I have
already posted about the Saint Denis Basilica, a long time ago… see here. There
seems now to be a decision to again erect the left spire, which was in bad shape
and was dismantled in 1847.
I visited the
basilica again with a friend who is a great observer of details. My attention
was drawn to the northern transept, to the left of the façade.
There are
not only a large number of gargoyles, with their usual grotesque forms, here combined
with some “humans”, but also...
... and, what perhaps is even more striking, a large number of small (kind of) animals all over the wall, some
rather recognisable, but all again grotesque. You should remember that they date from the 12th
and 13th century - what a
freedom of expression, what a spirit of creation… and all this on a basilica...
… which was
erected to honour the decapitated Saint Denis, see the scene on top of the
doors. (I wrote about this in a previous post.)
I took also
a photo of the clock on the façade with its serpent-formed needles. If you look
closer you will see a frame with hundreds of “heads”. Maybe some close-ups, zooming, another time?
Posts
5 comments:
I think of the joy and skill of those carvers. Think they thought of how many people would see their creations in the future?
I agree, Peter - what a wonder of irrepressible expression and creativity!!! I may have to ask your permission to borrow some ideas from your photos. I have a strong desire to paint gargoyles right now. I will be doing two soon, as poured watercolours. We shall see ...
Kathryn
Intéressant reportage, Peter ! On en découvre tous les jours.
Belle journée !
What wonderfully grotesque and scary creatures! perhaps some of those creatures actually lived in the forests back then.... I hope so! Or perhaps they simply lived in the imaginations of the stone carvers......
Una estructura hermosa, impresionante, masiva. Irrepetible...
Divinas fotos como siempre, Peter. Mil gracias.
Maria
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