Tag: gargoyles
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Gargoyles and Grotesques of Westminster Abbey and Palace, London
An introduction to the gargoyles and grotesques of Westminster Abbey and Westminster Palace – two important Gothic and Gothic Revival structures in London.
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Gargoyles and Grotesques of Hotel de Ville, Brussels
Read about a part-fish gargoyle on the Hotel de Ville in Brussels.
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Fantastic Beasts (Oh Look, I Found One)
Harry Potter fans (such as myself) will certainly enjoy this basilisk grotesque carved into the façade of Amiens Cathedral in France. It is interesting that the basilisk (or cockatrice) of medieval legend looks almost nothing like the one described in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, but its other characteristics and the deadly effects…
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An Unusual Take on Gargoyles
I recently finished reading Thomas Cahill’s How the Irish Saved Civilization, The Untold Story of Ireland’s Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe. My prior training in medieval art history had addressed the importance of the medieval Irish and Scottish monastic establishment on Western European cultural history, so the…
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An Epiphany about Gargoyles
When I was in New York City for the Winter Antiques Show (subject of my most recent marathon post), I decided to engage in a little gargoyle hunt on my way to and from the Armory. I looked up at each building I passed in hopes of seeing little faces peering back at me from on…
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A grotesque for the National Guard
I saw this rather dignified-looking lion on the exterior of the National Guard armory where I attended a trade show a few days ago. He and his brother (not pictured) seem to keep watch and maintain order in the no parking zone below.
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More Academic Grotesques
Look at all these charming little faces! A chorus of grotesques holds up a window sill on this pretty stone academic building. These photos were taken by my little sister munchkin, Amira M., who says she passes them on her way to English class. In the photo below, you can see that the window is…
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Gargoyles Go to College
Discover the grotesques of the University of Chicago.
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La Gargouille, the evil dragon gargoyle of Rouen
One highly fanciful legend exists about the origin of the first gargoyle. It concerns a dragon who terrorized the town of Rouen, in France.
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Some Musings on the Meaning of Gargoyles
The more I read about gargoyles, the more I am starting to think that there is no single right answer to the question of their existence. Even if you only consider medieval European gargoyles, there is too much diversity (in style, subject matter, etc.) for any universal interpretation to be truly convincing. In fact, it…
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The Gargoyles of Princeton University
Meet the gargoyles of Princeton University.
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The First Bit of My Gargoyle Research
A few fun facts I learned while reading about gargoyles and grotesques.
