From Wild to Whimsical: The Gargoyles and Grotesques of Washington National Cathedral
photo by: Linda S. Glisson
Washington National Cathedral
As a passionate photographer and preservationist, I’m always on the lookout for fascinating buildings, from the funky to the sublime. Washington National Cathedral, winner of the 2013 Partners in Preservation contest and also one of our National Treasures, is definitely the latter.
From the light streaming through stained glass windows and bathing the interior in a rainbow glow to the fantastical creatures that adorn the outside, National Cathedral is a photographer’s dream. Every time I visit I discover something new. And no wonder: There are 112 gargoyles, the last completed in 1987, and more than 3,000 grotesques and other architectural carvings.
So, what is a gargoyle? Basically, it’s a drain spout, designed to prevent rainwater from eroding the building’s walls. It’s also said that gargoyles were designed as frightening creatures to ward off evil forces or to remind passersby of the fates of sinners. (On the other hand, some speculate that they were just meant to amuse.)
A gargoyle is also described as a grotesque, but while all gargoyles are grotesques, not all grotesques are gargoyles. Grotesques include all fantastical creatures, whether they have drain pipes or not.
So let’s take a tour of a few of my favorites and learn the stories behind them:
photo by: Linda S. Glisson
One of 13 dragon gargoyles, Sleek Dragon is a winged, clawed beast with distinct scales on the face and wings, and with large pointed teeth.
photo by: Linda S. Glisson
Many of the gargoyles were funded by individual donors as gifts for family members. "Bishop" was the nickname of the donor's husband who was editor and publisher of a religious newsletter. The humorous carving is wearing a stole with a large bell hanging from one hand and an inkwell and quill in his pocket.
photo by: Linda S. Glisson
The donor for this gargoyle wanted the "ugliest monster in the world." The artist designed a four-armed, bearded humanoid creature sitting on top of a human head to represent the good and the evil in man.
photo by: Linda S. Glisson
With large, spiraling horns and pointed teeth, this beast symbolizes the menace and strength of the ram, critical characteristics for a gargoyle meant to ward off evil.
photo by: Linda S. Glisson
This grotesque (note the lack of a drainpipe) was created as a joke, depicting the Cathedral's dean looking on in shock as a stone carver whistled at young women passing below.
photo by: Linda S. Glisson
As gargoyles evolved over the centuries, they became more complex and complete, with legs and claws that grasped the wall and heads that projected outward, similar to the National Cathedral's alligator with its huge jaw and sharp teeth.
photo by: Linda S. Glisson
Two retired medical professors with no formal sculpture training designed American Rattlesnake. Desiring something that would symbolize the fact that the Washington National Cathedral is an American house of worship, they modeled their gargoyle after the "Don't Tread on Me" snake.
photo by: Linda S. Glisson
Hands clutching its stomach and mouth open in a howl of distress, Bellyache illustrates the evolution of gargoyles. By the 15th century, they had become more amusing than menacing, a trend reflected in many of the National Cathedral's gargoyles.
