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Holy Terrors: Gargoyles on Medieval Buildings | 
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| Author: Janetta Rebold Benton
Publisher: Abbeville Press
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy Used: $4.20
You Save: $25.75 (86%)
New (14) Used (25) Collectible (2) from $4.20
Avg. Customer Rating:  6 reviews
Sales Rank: 82587
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1st
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 140
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 8 x 8 x 0.7
ISBN: 0789201828
Dewey Decimal Number: 729.5
EAN: 9780789201829
ASIN: 0789201828
Publication Date: April 1997
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Crisp, clean, unread hardcover with moderate shelfwear/edgewear to the dust jacket, possible tearing and a small publisher's mark to one edge - Nice!!
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Product Description
A true gargoyle is a waterspout, an architectural necessity that medieval artisans transformed into functional fantasies. In clear, lively language, this charming survey of these mischievous creatures explains everything there is to know about their history, construction, and purposes. 109 illustrations, 108 in color.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
Stone monstrosities both comic and demonic January 29, 2005
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
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 Eugene 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.
gothic terror March 30, 2002
...I got the two books Holy Terror's and American Gargolyes... it was a great deal. The book is loaded with pictures of gargoyles from across america and desrcibes what type of gargoyle and where it is located in america. The photographs are beautiful and descriptive through out the book. If you gargoyles get the two books for the price of one. Highly Recommended!!!!
gothic terror March 30, 2002
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
This book is one of the best books I got from [amazon.com]. I got the two books Holy Terror's and American Gargolyes... it was a great deal. The book is loaded with pictures of gargoyles from across america and desrcibes what type of gargoyle and where it is located in america. The photographs are beautiful and descriptive through out the book. If you gargoyles get the two books for the price of one. Highly Recommended!!!!
Family Appeal February 10, 2000
19 out of 19 found this review helpful
"Holy Terrors" is that rarest of books, one that is of genuine value to adults curious about art and architecture, but also very much capable of holding the interest of children. My five-year-old son loves the pictures--especially the "Hairy human with animal head" that adorns the cathedral in Burgos, Spain. We also both appreciate the excellent selection of medieval illustrations, such as Schongauer's "Temptation of Saint Anthony." Skimming through "Holy Terrors" is a fun way to introduce kids to one of the cultural treasures of Europe.
A excellent book on the history and meaning behind gargoyles July 2, 1999
30 out of 30 found this review helpful
After searching several times for a book that gives the true meaning behind what gargoyles are, and where to find them, it has been found. This book combines a great number of detailed pictures with excellent writing. Way to go Janetta Benton!!!!
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