LatinosUSA

Hi everyone, it’s Robbie Cheadle here with you today with my September post in the Buildings & Architecture Photography section on LatinosUSA – English Edition. This month I am featuring photographs of Sculptures, statues and gargoyles.

I’ve decided to include the next four weeks of themes in each post so readers have more time to contribute to each theme.

Halloween – 2 October Creatures that slither or slide

Halloween – 9 October People or animals in costumes

Halloween – 16 October Moon scenes

Halloween – 23 Creepy buildings and/or decorations

I would love all the photographers out there to contribute. If you have a photograph to contribute to any of the above themes, please email me at cheadlerobbie@gmail.com and use the title Photography. Please also include a short write up about your photograph.

Gargoyles of Notre-Dame of Dijon by Robbie Cheadle

The gargoyles of Notre-Dame of Dijon have a tragic story. This is what Wikipedia says:

«There are 51 grotesques on the western façade. Functional gargoyles are found on the lateral walls of the church and the walls of the apse.

According to the account of the monk Étienne de Bourbon, the original gargoyles were in place for only a short time: they were removed around 1240, following a fatal accident. A usurer was killed on the church forecourt as he was about to get married: a stone figure representing a usurer became detached and fell on him. His colleagues organised the destruction of all the dummy gargoyles on the façade, except for one at the upper right corner that survived until the 1960s, when it was replaced. Some 19th-century engravings do not show this gargoyle, but it can be seen in photos taken before 1880. The gargoyles at the sides and the back of the façade remain.

The dummy gargoyles which today decorate the façade, and which represent human beings, animals and monsters, were made in 1880-1882, during the restoration of the church. According to the archives, they were the work of seven Parisian sculptors: Chapot, Corbel, Geoffroy, Lagoule (also known as Delagoule), Pascal, Thiébault and Tournier.»

I like using Wikipedia because its written by humans.

Rodin’s Burghers of Calais and Muse of Music by Derrick Knight

Derrick Knight is a wonderful photographer and shares delightful book reviews and garden and home posts on his blog here: https://derrickjknight.com/

These pictures are of the copy of Rodin’s Burghers of Calais, colour slides from 1965 in https://derrickjknight.com/2013/10/25/twixt-cup-and-lip/ . This one is from https://derrickjknight.com/2014/08/02/the-perfect-camouflage/.

The story of these men is told in https://derrickjknight.com/2014/08/02/the-perfect-camouflage/, viz: In order to purchase the lifting of the siege of Calais by England’s Edward III, six burghers were willing to sacrifice their lives. This is the theme of the dramatic sculptural group. They were saved by the intervention of the English Queen, Philippa of Hainault.

This one is featured in https://derrickjknight.com/2018/03/02/the-sexiest-statue-in-the-capital/ where you will find that she commemorates Sir Arthur Sullivan – an explanation is there.

You can read more about this statue commemorating Sir Author Sullivan but this is a short and interesting extract from the post:

«Nearly three years after his death, Welsh sculptor Sir William Goscombe John’s memorial to Sullivan was unveiled in Victoria Embankment Gardens by Princess Louise on 10 July 1903. The monument features a weeping Muse of Music, who is so distraught her clothes are falling off as she leans against the pedestal. This topless Muse has led some art critics to describe the memorial as the sexiest statue in the capital. The sculpture is topped with a bust of Sullivan, with an inscription of Gilbert’s words from The Yeoman Of The Guard inscribed on the side: ‘Is life a boon? If so, it must befall that Death, whene’er he call, must call too soon.’ At the bottom of the pedestal is a mask of Pan, sheet music from The Yeoman Of The Guard and a mandolin inscribed with W Goscombe John A.R.A. 1903.»

Gargoyle-in-the-making by Darlene Foster

These delightful photographs were contributed by children’s author, Darlene Foster. You can find out more about Darlene and her exciting Amanda books on her blog here: https://darlenefoster.wordpress.com/.

What Darlene says about her photographs:

«When I was last in York, England, I came across this scary gargoyle-in-the-making at the York Minster Stoneyard. Occasionally, the ancient gargoyles need to be repaired or replaced by one of the stone masons dedicated to the upkeep of the stonework of the Minster.

I also included a couple of spooky gargoyles of York Minster, installed to keep the rainwater away from the stone walls.»

 

Below are two photographs of gargoyles of York Minster.

Cologne Cathedral gargoyles by Dwight Roth

Dwight Roth has a number of published books. I have read two of his lovely poetry collections. You can read my reviews on Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/portal/customer-reviews/srp/-/R12MGAE96TBPJK/ and here: https://www.amazon.com/portal/customer-reviews/srp/-/R51CI312NGX10/.

You can find Dwight Roth on his blog here: https://rothpoetry.wordpress.com/.

What Dwight says about these photographs:

«Here is a photograph for your gargoyle collection that I took when we were visiting the Cologne Cathedral in 2019. We were on a river cruise celebrating our 50th anniversary!»

About Robbie Cheadle

South African author, photographer, and artist, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated seventeen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, written and illustrated four poetry books and written and illustrated one celebration of cake and fondant art book with recipes. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.

Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/

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