Corbel Collection

Corbels, especially external examples, are arguably one of the most common architectural forms yet may be one of the least noticed.

The basic Corbel form, originally being structural, whether of stone, timber, or metal;  protruded from within the wall in order to bear some weight of construction above.

At times used to decorate the edges of roofs and towers (corbelling) to represent beam ends carved in stone, these carvings could be heads; animals; grotesque figures or simply different geometric shapes. 

More ornately carved examples of corbels can be seen supporting balconies, mainly in France and Italy, but many fine designs can be found in London also.

The most common form more widely referred to nowadays, is in fact a type of bracket, the Console Bracket, which is applied to the existing structure of a building, rather than being formed as part of  it, and as such the Console bracket is not weight bearing. They appear in decoration both internally and externally, and often have the appearance of a capital that is fixed to the wall without an underlying column,  providing support for vaults, arches, or roofs.

Indeed, for more recent designs the carved enrichment can  take on more of a resemblance to the foliage and other ornaments used in the capitals of the columns.

Fine examples of such console and corbel designs span the varied periods of architecture, many based on the Neoclassical, Gothic or Art nouveau styles.