Meander (art)

File:Greek key on a stove in the in the D.A. Sturdza House, in Bucharest.jpg

Meander (or Greek key) on a stove in the Dimitrie Sturdza House (Strada Arthur Verona no. 13), Bucharest, Romania, unknown architect, 1883

File:Rhodes meander hg.jpg

Meander motif in the streets of Rhodes, Greece, in pavement made from beach stones

A meander or meandros<ref>The Greek term maíandros and its Latinized variant meandros are not very common outside of archaeological contexts.</ref> (Template:Langx) is a decorative border constructed from a continuous line, shaped into a repeated motif. Among some Italians, these patterns are known as "Greek Lines". Such a design may also be called the Greek fret or Greek key design, although these terms are modern designations; this decorative motif appears much earlier and among Near and Far eastern cultures that are far from Greece. Usually the term is used for motifs with straight lines and right angles and the many versions with rounded shapes are called running scrolls or, following the etymological origin of the term, may be identified as water wave motifs.

Meaning of the name

On one hand, the name "meander" recalls the twisting and turning path of the Maeander River in Asia Minor (present day Turkey) that is typical of river pathways. On the other hand, as Karl Kerenyi pointed out, "the meander is the figure of a labyrinth in linear form".<ref>Kerenyi, Dionysos: archetypal image of indestructible life (Princeton University Press) 1976:89.</ref>

Decorative uses

Meanders are common decorative elements in Greek and Roman art. In ancient Greece they appear in many architectural friezes, and in bands on the pottery of ancient Greece from the Geometric period onward. The design is common to the present-day in classicizing architecture, and is adopted frequently as a decorative motif for borders for many modern printed materials.

Labyrinthine meanders in China

The meander is a fundamental design motif in regions far from a Hellenic orbit: labyrinthine meanders ("thunder" pattern <ref>See J. E. L., description of a Late Chou hou at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, in "A Chinese Bronze", Bulletin of the Museum of Fine Arts 27 (August 1929:48).</ref>) appear in bands and as infill on Shang bronzes (Template:Circa), and many traditional buildings in and around China still bear geometric designs almost identical to meanders. Although space-filling curves have a long history in China in motifs more than 2,000 years earlier, extending back to Zhukaigou Culture (Template:Circa) and Xiajiadian Culture (Template:Circa and Template:Circa), frequently there is speculation that meanders of Greek origin may have come to China during the time of the Han dynasty (Template:Circa) by way of trade with the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom. A meander motif also appears in prehistoric Mayan design motifs in the western hemisphere, centuries before any European contacts.

Gallery

• Geometric bowl decorated with a meander, 730–720 BC, ceramic, Kinský Palace, Prague, Czech Republic
  Geometric bowl decorated with a meander, 730–720 BC, ceramic, Kinský Palace, Prague, Czech Republic
• Ancient Greek metope with three women that have meanders on their clothes, Template:Circa640 BC, terracotta, National Archaeological Museum, Athens
  Ancient Greek metope with three women that have meanders on their clothes, Template:Circa640 BC, terracotta, National Archaeological Museum, Athens
• A typical Attic red-figure cup with meander pattern at borders, by the Eretria Painter, Template:Circa, red-figure pottery, Louvre
  A typical Attic red-figure cup with meander pattern at borders, by the Eretria Painter, Template:Circa, red-figure pottery, Louvre
• Ancient Greek meanders on the base of a column from the ruins of the Temple of Apollo at Didyma, Turkey, unknown architect or sculptor, Template:Circa300-150 BC<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  Ancient Greek meanders on the base of a column from the ruins of the Temple of Apollo at Didyma, Turkey, unknown architect or sculptor, Template:Circa300-150 BC<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Roman meander on a fresco in the Villa of the Mysteries, Pompeii, Italy, unknown painter, 1st century BC<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
  Roman meander on a fresco in the Villa of the Mysteries, Pompeii, Italy, unknown painter, 1st century BC<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Roman meander mosaic of a tepidarium, Herculaneum, Italy, unknown architect, unknown date
  Roman meander mosaic of a tepidarium, Herculaneum, Italy, unknown architect, unknown date
• Roman meander on the Temple of Hadrianus, Ephesus, Turkey, unknown architect or sculptor, 117-118 AD
  Roman meander on the Temple of Hadrianus, Ephesus, Turkey, unknown architect or sculptor, 117-118 AD
• Roman meander on a mosaic, 1st century BC, Archaeological Museum of Milan, Italy
  Roman meander on a mosaic, 1st century BC, Archaeological Museum of Milan, Italy
• Colorful late Roman-early Byzantine meander in the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, Italy, unknown architect or craftsman, 425-450
  Colorful late Roman-early Byzantine meander in the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, Italy, unknown architect or craftsman, 425-450
• Byzantine mosaic meander in the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy, unknown architect or craftsman, Template:Circa500, with later alterations from Template:Circa560<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
  Byzantine mosaic meander in the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy, unknown architect or craftsman, Template:Circa500, with later alterations from Template:Circa560<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Byzantine meander mixed with diamonds, on the boarder of a pierced marble panel from the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, unknown architect or sculptor, 6th century
  Byzantine meander mixed with diamonds, on the boarder of a pierced marble panel from the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, unknown architect or sculptor, 6th century
• Mayan meander from Chichen Itza, Mexico, unknown architect, 750–1050
  Mayan meander from Chichen Itza, Mexico, unknown architect, 750–1050
• Byzantine meander on the south-west door, unknown architect or sculptor, 829-842, bronze, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
  Byzantine meander on the south-west door, unknown architect or sculptor, 829-842, bronze, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Romanesque meander on a page from the Petershausener Sakramentar, 960-980, tempera colors, gold paint, gold leaf, and ink on parchment, Heidelberg University Library, Heidelberg, Germany
  Romanesque meander on a page from the Petershausener Sakramentar, 960-980, tempera colors, gold paint, gold leaf, and ink on parchment, Heidelberg University Library, Heidelberg, Germany
• Romanesque meander of a tapestry with Saint Michael fighting with the dragon, 1146-1155, linen yarn, wool, linen, Halberstadt Cathedral Treasure, Halberstadt, Germany<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
  Romanesque meander of a tapestry with Saint Michael fighting with the dragon, 1146-1155, linen yarn, wool, linen, Halberstadt Cathedral Treasure, Halberstadt, Germany<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Byzantine brick meander on the facade of the Church of the Thetokos tou Libos of Constantine Lips, currently the Fenari Isa Mosque, Istanbul, unknown architect, 907, refounded in 1287<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
  Byzantine brick meander on the facade of the Church of the Thetokos tou Libos of Constantine Lips, currently the Fenari Isa Mosque, Istanbul, unknown architect, 907, refounded in 1287<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Neoclassical meander border of the railing from the stairway of the Grand Theater of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France, by Victor Louis, 1777-1780
  Neoclassical meander border of the railing from the stairway of the Grand Theater of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France, by Victor Louis, 1777-1780
• Neoclassical meander border on the ceiling of the Grave of Foy, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, by Pierre Jean David, 1831
  Neoclassical meander border on the ceiling of the Grave of Foy, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, by Pierre Jean David, 1831
• Neoclassical meander in the lunette of the Ensemble immobilier de la cité d'Antin (Rue de Provence no. 59), Paris, unknown architect, Template:Circa
  Neoclassical meander in the lunette of the Ensemble immobilier de la cité d'Antin (Rue de Provence no. 59), Paris, unknown architect, Template:Circa
• Neoclassical meander border on a ceiling of the Palais Garnier, Paris, by Charles Garnier, 1860–1875Template:Sfn
  Neoclassical meander border on a ceiling of the Palais Garnier, Paris, by Charles Garnier, 1860–1875Template:Sfn
• Neoclassical meander border of a ceiling of the Salon du glacier in the Palais Garnier, by Charles Garnier, 1860–1875
  Neoclassical meander border of a ceiling of the Salon du glacier in the Palais Garnier, by Charles Garnier, 1860–1875
• Neoclassical meander border of a floor of the Moon Salon in the Palais Garnier, by Charles Garnier, 1860–1875
  Neoclassical meander border of a floor of the Moon Salon in the Palais Garnier, by Charles Garnier, 1860–1875
• Greek Revival vase with a meander, produced by Baccarat, 1867, crystal and gold, Petit Palais, Paris
  Greek Revival vase with a meander, produced by Baccarat, 1867, crystal and gold, Petit Palais, Paris
• Greek Revival meanders on the Austrian Parliament Building, Vienna, by Theophil von Hansen, 1873-1883<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
  Greek Revival meanders on the Austrian Parliament Building, Vienna, by Theophil von Hansen, 1873-1883<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Neoclassical meander on a floor in the Central Girls' School (Strada Icoanei no. 3-5), Bucharest, Romania, by Ion Mincu, 1890Template:Sfn
  Neoclassical meander on a floor in the Central Girls' School (Strada Icoanei no. 3-5), Bucharest, Romania, by Ion Mincu, 1890Template:Sfn
• Neoclassical meander on a stove tile from a house in Bucharest, on display during an exhibition in the Bucharest City Hall, unknown designer, Template:Circa
  Neoclassical meander on a stove tile from a house in Bucharest, on display during an exhibition in the Bucharest City Hall, unknown designer, Template:Circa
• Neoclassical meander on a wall of Stock Exchange Building (Trg hrvatskih velikana no. 3) of Zagreb, Croatia, by Viktor Kovačić, 1927
  Neoclassical meander on a wall of Stock Exchange Building (Trg hrvatskih velikana no. 3) of Zagreb, Croatia, by Viktor Kovačić, 1927
• Art Deco dress decorated with meanders, unknown producer, Template:Circa1925, georgette, and crochet embroidery, Musée Galliera, Paris
  Art Deco dress decorated with meanders, unknown producer, Template:Circa1925, georgette, and crochet embroidery, Musée Galliera, Paris
• Neoclassical and Art Deco meander on a Doric column capital of the Vasile I. Prodanof family tomb, Bellu Cemetery, Bucharest, unknown architect, Template:Circa
  Neoclassical and Art Deco meander on a Doric column capital of the Vasile I. Prodanof family tomb, Bellu Cemetery, Bucharest, unknown architect, Template:Circa

See also

• Mezine
• Vitruvian scroll
• Labyrinth

Sources

• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book

External links

• Illustrated Architecture Dictionary: "Fret"—a short description, with a list of links to photographs of meander designs in art and architecture