Architectural Study: Church Capitals

Arnold William Brunner's measured drawings document four stone capitals from the Abbey Church of St. Len d'Esserent in the Oise region of France. Each capital is rendered in precise line work with cross-hatching to indicate depth and shadow, showing the carved details of medieval ecclesiastical architecture. Brunner, an American architect and designer, produced such studies during his formative years, gathering visual reference material from European sources. These architectural sketches became foundational to his design practice and reflected the Beaux-Arts training that shaped American architects of his generation through direct observation of historical precedent.