gargoyle

 

(gär'goil) , waterspout used in medieval Europe to draw rainwater from church and cathedral roofs. Gargoyles were fashioned imaginatively in the form of human grotesques, beasts, and demonic spirits. This form of sculpture reached its peak in the Gothic period and declined with the introduction of lead drainpipes in the 16th cent.

In architecture, gargoyles are grotesques with spouts which convey water away from the sides of buildings. The term originates from the French gargouille, originally the throat or gullet, cf. Latin gurgulio, gula, and similar words derived from root gar, to swallow, the word representing the gurgling sound of water; Ital. doccione; Ger. Ausguss, Wasserspeier.

A chimera, or a grotesque figure, is a similar type of sculpture that does not work as a waterspout and serves only an ornamental or artistic function. These are often incorrectly referred to as gargoyles.

Statues representing gargoyle-like creatures are popular sales items, particularly in pond, goth, and New Age retail stores. Sometimes they are functional gargoyles, but more often than not they are actually grotesques modeled from famous gargoyles.

History

The term gargoyle is most often applied to medieval work, but throughout all ages some means of throwing the water off roofs, when not conveyed in gutters, was adopted. In Egypt, gargoyles ejected the water used in the washing of the sacred vessels which seems to have been done on the flat roofs of the temples. In Greek temples, the water from roofs passed through the mouths of lions whose heads were carved or modelled in the marble or terra cotta cymatium of the cornice. At Pompeii, many terra cotta gargoyles were found that are modelled in the shape of animals.

A local legend that sprang up around the name of St. Romanus ("Romain") (631 – 641 A.D.), the former chancellor of the Merovingian king Clotaire II who was made bishop of Rouen, relates how he delivered the country around Rouen from a monster called Gargouille, having the creature captured by the only volunteer, a condemned man. The gargoyle's grotesque form was said to scare off evil spirits so they were used for protection. In commemoration of St. Romain the Archbishops of Rouen were granted the right to set a prisoner free on the day that the reliquary of the saint was carried in procession (see details at Rouen).

Although most have grotesque features, the term gargoyle has come to include all types of images. Some gargoyles were depicted as monks, combinations of real animals and people, many of which were humorous. Unusual animal mixtures, or chimeras, did not act as rainspouts and are more properly called grotesques. They serve more as ornamentation, but are now synonymous with gargoyles.

19th and 20th centuries

Monsters, or more precisely chimarae, were used as decoration on 19th and early 20th century buildings in cities such as New York (where the Chrysler Building's stainless steel gargoyles are celebrated), and Chicago. Gargoyles can be found on many churches and buildings.

One impressive collection of modern gargoyles can be found at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC. The cathedral begun in 1908 is encrusted with the limestone demons. This collection also includes Darth Vader, a crooked politician, robots and many other modern spins on the ancient tradition. The 20th Century collegiate form of the Gothic Revival produced many modern gargoyles, notably at Princeton University, Duke University and the University of Chicago.

Gargoyles in fiction

Main article: Gargoyles in fiction

In contemporary fiction, gargoyles are typically depicted as a (generally) winged humanoid race with demonic features: generally horns, a tail, and talons. These fictional gargoyles can generally use their wings to fly or glide, and are often depicted as having a rocky hide, or being capable of turning into stone in one way or another.

See also

• Hunky Punk
• Sheela na Gig
• Architectural sculpture
• Rainhead

References

• Guide to Gargoyles and Other Grotesques]] (2003) Wendy True Gasch, ISBN 0-9745299-0-7
• The Stone Carvers: Master Craftsmen of the Washington National Cathedral (1999) Marjorie Hunt, ISBN 1-56098-829-0 & 978-1-58834-247-8

External links

• Gargoyles at the Washington National Cathedral
• Gallery with many photos of Gargoyles
• Last Gargoyle Concert
• Gargola no se hace... Se nace
• Complete Gargoyle Gallery
• Gargoyle Tattoos

Photo gallery

Chimera of the St. Patrick Church in Flagstaff, Arizona.	View of a gargoyle on the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, France.	A gargoyle on the Basilica of the Sacré Cœur, Paris, France, showing the water channel.	A Japanese gargoyle adorning Himeji Castle.
Gargoyle at the St.-Petrus-en-Pauluskerk, Ostend, Belgium.	Gargoyle at Fontevraud's Abbey, Fontevraud, France.	Gargoyle at St Margaret's Church, Wolstanton, England.	Gargoyle Notre-Dame d'Amiens, France.
Gargoyle, right top, at la Llotja, Palma (Mallorca),	Notre Dame Church in Dijon, France.

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