Interior Design Term: Acanthus

It’s no coincidence that acanthus is the motif I used on all of my wedding stationery. Hailing from the eastern Mediterranean, acanthus spinosus is a bold perennial plant that blooms in June through July, with fleshy, scalloped leaves.  From antiquity, the statuesque posture of its leaves has inspired wide-spread representation in every area of design and the decorative arts, from wall and ceiling mouldings to the crowns on Corinthian capitals.  From the 18^th Century onward it has been an iconic and incredibly popular motif in architecture, furniture, and metalwork.

An illustration of an acanthus spinosus‘ purple blooms and glossy dark-green leaves.

An example of an acanthus leaf motif on a Corinthian capital:

An example of an acanthus leaf as a wallpaper pattern:

Illustrations by engraver Jean le Pautre  incorporating an acanthus spinosus motif:

For more images and information on the acanthus view Alan Carroll’s three-part series on the motif .

Images /  Desert-Tropicals /Greek & Roman Art / Acanthus’ wallpaper designed by William Morris (1834-96), Printed by Jeffery & Co. for Morris & Co., c. 1875, via The Victoria and Albert Museum of Art and Design / Surface Fragments, blog of Irish-born, NYC-based muralist Alan Carroll /

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