Gargoyles ~ Grotesques and the Green Man
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Gargoyles and the Green Man are mythological beings. They adorn countless cathedrals around the world.
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Early
references date back to 600 A.D.
The word 'gargoyles' is derived from an
old French word gargouille, meaning throat. The English words gargle, gurgle
and gargoyle are derived from gargouille.
Some believe that gargoyles - sometimes
called grotesques - are inspired by the skeletal remains of prehistoric beasts
such as dinosaurs and giant reptiles or by other fossils.
Originally a gargoyle was considered a
waterspout, directing water away from a building. Technically an architect
calls a waterspout on a building a gargoyle. If a stone carving does not carry
water and has a face that resembles a creature, it is technically called a
grotesque.
Many people believe that gargoyles were
created by medieval architects and stone carvers to ward off evil in an
imperfect world.
France has over 100 cathedrals, most
built in the middle ages, with Notre Dame being the most famous. Churches used
awesome visual images to spread the scriptures, which included gargoyles,
stained glass, and sculpture.
Some people feel that gargoyles are the
expression of man's subconscious fears or, that they may be vestiges of
paganism from an age when god would be heard in trees and river plains.
Churches in
A legend has it that a fierce dragon
named La Gargouille lived in the river Seine near Paris. The fierce dragon
devoured ships and men. The village was saved by St. Romanis, proving the might
of Christianity. After the battle, the creature was set ablaze. Its body was
destroyed but its head and neck survived which was mounted on a building. This
practice spread and La Gargouille perhaps creating the model for the gargoyles
we see today.
Many gargoyles are similar to the legends
and figures of the ancients Celts, such as the Green
Man or Jack of the Green (look in Rochester
Cathedral) - the god of tree worship. Artists who carved these were
inspired by their culture.
Gargoyles can be dragons, men, cats,
bats, frogs, serpents, and countless others.
Gargoyles are still being carved today,
many with a modern theme such as a whimsical figure pointing a camera down
below.
To Do: Title your page
"Gargoyles".
Write about Gargoyles,
make sure you have covered the points below:
1.What are Gargoyles and Green Men? What purpose did they
serve on buildings? Where can they be seen? When were the earliest made? What was
the period of time when these images were created? Are they still created
today? Do you know of any that can be seen in your own local area?
2. Create a document of images of
gargoyles and the Green Man. Try these links: http://www.canterburygreenman.fsnet.co.uk/GreenManKent.htm
http://nersp.nerdc.ufl.edu/~biolab/gargoyles/gargoyles.html
as well as pages from this website. In a text box next
to each image describe whether the gargoyle has an actual function on the
building. Write what meaning or impact the image may convey to those who see
it.
3. Make two pages of ‘black pen planning’
on A4 paper or in your sketchbook. These should show the three-dimensional form
with cross hatching. Next to your design ideas describe how you are linking
your work with the work of the craftsmen and artists who created the gargoyles
and Green Men long ago. At least one of your designs should be a gargoyle
based on yourself!