Which order has large volutes/scroll-like curls at either end, acanthus leaves, a base, and a fluted shaft, typically ten diameters tall?

Which order has large volutes/scroll-like curls at either end, acanthus leaves, a base, and a fluted shaft, typically ten diameters tall?

• A. Ionic
• B. Composite
• C. Tuscan
• D. Doric

Answer: (B)

The description points to a capital that blends features from two main traditions: the scroll-like volutes at the capital and the presence of acanthus leaves, all on a fluted shaft with a base and a tall proportion (around ten diameters). That combination is the hallmark of the Composite order, which merges Ionic (volutes) with Corinthian (acanthus leaves) elements to create a taller, highly ornamental column. The other orders don’t pair these features together: Doric and Tuscan have simpler capitals and either no base or no volutes/acanthus, and Ionic, while it has volutes and a base, does not emphasize the acanthus-leaf richness in the way Composite does. So the description best fits the Composite order.

The description points to a capital that blends features from two main traditions: the scroll-like volutes at the capital and the presence of acanthus leaves, all on a fluted shaft with a base and a tall proportion (around ten diameters). That combination is the hallmark of the Composite order, which merges Ionic (volutes) with Corinthian (acanthus leaves) elements to create a taller, highly ornamental column. The other orders don’t pair these features together: Doric and Tuscan have simpler capitals and either no base or no volutes/acanthus, and Ionic, while it has volutes and a base, does not emphasize the acanthus-leaf richness in the way Composite does. So the description best fits the Composite order.