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Gargoyles and Grotesques of Hotel de Ville, Brussels

Hotel de Ville Brussels hybrid gargoyle

I just saw a photo of this hybrid gargoyle in a gargoyle book I’m reading, and my first thought was that he looks like he belongs in an alien movie. He seemed a bit more extraterrestrial in the first photo I saw, but he’s still so fabulously weird with his wings and fish tail, isn’t he? He is from the Hotel de Ville (Town Hall) in Brussels, Belgium. Based on the looks of him, I’m guessing he’s relatively modern – probably Gothic Revival. However, the obvious hole in his mouth makes me think me could be a true gargoyle, not a grotesque.

Hotel de Ville Brussels hybrid gargoyle
Photo by EmDee via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).

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I’m Alexandra, an art historian who believes that looking at art can enrich everyone’s life. Welcome to my website! Read more about me here.

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