, the following has to be done as well.

Un-hide the Entablature.Dentil, copy, hide the original, and Paste-in-place The location of the component, following the instructions above, has it sitting with it’s rear midpoint on the wall plane of our pilaster, at the right edge of the dentil band. The exact arrangment of the dentils on the side of the pedestal entablature is another area where I cannot find a lot of information. The space available would allow 2 1/2 dentils, so there would be half a dentil embedded in the wall. I assume that is the norm (as the bolsters, etc., are embedded in the wall), so the below will reflect that. Just keep in mind, this is my interpretation, so if it is wrong the fault is my own, and I apologize.

Move the component forward on the Green Axis till it is even with the front of the dentil band (which should be 16 2/3 min), then move/copy it backwards 10 min twice (i.e. with 3 1/3 min separating each dentil) The rear dentil will be embedded in the wall, so you could make this unique and reduce it to only half the width if you wish.

Now, select the frontmost dentil, rotate/copy it 90 degrees clockwise, using the corner of the dentil band as the pivot point, then move it leftwards 6 2/3 min (to position it at the corner)

Then, move/copy it leftwards 10 min, then type x6 (to position the first copy and make 6 more across the face of the entablature)

Finally, move/copy the three dentils on the right side over to the left side of the entablature (you can use the front left corner of the frontmost dentil as the start point and the corner of the dentil band as the endpoint, as the dentils are square) The 10 min is gotten as the spacing between the dentils is equal to 1/2 their width, which is 6 2/3, which makes the spacing 3 1/3 min.

The Complete Pilaster Order

image of completed full pilaster order

The Running Pedestal and Entablature

The Running Ionic Pedestal

This pedestal (or chair rail & baseboard) can be created just like for the previous orders.

The Running Ionic Entablature

This can initally be constructed just like the Tuscan, but (just like with the Doric) afterward the repeating element or dentil will need to be handled. The placement of the dentils are based on the principle of intercolumniation, or spacing between columns, so specific details will be handled in the section Notes on the Use of the Orders under Intercolumniation in the chapter Conclusion. Once you know the spacing, you can simply move/copy the first RepeatingElements component from one point to the next, then repeat the move/copy by typing “x” and the number of moves/copies you want repeated along the wall or colonnade. Don’t know about dentil spacing in relation to pilaster depth!

Ionic Conclusion

You have reached the end of the chapter on the Ionic order, but there is a lot more that could possibly be done with this order, depending on your preferences. The Antique Capital explained here is the one used by Serlio, Palladio, Vignola, and many others, and is the one Chambers shows in the main body of his chapter on the Ionic order. However, there is another capital that was frequently used after the late 16th century, and that was the ‘Angular’ (or ‘Modern’ or ‘Scamozzi’) Ionic capital, which did away with the bolsters and angled the volutes out at each of the four corners. This was popularized by Vincenzo Scamozzi, and is shown by two examples in Chambers’ treatise, one based on Scamozzi, and “another one of a very beautiful one, executed in St. Peter’s of the Vatican, probably composed by Michelangelo”. As the Composite order uses the same arrangement of Volutes, I am going to forgo any instructions for creating this form of capital here, and will provide the steps under that order. If you wish to use the Angled Capital, you should be able to easily alter the steps as needed. See ‘The Composite Order’ for details on forming the Angular Volutes. An alternative form of entablature was used by Palladio, featuring simple scrolled brackets, and Chambers shows two designs for this type of entablature in his treatise (one from the Villa Capra and one from the Basilica at Vicenza). I am not going to go into forming the whole entablature, but I have a fairly simple way of describing the form of the bracket, so will show that in the Appendix. Note: For information on the dimensions, proportions and use of the Ionic modillion, see the authority of your choice. See ‘Create the Ionic Modillion’ in The Appendix. In addition, as stated in the text, there is information on fluting the Ionic column & pilaster, as well as applying egg-and-dart and beaded decoration to the capital, in the ‘Enrichments to the Orders’ chapter. The following is the suggested list of Components to save for this order: