About Gargoyles
Chicago, USA
Who are these creatures crawling around medieval buildings? Who created them, and why?. | |||
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Carved for the University of California, this grizzly grotesque looks up from his book. It sits in a rooftop garden, and is designed to be viewed from all angles. Click the image at the right for an animation showing all sides of this sculpture |
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| Many cultures throughout history have created sculptures of fantastic creatures. These gargoyles and grotesques stir our imaginations, as they stirred the imaginations of the sculptors and carvers who created them. We try to understand them, to explain them. The most common belief is that they are protectors, keeping evil away from the buildings and their occupants. But is this really why they are there? We really don't know. | |||
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Above are three of the dozens I carved for the Washington Cathedral | |||
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| The best known examples of gargoyles are from the Medieval period, a time when most people were illiterate. The carvings served the role of books, telling stories and reporting on life. The only documentation of the reasoning behind them is in the carving itself. Any original legends have probably been lost or have changed so much over time that they don't tell us anything about the original intentions. In recent years people have invented some new "legends" and claimed that they are old stories, but I don't know of any authentic 700 year old writings about them. | |||
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| Gargoyles and grotesques have always given carvers and sculptors a chance to use their creativity, to explore the possibilities of stone and imagination. They free us from the limits imposed by most other types of carving, and this was especially true in the Middle Ages. Carvers love creating these pieces, and viewers love seeing them. This may be the real reason why they exist. | |||
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A bestiary was a book with illustrations of imaginary animals, with an
explanation of the powers and symbolism of each animal. Medieval sculptors may
have looked at these books for ideas. Symbolism was more important than
scientific accuracy in depicting these creatures.
Want to learn more? I've put together a bibliography of some of my favorite gargoyle books. | |||
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