A style of artistic decoration featuring leaves, foliage, or leaf-like ornamental patterns, particularly in classical or Renaissance art and architecture.
From French 'folletage,' derived from 'feuille' (leaf), with the suffix '-age' (indicating a collection or practice). The term entered English through art historical vocabulary in the 19th century.
Folletage reveals how Renaissance artists were obsessed with nature—they couldn't just paint buildings; they had to cover every surface with ivy, acanthus leaves, and elaborate plant forms, blending the human-made world with the natural one.
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