16th Century Dragon, Henry VII Lady Chapel, Westminster Abbey

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16th Century Dragon, Henry VII Lady Chapel, Westminster Abbey

About the Item

Rare and important early 16th century bath limestone grotesque dragon, Henry VII Lady Chapel, Westminster Abbey, London, circa 1503-1519. The bath stone Dragon head with gaping toothed mouth and elongated nose with raised nodules running over the head. Originally sited at the base of one of the ten tapered pinnacles on the roof of Henry VII Lady Chapel, Westminster Abbey, each pinnacle terminating in a cluster of four differing grotesques, featuring Dragons, Hounds and Lions at the base. This stone Dragon Grotesque was originally sited at the base of one of the ten pinnacles on the roof of the Henry VII Lady Chapel, Westminster Abbey. This Dragon head was removed during major renovation work on the Chapel in the late 1970s circa 1979, 460 years after completion of the Chapel. This was undertaken by the specialist restoration company, Rattee & Kett of Cambridge, est. 1848. With their team of master masons, carvers and sculptors, under the direct supervision of the Abbey’s Surveyor Of The Fabric, John Peter Foster. John P. Foster inspected all aspects of the surviving Medieval stone work during the restoration of the upper levels of the Chapel by the traditional method of tapping with a wooden shaft - if a hollow ring was heard, the stone was deemed not safe and was marked for removal and replacement with Portland stone. The sculpture is modern mounted on a painted and patinated antique oak block, mounted height is 9".

Dimensions:
Height: 6.5 in (16.51 cm)Width: 6 in (15.24 cm)Depth: 6.5 in (16.51 cm)
Style:
Gothic (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Limestone,Carved
Place of Origin:
United Kingdom
Period:
16th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1503-1519
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. The sculpted Dragon is in good condition, with normal wear associated with its original rooftop location on Westminster Abbey. There are minor losses to one section of ear as can be seen in the photographs.
Seller Location:
Matlock, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: 33801stDibs: LU4228114611031