Most of the grotesques and pretty much all of the gargoyles we look at in this series appear on public buildings, particularly churches. However, you can also find some (usually grotesques) on private homes, though they’re much less common.
There is a particularly extensive set of grotesques at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. Like many other North American and European mansions built in the 19th and early-20th centuries, Biltmore intentionally echoes European Medieval and Renaissance architecture. So, the inclusion of grotesques makes a perfect touch of medieval flair. I am intrigued by the fact that some are very authentically European Gothic in their appearance, while others are unique and quirky. I also enjoy how some of the Biltmore grotesques and shaped and positioned in a way that really does make them look like they could function as gargoyles.
You can learn more about the grotesques of Biltmore in this post written after my September 2018 visit there.
