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FESTOON (from Fr. feston, Ital. festo...

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Originally appearing in Volume V10, Page 294 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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FESTOON (from Fr. feston, Ital. festone, from a See also:Late See also:Lat. festo, originally a " festal See also:garland," Lat. festum, feast)  , a See also:wreath or See also:garland, and so in See also:architecture a conventional arrangement of See also:flowers, foliage or See also:fruit See also:bound together and suspended by See also:ribbons, either from a decorated See also:knot, or held in the mouths of lions, or suspended across the back of bulls' heads as in the See also:Temple of See also:Vesta at See also:Tivoli . The "motif" is sometimes known as a "swag." It was largely employed both by the Greeks and See also:Romans and formed the See also:principal decoration of altars, friezes and panels . The ends of the ribbons are sometimes formed into bows or See also:twisted curves; when in addition a See also:group of foliage or flowers is suspended it is called a " drop." Its origin is probably due to the See also:representation in See also:stone of the garlands of natural flowers, &c., which were hung up over an entrance See also:doorway on fete days, or suspended See also:round the See also:altar .

End of Article: FESTOON (from Fr. feston, Ital. festone, from a Late Lat. festo, originally a " festal garland," Lat. festum, feast)
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