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Letter
"F" Glossary
faŤade - The principal exterior face
of a building designed to emphasize a main entrance and sometimes
decorated with significant sculptural programs including figures
of saints, martyrs, and narrative scenes from the life of
Christ, the Virgin Mary of the saints.
fan vault
-
Vaults constructed of concave-sided semi-cones, meeting or
nearly meeting at the apex of the vault, the areas between
cones being flat, and the whole being given a decorative treatment
with ribs that fan out from the springing of the vault.
finial
-
Ornamental forms located at the top of a spire, pinnacle,
or other vertical element.
fleur-de-lis
-
A decorative motif in the form of a stylized lily, usually
with three curled petals, but occasionally with five. Used
as a symbol of the French monarchy as well as the commune
of Florence.
fluting
-
Closely spaced parallel grooves covering the surface of columns
and pilasters used for both decorative and optical purposes.
flying
buttress -
Exterior stone supports in the form of arches located between
an upright pier or buttress and the building wall designed
to transmit the thrust of a vault or roof from the upper part
of a wall outward to the pier or buttress. The exterior of
Gothic cathedrals is characterized by flying buttresses usually
located along the sides of the nave and around the choir or
east end of the building.
foliate
capital -
A capital decorated with foliate (plant) forms usually in
a stylized design.
foliate
initial -
An illuminated (painted) initial in a manuscript filled with
decoration in leaf scroll.
fresco
-
Mural painting technique in which permanent pigments, dispersed
in water, are painted on freshly laid lime plaster.
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