Holy Terrors: Gargoyles on Medieval Buildings by Janetta Rebold Benton

This little art book includes over 100 photos of gargoyles taken by the author herself, Janetta Rebold Benton, specialist in medieval art, which adds a real visual flare to the book’s four chapters: the first chapter a clear, concise overview of gargoyles and then three chapters with more specifics on human gargoyles, animal gargoyles and grotesque gargoyles. What a treat for absolutely anybody interested in medieval culture or art or exploring the wonder and feats of the human imagination.

And what exactly is a gargoyle? As the author explains, this stone creature is an elaborate waterspout constructed for the purpose of diverting rainwater from running down walls and eroding mortar; rather, the water is carried along a trough cut the length of the gargoyle back and then out the gargoyle mouth facilitating the water being thrown clear of the wall. The medieval gargoyles began appearing as part of the construction of cathedrals during the 1200s and continued their function on cathedrals and other church owned buildings right up until the late 1500s. They were made on the ground, usually out of limestone or marble, by stone carvers using mallet, chisel and file and then hoisted into place via a system of pulleys.

 

And why were gargoyles carved with such distorted or grotesque features? Professor Benton notes that since there isn’t really any written documentation detailing the theory and practice of creating gargoyles, many of our answers will be conjecture, however, we do know much about medieval religion and the western European medieval worldview, a worldview preoccupied with sin, salvation and the eternal fate of the soul. Thus, the artist had a responsibility to use their art to instruct and guide the public’s attitude and behavior. As we read, “Perhaps grotesque gargoyles were intended as guardians of the church, magic signs to ward off the devil. This interpretation would justify making a gargoyle as ugly as possible, as a sort of sacred scarecrow to frighten the devil away . . . Or perhaps gargoyles were themselves symbols of the evil forces – such as temptations and sins – lurking outside the sanctuary of the church.”

 

But the author adds, “Not all gargoyles were intended to frighten, reprimand, or threaten; some appear to have been intended to serve purposes not sacred but profane. Rather than inspiring dread, perhaps they were intended to amuse. Gargoyles may have been regarded as a form of popular entertainment." Sidebar: our author explains how a number of the stone creatures of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, as this one below, are commonly viewed as gargoyles but since they are not waterspouts, they are more accurately termed grotesques. 

 

What I personally find so fascinating about gargoyles is what they signified for the actual medieval artists, well-trained craftsmen who could let their imaginations soar well beyond any fixed rules set down by the church. The creation of gargoyles was one area, similar to the creatures drawn in the margins of medieval manuscripts, that was uncensored by authorities and where the very human capacity to imagine and express itself in all its breathtaking and bizarre, stunning and whacky, fabulous and weird fullness became manifest, which, in a way, was the ultimate breath of artistic freedom in the medieval world. Where these creatures demons from the subconscious dream world or from the unseen realms of the imagination? Or, where they perhaps created out of a simple sense of making something very personal to display for one’s fellow artists and others? Probably a little of each of these reasons and then some, but whatever the reasons, these grotesque waterspouts, like the mouth-puller below, make for fascinating, captivating, beguiling, mind-blowing viewing.

 

A special thanks to Goodreads friend Pramod for suggesting this book to me.
One final note: You will have to look at the author’s book itself to see her outstanding photos as they are not available on the web. The pics I included above are my favorite gargoyles from those I found via a Goggle search.