LOL,  I know being depectied as a gargoyle is not very flattering most of the time but I sure would be touched. 

Sep 10, 2010 -- 10:02PM, Weepingangelofthetrees wrote:

Sep 8, 2010 -- 11:34PM, Erey wrote:

LOL,  I know being depectied as a gargoyle is not very flattering most of the time but I sure would be touched. 

 

As would I. He'll live forever in effigy. And the church Fathers, in any year and even unto the next century, providing the planet's still here , will be able to tell tourists or the curious the name of that Gargoyle and how he came into being. Especially in that region where Muslims may feel besieged by Sarkozy and the French government, it's an excellent gesture.

I've adored Gargoyles for a very long time. One of my favorites is the Baby Dragon (at least that's what I call her) Gargoyle at Llangadwaladr Church in north Wales.

Next...............

So how maqny French gothic cathredrals have y'all visited?? Read and absorbed PILLARS OF THE EARTH??

Many years ago my family and I spent one day visiting and studying Notre Dame in Paris, having recently visited St. Peter's in Rome, Romanesque, of course. Stopped in at Westminister in London, too.

Actually flying butresses engage me more than gargoyles.

Sep 10, 2010 -- 11:26PM, Weepingangelofthetrees wrote:

Sep 10, 2010 -- 10:41PM, jane2 wrote:

Sep 10, 2010 -- 10:02PM, Weepingangelofthetrees wrote:

Sep 8, 2010 -- 11:34PM, Erey wrote:

LOL,  I know being depectied as a gargoyle is not very flattering most of the time but I sure would be touched. 

 

As would I. He'll live forever in effigy. And the church Fathers, in any year and even unto the next century, providing the planet's still here , will be able to tell tourists or the curious the name of that Gargoyle and how he came into being. Especially in that region where Muslims may feel besieged by Sarkozy and the French government, it's an excellent gesture.

I've adored Gargoyles for a very long time. One of my favorites is the Baby Dragon (at least that's what I call her) Gargoyle at Llangadwaladr Church in north Wales.

Next...............

So how many French Gothic cathedrals have y'all visited?? Read and absorbed PILLARS OF THE EARTH??

Many years ago my family and I spent one day visiting and studying Notre Dame in Paris, having recently visited St. Peter's in Rome, Romanesque, of course. Stopped in at Westminster in London, too.

Actually flying buttresses engage me more than gargoyles.

I would agree the architecture of the flying buttress can easily become a favorite.
You should visit the Cologne Cathedral, if you want to further your awe for extraordinary masterwork.
Even there I adore their Gargoyles. Buttresses are one thing and definitely a favorite, but the caricature afforded by the Gargoyle , is what engages my attention and curiosity.

And I can not say I've read much of Follett.

PILLARS OF THE EARTH is mainstream reading in my family. My youngest daughter gave it to me many years ago.

Actually Father Andrew Greeley wrote a fascinating novel about the Cologne Cathedral. Gave a copy to a friend who had been there.

One of my minors in college was history, half ot it European history, which I love. Of course, in Catholic college, we also studied the birth of the Gothic cathedrals. Flying butresses made these cathedrals possible. That is just history.

My favorite Cathedral in the US is St. Patrick's on some of the most prime real estate on Fifth Avenue in New York. It's history can be read in AMERICAN CATHOLIC by Charles Morris. It's even a bit kitschy, but it commands mid-Manhattan Fifth Avenue.

Except for visiting my daughter5 in California and my son's family in Charlotte my traveling days are over--I'm 70 and ahte the hassle travel has become. My memories, however, are enough. Gracious, at 33 I had circumnavigated the globe with many stops and my husband and I kept travelling because we loved it.

The story about the gargoyle in southern France was interesting but not phenominal to me.

Jane says--

"PILLARS OF THE EARTH is mainstream reading in my family. My youngest daughter gave it to me many years ago."

Jane--have you read the sequel---"World Without End"? It came out a few years ago.

It's very good too.

As one who studied Gothic Cathedrals while doing Masters work (including doing onsite research in the Isle de France) I can say that Follett did extensive research and got most of the technical info right--withi the limits of what was known when he ws writing "Pillars." Ongoing research into the techniques of Gothic cathedral architects/masons shows ever more ingenuity on their partt.

It's a great field of study.

Sep 11, 2010 -- 3:44AM, Andrejohn wrote:

Sep 10, 2010 -- 10:02PM, Weepingangelofthetrees wrote:

I've adored Gargoyles for a very long time. One of my favorites is the Baby Dragon (at least that's what I call her) Gargoyle at Llangadwaladr Church in north Wales.

what a cute gargoyle, it's even smiling :)

I know. That's part of the charm that makes her one of my favorites. It's like she's just a baby, waiting for her feeding with the dragon bottle.  lol