reprise

A reprise is the continuation of a moulding profile when it turns inward at an internal angle, rather than stopping or being cut off. In stone or brick masonry, when an ashlar face terminates at a concave corner (like where two walls meet inside a room or where a wall steps inward), the moulding that runs along the outer edge must somehow handle that inward turn. The reprise is that return: the moulding reverses direction and runs back along the newly exposed face, maintaining its profile and visual continuity.

The practical challenge is that mouldings are cut for outward (convex) corners naturally. An internal corner requires the mason to either stop the moulding short, which looks unfinished, or to reverse it. A simple reprise might be a straight reversal of the moulding profile running perpendicular to the original direction. More elaborate reprises involve mitred or joggled returns, where the moulding is cut at angles to blend into the adjoining wall face without an obvious step or abrupt termination.

Execution and variation

The exact form of a reprise depends on the moulding profile and the architect's intention. In classical work, a cyma, ovolo, or torus moulding might return completely, with the mason cutting a reverse profile in stone. In simpler work, especially with brick or rubbed ashlar, the reprise might be minimal: just enough projection and shadow line to show that the moulding continues intentionally. Some designs use a small fillet or chamfer at the internal corner instead of a full profile return.

Getting a reprise right demands skill in setting out and stone-cutting. The depth and angle of the return must be calculated so the stone seats properly and the moulding aligns with the main wall plane. Poor reprises result in gaps, uneven joints, or stone that projects too far into the corner. The term appears most in classical and traditional masonry, where ornamental mouldings are standard; it is less common in modern construction, which tends to minimize ornamentation at internal angles.