A charming survey of these mischievous creatures, illustrated with engaging color photographs from the rooftops of Europe and Great Britain. Multitudes of gargoyles haunt the medieval buildings of western Europe, peering down from churches and cathedrals, houses and town halls. Holy Terrors offers a fresh and irresistible history of these wildly varied characters-a society of stone creatures perched high above the workaday world. The true gargoyle is a waterspout, an architectural necessity that medieval artisans transformed into functional fantasies. The informative introduction to Holy Terrors explains everything that is known or conjectured about the history, the construction, the purposes, and the mysterious meanings of these often rude and rowdy characters. The three chapters that follow are devoted to the gargoyles themselves, imaginatively carved of stone in the form of people, real animals, and fantastic beasts. In clear, lively language, Janetta Rebold Benton puts these personality-filled sculptures into the context of medieval life and art and captures their quirky diversity in her engaging color photographs. Concluding the book is an invaluable guide to gargoyle sites throughout western Europe, as well as suggestions for further reading. This is the first book for adults to provide an intelligent and entertaining overview of medieval gargoyles, and it is bound to increase the already abundant legions of gargoyle admirers. Janetta Rebold Benton is a professor of art history at Pace University, Pleasantville, New York, and a lecturer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. A specialist in medieval art, Professor Benton has published several books and articles on medieval and Renaissance topics and has lectured in the United States and Europe. She has been studying and photographing gargoyles for over a decade. 109 illustrations
Read more
68 reviews for Holy Terrors: Gargoyles on Medieval Buildings
4.5out of 5
★★★★★
★★★★★
4
★★★★★
1
★★★★★
0
★★★★★
0
★★★★★
0
Write a review
Show allMost HelpfulHighest RatingLowest Rating
★★★★★
Mary Ryan –
Marvellous little book. Although the carvings all seem to be in Europe and not the UK I suspect that is something Henry VIII has to answer for. The statues are fascinating and often funny or rude but an absolute delight and the information provided by the author is interesting and helpful to an understanding of the reasons behind them.
Even if you are not interested in Medieval architecture or churches it is an interesting and rewarding read. Good pictures as well.
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
Rosa Tinnirello –
I was looking for a really good book of the genre, very beautiful, I recommend it.
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
Remy –
bien fait, avec de nombreuses photos (jamais assez pour moi). C’est qd même incroyable qu’il faille un américaine pour écrire sur ce sujet Avec les zooms modernes de bonnes photos pourraient être faites même avec les + hautes placées. J’adroe l’imagination du Moyen Age et là les voir de près c’est formidable. Alors merci à l’auteur, je ne regrette pas mon achat
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
ealovitt –
Almost every tourist who has ever climbed to the top of the North Tower of Notre-Dame de Paris has taken a photo of his or her companion leaning over the balustrade between two gargoyles (technically ‘chimeras’), and surveying the streets below. It’s the ultimate gargoyle photo-op. I’m surprised this author was able to photograph the gargoyles without a tourist leaning between them. I was only slightly disappointed to learn from this book that much of the stonework on this tower is nineteenth-century restoration by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, “started in 1845 to repair damage done to the cathedral during the Revolution.” However, he did attempt to use molds of the originals.
Basically gargoyles are waterspouts, but to me they are proof that medieval stonemasons had a lively sense of humor–which they might have inherited from the Etruscans or the Egyptians, who also used animal-shaped stone waterspouts. Strictly speaking, gargoyles that do not spout water are known as ‘grotesques’ or ‘chimeras.’
It surprised me to learn that gargoyles used to be brightly colored–oranges, reds, and greens were favored–and sometimes gilded. The author believes that “gargoyles may be survivals of pagan beliefs…incorporated into church decorations for superstitious reasons.” I’ve read many a horror story based on this assumption, most notably “The Cambridge Beast” and “The Sheelagh-na-gig” by Mary Ann Allen.
Encounters between gargoyles and people are unique to the Cathedral of Saint John in Den Bosch, the Netherlands: “As a monstrous creature leaps out from the top of the buttress, the people cringe in terror, each one leaning back in an attempt to escape the attack of their horrible assailant.” Americans tend to make pets of gargoyles, but that was not their original purpose. After all, midair is the reputed realm of demons (Ephesians 2:2).
Some of the gargoyles pictured in this book are laughing at us. A carved gargoyle-monk of the Old Cathedral of Saint-Etienne in Toul, France appears to be emptying the contents of a barrel onto his unsuspecting colleagues below. “Some [gargoyles] are so appealing that it is hard to imagine they were intended to be regarded as anything other than good creatures. Indeed, the gargoyles of Notre-Dame in Paris are even said to keep watch for drowning victims in the Seine.”
This book is an enchanting collection of photographs, legends, and travelogue. If you ever intend to go gargoyle-hunting in Europe, make certain a copy of “Holy Terrors” is stored in your carry-on.
Helpful(0)Unhelpful(0)You have already voted this
★★★★★
Michael –
I would like to suggest that Janetta Rebold Benton has done a great service in furthering thought about the gargoyles on medieval buildings.
First of all, the choice of photographs and the way she explains them is exquisite! The book is highly worthwhile on this basis alone. However, this book also has the added benefit of some excellent thoughts on the MEANING of the gargoyles. I think this gives much insight into history and church history.
She wisely premises that there may be different meanings in different times and situations. She states that, “the medieval affection for ambiguity allowed for a multiplicity of meanings… Characteristic of the medieval mentality was a willingness to freely interpret reality, as well as fantasy, according to religious symbolism.” (Page 21) After her 10 years of research and cogent reasoning, here are some of the things she points out: 1. Medieval people did not have telephoto lenses or even good binoculars. The majority of the gargoyles are set too high to be seen very well with the naked eye. This is also the case with many stained-glass windows. Therefore, the exquisite artwork here was meant to be seen by God, or they just enjoyed doing it. (From this, I surmised that possibly the craftsmen themselves may have competed to do the best stone carving. The author suggests this saying that some of the Masons may have had an ego.) 2. Of the medieval gargoyles (as opposed to modern gargoyles such as the Chrysler building in New York City) no two gargoyles are the same! Wow! This shows the amazing individual craftsmanship that was going on. 3. As the glorious medieval times transitioned from paganism to Christianity, there could have been some concession given to former paganism especially in Roman culture. Allowing the gargoyles stay on the outside of the Cathedral (generally) also could have shown that paganism was not allowed inside the sanctuary. 4. Medieval people clearly had a fascination with ugliness and the torments of hell. She points out that this could actually have been a form of entertainment for them just as people like horror movies today. 5. In some contexts, the evil creatures could have been a reminder of God’s judgment upon entering the building. 6. In other contexts, gargoyles are laughing or ridiculing. Some of these are placed lower, and so may have been intended for the entertainment of passersby. 7. She then goes on in the successive chapters to demonstrate the gargoyles were human, animal, and grotesque mixtures which are especially interesting. 8. She demonstrates how some gargoyles may have been used to tell a tale– such as gargoyles dressed as a fox or priest representing men like John Wycliffe as a wolves in sheep’s clothing. (p82)
One of the things I really like about the book is that the photos are not used randomly, but with the text to give examples.
Mary Ryan –
Marvellous little book. Although the carvings all seem to be in Europe and not the UK I suspect that is something Henry VIII has to answer for. The statues are fascinating and often funny or rude but an absolute delight and the information provided by the author is interesting and helpful to an understanding of the reasons behind them.
Even if you are not interested in Medieval architecture or churches it is an interesting and rewarding read. Good pictures as well.
Rosa Tinnirello –
I was looking for a really good book of the genre, very beautiful, I recommend it.
Remy –
bien fait, avec de nombreuses photos (jamais assez pour moi). C’est qd même incroyable qu’il faille un américaine pour écrire sur ce sujet
Avec les zooms modernes de bonnes photos pourraient être faites même avec les + hautes placées. J’adroe l’imagination du Moyen Age et là les voir de près c’est formidable. Alors merci à l’auteur, je ne regrette pas mon achat
ealovitt –
Almost every tourist who has ever climbed to the top of the North Tower of Notre-Dame de Paris has taken a photo of his or her companion leaning over the balustrade between two gargoyles (technically ‘chimeras’), and surveying the streets below. It’s the ultimate gargoyle photo-op. I’m surprised this author was able to photograph the gargoyles without a tourist leaning between them. I was only slightly disappointed to learn from this book that much of the stonework on this tower is nineteenth-century restoration by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, “started in 1845 to repair damage done to the cathedral during the Revolution.” However, he did attempt to use molds of the originals.
Basically gargoyles are waterspouts, but to me they are proof that medieval stonemasons had a lively sense of humor–which they might have inherited from the Etruscans or the Egyptians, who also used animal-shaped stone waterspouts. Strictly speaking, gargoyles that do not spout water are known as ‘grotesques’ or ‘chimeras.’
It surprised me to learn that gargoyles used to be brightly colored–oranges, reds, and greens were favored–and sometimes gilded. The author believes that “gargoyles may be survivals of pagan beliefs…incorporated into church decorations for superstitious reasons.” I’ve read many a horror story based on this assumption, most notably “The Cambridge Beast” and “The Sheelagh-na-gig” by Mary Ann Allen.
Encounters between gargoyles and people are unique to the Cathedral of Saint John in Den Bosch, the Netherlands: “As a monstrous creature leaps out from the top of the buttress, the people cringe in terror, each one leaning back in an attempt to escape the attack of their horrible assailant.” Americans tend to make pets of gargoyles, but that was not their original purpose. After all, midair is the reputed realm of demons (Ephesians 2:2).
Some of the gargoyles pictured in this book are laughing at us. A carved gargoyle-monk of the Old Cathedral of Saint-Etienne in Toul, France appears to be emptying the contents of a barrel onto his unsuspecting colleagues below. “Some [gargoyles] are so appealing that it is hard to imagine they were intended to be regarded as anything other than good creatures. Indeed, the gargoyles of Notre-Dame in Paris are even said to keep watch for drowning victims in the Seine.”
This book is an enchanting collection of photographs, legends, and travelogue. If you ever intend to go gargoyle-hunting in Europe, make certain a copy of “Holy Terrors” is stored in your carry-on.
Michael –
I would like to suggest that Janetta Rebold Benton has done a great service in furthering thought about the gargoyles on medieval buildings.
First of all, the choice of photographs and the way she explains them is exquisite! The book is highly worthwhile on this basis alone. However, this book also has the added benefit of some excellent thoughts on the MEANING of the gargoyles. I think this gives much insight into history and church history.
She wisely premises that there may be different meanings in different times and situations. She states that, “the medieval affection for ambiguity allowed for a multiplicity of meanings… Characteristic of the medieval mentality was a willingness to freely interpret reality, as well as fantasy, according to religious symbolism.” (Page 21)
After her 10 years of research and cogent reasoning, here are some of the things she points out:
1. Medieval people did not have telephoto lenses or even good binoculars. The majority of the gargoyles are set too high to be seen very well with the naked eye. This is also the case with many stained-glass windows. Therefore, the exquisite artwork here was meant to be seen by God, or they just enjoyed doing it.
(From this, I surmised that possibly the craftsmen themselves may have competed to do the best stone carving. The author suggests this saying that some of the Masons may have had an ego.)
2. Of the medieval gargoyles (as opposed to modern gargoyles such as the Chrysler building in New York City) no two gargoyles are the same! Wow! This shows the amazing individual craftsmanship that was going on.
3. As the glorious medieval times transitioned from paganism to Christianity, there could have been some concession given to former paganism especially in Roman culture. Allowing the gargoyles stay on the outside of the Cathedral (generally) also could have shown that paganism was not allowed inside the sanctuary.
4. Medieval people clearly had a fascination with ugliness and the torments of hell. She points out that this could actually have been a form of entertainment for them just as people like horror movies today.
5. In some contexts, the evil creatures could have been a reminder of God’s judgment upon entering the building.
6. In other contexts, gargoyles are laughing or ridiculing. Some of these are placed lower, and so may have been intended for the entertainment of passersby.
7. She then goes on in the successive chapters to demonstrate the gargoyles were human, animal, and grotesque mixtures which are especially interesting.
8. She demonstrates how some gargoyles may have been used to tell a tale– such as gargoyles dressed as a fox or priest representing men like John Wycliffe as a wolves in sheep’s clothing. (p82)
One of the things I really like about the book is that the photos are not used randomly, but with the text to give examples.
Bravo!