Elegance of Quatrefoils: The Timeless Four-Leaf Motif in Gothic Architecture

Quatrefoil, from the French “quatre-feuille,” meaning “four leaf,” is a stylized motif with four leaves or lobes. It is often seen as a pierced pattern in the tracery of Gothic windows. These patterns are divided into four leaves or lobes by cusps or featherings. Quatrefoils are commonly found in friezes within the Perpendicular and Decorated styles of architecture.

Sources

Studio Dictionary of Design & Decoration. (1973). United States: Viking Press.