Today’s word is: rudentatura. We explain its use and thanks to an example we discover its uses.

What is rudentition?

Rudentition is a type of molding. It is a technique that is used for technical, functional or ornamental needs. The procedure is very simple: the grooved column is filled with rudents; semi-cylindrical elements, shaped like a rope or a rod.

The width and depth of the groove recess is limited. This develops, instead, in length. Rudents can be made on different materials such as stone, wood, metals and much more.

An example

Rudentition falls into that category of words that are difficult to explain but that are very common, and known by everyone. For this reason, today, we decided to show you immediately an example of this molding. Here are a couple of corners in our antique gallery.

If you think you’ve already seen them, you’re not wrong. Valentina wrote a Classic Monday about these great objects. You just have to read his article to find out everything about this pair of antiquities. Below, however, you can find the enlargement of the rudentature to better understand what we are talking about.

Use of rudentature

Rudentition was used as a decoration of columns in antiquity. It is usually found in the Corinthian orders and more rarely in the Ionic ones. The best known examples are the temples of ancient Greece (Parthenon, Temple of Neptune, Temple of Athena, Temple of Zeus,…).

With the passage of time the rudentatura began to be used also for furniture; tables, bedside tables, corners, armchairs, sideboards, consoles, chests of drawers,…

In our warehouses we have many antiques decorated with this type of groove. If you want to find out more, you just have to come and visit us!