h proceeds to develope itself into gradually
increasing richness, while the _already rich_ capitals of the old school
die at its side. In the forms 14 and 15 (Plate VIII.) the Byzantine
school expired; but from the Byzantine simple capital (1, Plate II.
above) which was coexistent with them, sprang another hardy race of
capitals, whose succession we have now to trace.

The form 1, Plate II. is evidently the simplest conceivable condition of
the truncated capital, long ago represented generally in Vol. I., being
only rounded a little on its side to fit it to the shaft. The next step
was to place a leaf beneath each of the truncations (fig. 4, Plate II.,
San Giacomo de Lorio), the end of the leaf curling over at the top in a
somewhat formal spiral, partly connected with the traditional volute of
the Corinthian capital. The sides are then enriched by the addition of
some ornament, as a shield (fig. 7) or rose (fig. 10), and we have the
formed capital of the early Gothic. Fig. 10, being from the palace of
Marco Querini, is certainly not later than the middle of the thirteenth
century (see Vol. II.), and fig. 7, is, I believe, of the same date; it
is one of the bearing capitals of the lower story of the palace at the
Apostoli, and is remarkably fine in the treatment of its angle leaves,
which are not deeply under-cut, but show their magnificent sweeping
under surface all the way down, not as a leaf surface, but treated like
the gorget of a helmet, with a curved line across it like that where the
gorget meets the mail. I never saw anything finer in simple design. Fig.
10 is given chiefly as a certification of date, and to show the
treatment of the capitals of this school on a small scale. Observe the
more expansive head in proportion to the diameter of the shaft, the
leaves being drawn from the angles, as if gathered in the hand, till
their edges meet; and compare the rule given in Vol. I. Chap. IX. Sec.
XIV. The capitals of the remarkable house, of which a portion is
represented in Fig. XXXI. Vol. II., are most curious and pure examples of
this condition; with experimental trefoils, roses, and leaves introduced
between their volutes. When compared with those of the Querini Palace,
they form one of the most important evidences of the date of the
building.

Fig. 13. One of the bearing capitals, already drawn on a small scale in
the windows represented in Plate XVI. Vol. II.

Now, observe. The capital of the form of fig. 10 a