Palazzo dei Conservatori, window, elevation; window, details, elevation (recto) blank (verso) 1500 - 1560

This drawing shows the elevation of a window in the Palazzo dei Conservatori, made by an anonymous artist. Note the prominence of the Ionic capital, its volutes echoing the ancient Greek spirit of order and proportion. These volutes, like coiled energy, trace back to the horns of sacred bulls in Minoan Crete, emblems of power and fertility, later integrated into classical architecture as symbols of wisdom. Think of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, where similar columns stand. This motif resurfaces throughout history, from Roman temples to Renaissance facades. The volute, it seems, has retained its allure, continuously reinvented by each epoch. It is not merely an architectural element; it's a visual echo, resonating with the collective memory of generations. Its curves trigger a primal response, a subconscious connection to ancient rites and the dawn of civilization.