The grotesque in church art . a bearded biped, 1Ron*fc>c6cripts. HERE is a large number of bizarreworks which defy natural classification,and though in many cases they are abranch of the compound order offigures, yet they are frequently welldefined as non-descripts. These,though in one respect the most grot-esque of the grotesques, do not claimlengthy description. Where they are not traceable compounds, they are often apparently the creatures of fancy, without meaning and without history. It may be, however, that could we trace it, we should find for each a pedigree as intere
The grotesque in church art . a bearded biped, 1Ron*fc>c6cripts. HERE is a large number of bizarreworks which defy natural classification,and though in many cases they are abranch of the compound order offigures, yet they are frequently welldefined as non-descripts. These,though in one respect the most grot-esque of the grotesques, do not claimlengthy description. Where they are not traceable compounds, they are often apparently the creatures of fancy, without meaning and without history. It may be, however, that could we trace it, we should find for each a pedigree as interesting, if not as old, as that of any of the sun-myths. Among the absurd figures which scarcely call for explanation are such as that shown in the initial, from the Hospital and Collegiate Church of St. Katherine by the Tower (now removed to a substituted hospital in Regents Park). In the Architectural Museum, Tufton Street, London, 22. A CLOAKED SIN, TUFTON STREET. 170 THE GROTESQUE IN CHURCH ART. is a carving from an unknown church, in which appear twofigures which were not an uncommon subject for artists of theodd. These are human heads, to which are attached legswithout intermediary bodies, and with tails depending fromthe back of the heads. In the Pilgremage of the Sowle, printed by Caxton in1483, translated from a French manuscript of 1435 or earlier,is a description of a mans conscience, which, there is littledoubt, furnished the idealic material for these carvings. A
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjec, booksubjectchristianartandsymbolism
