cavetto

Cavetto is an architectural term for a concave molding with an inward-curving profile, typically forming a shallow quarter-circle. The word comes from Italian cavetto, meaning “little hollow.” In classical architecture, the cavetto is most often found as part of a cornice or entablature, especially in the undersides of cornices where it provides a transition between horizontal and vertical elements. It is one of the standard moulding profiles used in Greek, Roman, Renaissance, and neoclassical architecture, contrasting with convex profiles such as the ovolo.

Functionally, the cavetto serves both a decorative and practical role: it creates shadow and depth, defines the cornice line, and helps to visually articulate the edge of the entablature. It may appear alone or as part of a sequence of mouldings within a cornice, sometimes preceding other profiles like mutules or cymatium in specific orders.

In addition to exterior cornices, cavetto mouldings are common in interior plasterwork and woodwork, including ceilings, door and window casings, and entablature recesses. The term is sometimes used more broadly to refer to any shallow concave molding, though in specialized architectural vocabulary it denotes the characteristic concave profile.

While not as conspicuous as other classical elements, the cavetto remains a basic and versatile element in the vocabulary of classical and revival architecture, contributing to the rhythm, proportion, and refinement of building façades and interiors.