The title compound, C(16)H(12)O(4), exists as planar molecules in the solid state (r.m.s. deviation of 0.02 Å in one mol-ecule and 0.07 Å in the second independent mol-ecule comprising the asymmetric unit). In each mol-ecule, the 1-hydr-oxy group forms an intra-molecular hydrogen bond to the adjacent carbonyl O atom.