Which statement about the Doric order is true?

Which statement about the Doric order is true?

• A. It has a base.
• B. It features a scroll-like capital.
• C. It is characterized by ornate acanthus leaves.
• D. It has a sturdy, plain capital and no base.

Answer: (D)

Doric order is the most austere of the classical orders, emphasizing mass and restraint. Its capital is sturdy and plain, with a simple echinus and abacus, and the column sits directly on the stylobate without a base. That combination—plain capital and no base—defines the Doric look and weight. A base belongs to other orders like Ionic and Corinthian; the scroll-like capital is characteristic of Ionic; ornate acanthus leaves appear on Corinthian capitals. Therefore, the statement describing a sturdy, plain capital and no base captures the essential Doric character.

Doric order is the most austere of the classical orders, emphasizing mass and restraint. Its capital is sturdy and plain, with a simple echinus and abacus, and the column sits directly on the stylobate without a base. That combination—plain capital and no base—defines the Doric look and weight. A base belongs to other orders like Ionic and Corinthian; the scroll-like capital is characteristic of Ionic; ornate acanthus leaves appear on Corinthian capitals. Therefore, the statement describing a sturdy, plain capital and no base captures the essential Doric character.