ogee

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Ogee molding and resulting shadow pattern

An ogee (pronounced /oʊˈdʒiː/ or /ˈoʊdʒiː/) is a curve, shaped somewhat like an S, consisting of two arcs that curve in opposite senses, so that the ends are parallel. In architecture, the name is also used for a molding with an ogee-shaped profile, consisting (going from low to high) of a concave arc flowing into a convex arc, with vertical ends; an alternative name for such a molding is cyma reversa; talon is also used.

The ogee curve and its beauty forms part of the leitmotif of the Booker-prize winning novel The Line of Beauty.

Use in architecture

Ogee arch

Twin ogee-arched portals; Igreja de Jesus, Setúbal, Portugal

The cyma reversa form occurs in antiquity. For example, in ancient Persia, the Tomb of Cyrus featured the cyma reversa.^[1] The cyma reversa is also evident in ancient Greek architecture.^[2] The ogee shape is one of the characteristics of the Gothic style of architecture, especially decorative elements in the 14th and 15th century late Gothic styles called Flamboyant in France and Decorated in England. Ogee windows and arches were introduced to European cities from the Middle East. The ogee curve is an analogue of a "cyma curve", the difference being that a cyma has horizontal rather than vertical ends.

The ogee profile is used in decorative molding, often framed between moldings with a square section. As such it is part of the standard classical decorative vocabulary, adopted from architrave and cornice moldings of the Ionic order and Corinthian order. An ogee is also often used in the "crown molding" frequently found at the top of a piece of case furniture, or for capping a baseboard or plinth, or where a wall meets the ceiling. An ogee molding may be run in plaster or wood, or cut in stone or brickwork.

Ogee clock

Ogee clock framed with ogee molding

An ogee clock is a common kind of weight-driven 19th-century pendulum clock in a simplified Gothic taste, made in the United States for a mantelpiece or to sit upon a wall bracket. An ogee clock is rectangular, with ogee-profile molding that frames a central glass door that protects the clock face and the pendulum. The door usually carries a painted scene in the area beneath the face. Ogee clocks are one of the most commonly encountered varieties of American antique clocks.

Other meanings

In fluid mechanics, the term ogee is used for an ogee-shaped aerodynamic profile. For example, a wing may have ogee profile, particularly on supersonic aircraft such as the Concorde. Also, the downstream face of a dam spillway is usually formed in an ogee curve to minimize water pressure.

In aesthetic facial surgery, the term is used to describe the malar or cheekbone prominence transitioning into the midcheek hollow. The aim of a mid-face rejuvenation is to restore the ogee curve and enhance the cheekbones. This enhancement is also commonly a part of a routine facelift.

Ogee is also a mathematical term, meaning an inflection point.

An ogee can also refer to a style of sleeve, in particular on a gown; the term is not widely used, and may not be used at all outside the University of London.

Line notes

References

• William Bell Dinsmoor and William James Anderson (1973) The architecture of ancient Greece: an account of its historic development, Biblo & Tannen Publishers, 424 pages ISBN 0819602833.
• C.Michael Hogan (2008) Tomb of Cyrus, The Megalithic Portal, ed. A. Burnham.

See also

• Ogive