Gargoyles Green Men Grotesques
Gargoyles Green Men and Grotesques
I have been photographing these architectural works of art in the Diocese that covers Wakefield, Halifax, Huddersfield, Barnsley
Gargoyles
In architecture the forms on buildings and churches not used as drain-spouts are known as grotesques and when used for drain-spouts are known as gargoyles.
The term gargoyle originates from the French gargouille, translated as ‘’throat or gullet’’. In Dutch and German it is a word for ‘’ water spitter ‘’ or ‘’water spewer’’.
A gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from the roof and away from the side of the building, preventing rainwater from running down walls and eroding the mortar between the stone blocks.
The length of the gargoyle determines how far water is thrown from the wall and foundations.
Green Men
A green man is a sculpture, drawing or other representation of a face surrounded by leaves and branches, or may be flowers or fruit sprouting from the nose, mouth or other parts of the face.
Green Men are commonly used as decorative architectural ornaments or carvings and are found in churches, chapels, abbeys, cathedrals and other buildings.
The green man motif has many variations and is found in many cultures around the world. It is perceived as a natural vegetative symbol of rebirth representing the cycle of growth each spring and perhaps a fertility figure of a nature spirit.
Grotesques
The word grotesque comes from the Latin root word ‘’Grotto’’ meaning small cave or hollow.
The original meaning was restricted to an extravagant style of ancient Roman decorative art, rediscovered and then copied in Rome in the 15TH century.
Since the 18th century in France, Germany and England, the term grotesque has generally come to be used to describe something which is strange, ugly, unpleasant or disgusting and is also used to describe weird shapes and forms.
Examples can be found from the 11th century through to the 20th century. However there are no examples of grotesques on any buildings or pre-dating the 11th century.
I have been photographing these architectural works of art in the Diocese that covers Wakefield, Halifax, Huddersfield, Barnsley
Gargoyles
In architecture the forms on buildings and churches not used as drain-spouts are known as grotesques and when used for drain-spouts are known as gargoyles.
The term gargoyle originates from the French gargouille, translated as ‘’throat or gullet’’. In Dutch and German it is a word for ‘’ water spitter ‘’ or ‘’water spewer’’.
A gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from the roof and away from the side of the building, preventing rainwater from running down walls and eroding the mortar between the stone blocks.
The length of the gargoyle determines how far water is thrown from the wall and foundations.
Green Men
A green man is a sculpture, drawing or other representation of a face surrounded by leaves and branches, or may be flowers or fruit sprouting from the nose, mouth or other parts of the face.
Green Men are commonly used as decorative architectural ornaments or carvings and are found in churches, chapels, abbeys, cathedrals and other buildings.
The green man motif has many variations and is found in many cultures around the world. It is perceived as a natural vegetative symbol of rebirth representing the cycle of growth each spring and perhaps a fertility figure of a nature spirit.
Grotesques
The word grotesque comes from the Latin root word ‘’Grotto’’ meaning small cave or hollow.
The original meaning was restricted to an extravagant style of ancient Roman decorative art, rediscovered and then copied in Rome in the 15TH century.
Since the 18th century in France, Germany and England, the term grotesque has generally come to be used to describe something which is strange, ugly, unpleasant or disgusting and is also used to describe weird shapes and forms.
Examples can be found from the 11th century through to the 20th century. However there are no examples of grotesques on any buildings or pre-dating the 11th century.
