16th Century Late Gothic Limestone Gargoyle

16th century / Belgium / Letter Panel / Oak / Gothic A finely carved Gothic oak panel from 16th-century France. This architectural fragment features graceful vertical fluting framed...

16th century / Belgium / Letter Panel / Oak / Gothic A finely carved Gothic oak panel from 16th-century France. This architectural fragment features graceful vertical fluting framed...

16th century / Belgium / Letter Panel / Oak / Gothic A finely carved Gothic oak panel from 16th-century France. This architectural fragment features graceful vertical fluting framed...

16th century / Belgium / Letter Panel / Oak / Gothic A finely carved Gothic oak panel from 16th-century France. This architectural fragment features graceful vertical fluting framed...

16th century / Belgium / Letter Panel / Oak / Gothic A finely carved Gothic oak panel from 16th-century France. This architectural fragment features graceful vertical fluting framed...

16th century / Belgium / Letter Panel / Oak / Gothic A finely carved Gothic oak panel from 16th-century France. This architectural fragment features graceful vertical fluting framed...

16th century / Belgium / Letter Panel / Oak / Gothic A finely carved Gothic oak panel from 16th-century France. This architectural fragment features graceful vertical fluting framed...

16th century / Belgium / Letter Panel / Oak / Gothic A finely carved Gothic oak panel from 16th-century France. This architectural fragment features graceful vertical fluting framed...

A carved limestone fireplace in the English Gothic style. The diamond shaped frieze with shields and Tudor roses with moulded jambs. Moulded shelf above. A copy of an earlier piece. ...

Although when most people hear the word “gargoyle”, they probably envision small, winged creatures with grotesque visages. However, the phrase has a deeper meaning, encompassing any carved head (animal or human) that function as waterspouts. From the Early Renaissance (late 1400’s/early 1500’s), our gargoyle fountain spout features a human-like face with pointed ears, possibly representing a centaur or a satyr. The roughly rectangular block of marble was hand-carved in Arezzo, in the Tuscany region of Italy. All sides except the front of the cream-colored stone have a sawed finish, resulting in a rough texture. The back has been excavated, adding to the character of the gargoyle. A 1 ½” diameter hole has been cut all the way through, forming an open mouth of the gargoyle. The gaping mouth was often a symbol used to conjure images of devouring giants and used to remind people that they are susceptible to certain forces. Our 15th/16th century marble...