Ogee

An ogee (/oʊˈdʒiː/ /ˈoʊdʒiː/) is an object, element, or curve—often seen in architecture and building trades—that has a serpentine- or extended S-shape (sigmoid).[1]: 218 Ogees consist of a "double curve", the combination of two semicircular curves or arcs that, as a result of a point of inflection from concave to convex or vice versa,[1]: 218 have ends of the overall curve that point in opposite directions (and have tangents that are approximately parallel).

An ogee arch, showing the pair of component blocks on each side that constitute the "double curve" of the ogee, joined at its peak by a capstone.[1]: 218 The midpoint of the two blocks on each side that compose the ogee, the point at which the overall curve changes direction, is the inflection point referred to in the lead.

First seen in textiles in the 12th century, the use of ogee elements—in particular, in the design of arches—has been said to characterise various Gothic and Gothic Revival architectural styles.[1]: 218 The shape has many such uses in architecture from those periods to the present day, including in the ogee arch in these architectural styles,[1]: 218 where two ogees oriented as mirror images compose the sides of the arch,[2] and in decorative molding designs, where single ogees are common profiles (see opening image).[1] The term is also used in marine construction, particularly in shipbuilding, where ogee curves are used in hull design to improve hydrodynamics.[3] The word was sometimes abbreviated as o-g as early as the 18th century,[1]: 218 and in millwork trades associated with building construction, ogee is still sometimes written similarly (e.g., as O.G.).

## Contents

* 1 Use in architecture
* 1.1 Ogee arch
* 1.2 Moulding
* 2 Other uses
* 2.1 Manufactured objects with the ogee description
* 3 Ogee skirting boards and architraves
* 4 See also
* 5 References
* 6 Further reading

## Use in architecture

| Look up  ogee in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

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### Ogee arch

Gothic ogee arch from the 1300s, over a tomb effigy in recess, in St. Mary the Virgin, Silchester, in the United Kingdom.[4][5]

In architecture, the principal use of the term is to describe an arch composed of two ogees, mirrored left-to-right and meeting at an apex.[2] First seen in textiles in the 1100s AD, the use of ogee elements, and in particular in the design of arches, has been said to characterise Venetian Gothic and Gothic Revival architectural styles.[1]: 218 Ogee arches were also a feature of English Gothic architecture in the later thirteenth century.[6]

### Moulding

A building's surface detailing, inside and outside, often includes decorative moulding, and these often contain ogee-shaped profiles—consisting (from low to high) of a concave arc flowing into a convex arc, with vertical ends; if the lower curve is convex and higher one concave, this is known as a Roman ogee, although frequently the terms are used interchangeably and for a variety of other shapes. Alternative names for such a Roman ogee moulding include cyma reversa and talon.[7]

An unorthodox ogee arch in Kilfane Church, Ireland (13th century)

The ogee curve is an analogue of a "cyma curve", the difference being that a cyma, or "cyma recta", has horizontal rather than vertical ends. The cyma reversa form occurs in antiquity. For example, in ancient Persia, the Tomb of Cyrus featured the cyma reversa.[8] The cyma reversa is also evident in ancient Greek architecture, and takes its name from the cymatium.Cite error: Closing `</ref>` missing for `<ref>` tag

## Other uses

Ogee clock, framed with ogee moulding.

Ogee is also a mathematical term, meaning an inflection point.[9] The term also gets used in steam locomotive design, referring to a specific shape of saddle tank on small shunting locomotives, such as the GER Class 209. In fluid mechanics, the term is used to refer to aerodynamic profiles that bear such shapes, e.g., as in the ogee profile of the Concorde supersonic aircraft.[10] As well, ogee curves are used to minimize water pressure on the downstream face of a dam spillway.[11]

In aesthetic facial surgery, the term is used to describe the malar or cheekbone prominence transitioning into the mid-cheek hollow.[12] The aim of a mid-face rejuvenation is to restore the ogee curve and enhance the cheekbones, common parts of routine facelift surgery.[13]

### Manufactured objects with the ogee description

Ogee is the name given to bubble-shaped chambers of pot stills that connect the swan neck to the still pot, in distillation apparatus, that allow distillate to expand, condense, and fall back into the still pot.[14]

"Ogee washers" are heavy washers used in fasteners that have a large load-bearing surface; they are used in marine timber construction to prevent bolt heads or nuts from sinking into the face of timbers.[15] The term ogee is used to describe the ogee shape giving rise to radial symmetry around the centre of the washer. Due to the size and shape of such washers, they are generally manufactured as a cast iron product (in accordance with ASTM A47 or A48).{{citation needed|date=January 2020} "Ogee clocks" were a common type of weight-driven 19th-century pendulum clock presented in a simplified Gothic style, with the original design attributed to Chauncey Jerome.[16] Ogee clocks were typically made in the United States, as mantelpieces or to mount to a wall bracket,[17] and are one of the most commonly encountered varieties of American antique clocks. The overall design was rectangular, with framing by moulding with an ogee-profile surrounding a central glass door with a painted scene below the clock face, a door that protected the clock face and pendulum.{{citation needed|date=January 2020} nside the ogee moulding and so were hidden from view.[citation needed]

## Ogee skirting boards and architraves

In contemporary interior design, the ogee profile has been adapted for use in architectural finishing elements such as skirting boards and architraves. These products are typically manufactured from medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and are designed to replicate the traditional double-curved (ogee) moulding profile in a modern, cost-effective form. The ogee skirting board provides a graceful transition between the floor and wall while also concealing minor surface imperfections, whereas ogee architraves are used to frame doorways and windows, lending a subtle classical detail to interior spaces.

For example, the "Ogee 1 MDF Skirting Board" available from MDF Skirting World exemplifies how the ogee profile is applied in contemporary building finishes. This product features a refined double-curved design that echoes traditional moulding aesthetics while meeting modern installation and durability standards. Variations in the profile—such as differences in depth, width, and curvature—allow designers to select products that suit a range of interior styles, from classical to modern minimalist.[18]

## See also

* Line of beauty

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `LewisDarley1986`
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Davies, Nikolas; Jokiniemi, Erkki (2011). Architect's Illustrated Pocket Dictionary. Oxford, England: Architectural Press. p. 318. ISBN 9780080965376.
3. ↑ Taylor, David W. (1910). The Speed and Power of Ships: A Study of the Steady Flow Around a Ship's Hull. Institute of Naval Architects. p. 145.
4. ↑ Pevsner, Nikolaus; Lloyd, David (1967). Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The Buildings of England. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. p. 505.
5. ↑ "Geograph:: Effigy in the Recess © Bill Nicholls cc-by-sa/2.0". https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3954504.
6. ↑ Honour, H. and J. Fleming, (2009) A World History of Art. 7th edn. London: Laurence King Publishing, p. 391. ISBN 9781856695848
7. ↑ Parker, John Henry (1850). A glossary of terms used in Grecian, Roman, Italian, and Gothic Architecture. 1. London: David Bogue. p. 159. OCLC 719426. "Cyma recta…which is hollow in the upper part, and round in the lower; and Cyma reversa, (Talon…) which is hollow in the lower part and round in the upper."
8. ↑ Hogan, C. Michael (2008) Tomb of Cyrus, The Megalithic Portal, ed. A.
9. ↑ "Ogee Curves – InkTrap" (in en-US). 2022-05-02. https://typedesign.fba.up.pt/ogee-curves/.
10. ↑ "Concorde wing" (in en). https://www.heritageconcorde.com/the-wing.
11. ↑ Ago, Shivohum2015in #water • 7 Years (2017-08-11). "Ogee Spillway" (in en). https://steemit.com/water/@shivohum2015/ogee-spillway.
12. ↑ Lemmon, Mark (2009). "The Ogee Curve in Facial Rejuvenation: A New Perspective". Aesthetic Surgery Journal 29 (2): 123–130.
13. ↑ Rohrich, Rod J. (2020). Facial Topography: Clinical Anatomy of the Face. Thieme. p. 57.
14. ↑ Vriesekoop, Frank; Ostrowski, Dawid (2017). "Distillation Processes and Distillates". Post-Fermentation and -Distillation Technology. pp. 41–80. doi:10.1201/9781315155050-2. ISBN 978-1-315-15505-0.
15. ↑ "Ogee Washers – McMaster-Carr". McMaster-Carr. https://www.mcmaster.com/products/ogee-washers/.
16. ↑ Ly, Tran Duy (1997). New Haven Clocks & Watches. Arlington Press. ISBN 978-0-930163-75-4. [page needed]
17. ↑ "Ogee clock | Antique, Pendulum, Movement | Britannica" (in en). https://www.britannica.com/technology/ogee-clock.
18. ↑ "Ogee 1 MDF Skirting Board". MDF Skirting World. https://mdfskirtingworld.co.uk/ogee-1-mdf-skirting-board/.

## Further reading

* Lewis, Philippa & Darley, Gillian (1986). Dictionary of Ornament. New York: Pantheon Books. pp. 222, 73, 97, and 116. ISBN 0-394-50931-5. https://archive.org/details/dictionaryoforna00phil. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
* Owens, Bill & Dikty, Alan (2009). The Art of Distilling Whiskey: An Enthusiast's Guide to the Artisan Distilling of Whiskey, Vodka, Gin, and Other Potent Spirits. Quarry Books. ISBN 978-1592539185. p. 26.

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