capital d is very curious

Ruskin’s language here seems to be stressing on the one hand the contrast between this ‘barbarously formed’ and ‘rudely drawn’ capital and the classical forms of Ionic and Corinthian capitals, while drawing attention on the other hand to some continuity of classical forms, the abacus, the volutes (if they are indeed to be read as volutes rather than cauliculi), and the leaves.

[Version 0.05: May 2008]