What is the difference between a gargoyle and chimera?

In architecture, a grotesque or chimera is a fantastic or mythical figure used for decorative purposes. Chimerae are often described as gargoyles, although the term gargoyle technically refers to figures carved specifically as terminations to spouts which convey water away from the sides of buildings.

What’s the difference between gargoyles and griffins?

A gargoyle is a functional sculpture or carving that serves a practical purpose on the building’s exterior—to move roof water away from its base, like a downspout of a gutter. A griffin may serve as a drainage gutter or its role can be purely symbolic.

What else do gargoyles and grotesques do?

We now associate the term with unnatural, ugly or distorted forms, which can have the power to shock or scare those that cast their eyes over them. Both gargoyles and grotesques have been attributed with the power to ward off evil spirits, guarding the buildings they occupy and protecting those inside.

What do gargoyle and gargouille mean?

throat
The word gargoyle derives from the French gargouille, meaning “throat.” This would appear to take its inspiration from the statues’ water-siphoning gullets, but in fact the name comes from the French legend of “La Gargouille,” a fearsome dragon that terrorized the inhabitants of the town of Rouen.

Why are grotesques on churches?

Evil. During the Middles Ages, the Catholic Church used grotesques on their churches to tell the populace through the images how faith would protect them. This grotesque has the face of a bat with angry human eyes.

What is G&G Riverdale?

Gryphons and Gargoyles also known as G&G, is a role-playing game.

Who was behind G&G in Riverdale?

Chic, played by Hart Denton, is alive and well, and he’s the Gargoyle King. Yep, you read that right — Chic Cooper is the one behind the mask! And he’s not working alone, either; Penelope Blossom took him in and groomed him to look like her late son, Jason.

What do grotesques represent?

By placing grotesques—representing evil—on the exterior, and religious imagery—representing good—in the interior, they conveyed that if one believed, they would be protected from destructive forces.

What do grotesques symbolize?

The Grotesque is often linked with satire and tragicomedy. It is an effective artistic means to convey grief and pain to the audience, and for this has been labeled by Thomas Mann as the “genuine antibourgeois style”. Some of the earliest written texts describe grotesque happenings and monstrous creatures.

What does gargoyle symbolize?

In any case, gargoyles were used as symbols, and could be interpreted in many ways. They could have represented the souls condemned for their sins, whom was therefore the entrance to church forbidden. The price for sinning, although they were spared from eternal damnation, would be to be turned to stone.

Are gargoyles biblical?

Some historians believe gargoyles were inspired from pagan eras and were used to make churches feel more familiar to new Christians. Others said gargoyles were morality lessons in stone, reminding people that while purity and good may be found inside the church, sin and evil are never far away.

Why are there gargoyles on buildings?

When the gargoyles were used as water spouts on buildings, most of the figures would have open mouths so that the water could flow through. They helped to clear rain water from the building.

What are gargoyles symbolic of?

The symbolic purpose of gargoyles was to frighten. They were there to remind the community that “the devil and original sin exist.”7 Because the gargoyles were able to be viewed throughout the community, they served to remind members that their actions have consequences and that evil is a reality.

What is the origin and meaning of gargoyles?

The word “gargoyle” is based on a French word meaning “throat .” The modern English word “gargoyle” is derived from the French word gargouille, which means “throat” or “gullet.” It also shares the same root with the word “gargle”-and a gargoyle’s job was basically to gargle water and spit it down at the commoners.

What are gargoyles purpose?

By definition a gargoyle is a carving which projects out from a wall, the purpose of which is to drain rainwater away from the wall. Given their utilitarian purpose of water drainage, gargoyles generally have a pipe projecting through the carving itself.