{"id":2948,"date":"2018-02-08T11:00:42","date_gmt":"2018-02-08T10:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/doloresherrero.com\/?p=2948"},"modified":"2026-03-13T12:04:57","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T11:04:57","slug":"the-devil-and-his-portrayal-in-gargoyles-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doloresherrero.com\/en\/the-devil-and-his-portrayal-in-gargoyles-i\/","title":{"rendered":"Gargoyles and the Representation of the Devil: Part One"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/h1>\n

<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

This post starts the study of one of the most fascinating figures decorating gargoyles<\/a>. It’s none other than the devil<\/a> himself, an ever present and essential image on churches and cathedrals, and one we also see on other buildings in civil architecture.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Devil in the Iconography of Gargoyles<\/h2>\n

We discussed the meaning of the devil when we looked at symbolism<\/a> and in this first post on the iconography of the devil, we’ll be seeing some of the characteristic traits of the devil’s image, features that repeat themselves in the vast majority of gargoyles.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Formal Variety and the Symbolism of Evil<\/h3>\n

Depictions of the devil take on a number of appearances. There’s a wide variety of forms, undoubtedly due to the fact that ugliness offers artists so many more options than beauty. Rebold Benton tells us that this diversity of demonic forms might be related to the devil’s metamorphic abilities.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The He-Goat and Its Symbolic Roots<\/h3>\n

One of the most common representations of the devil is the he-goat, associated with evil, lust, and the infernal realm. Its symbolism dates back to classical antiquity, with the figures of Pan and Silenus \u2014lustful satyrs, half man and half goat\u2014 characterized by pointed ears, a prominent phallus, a goatee, a goat\u2019s tail, hooves, horns, and hair on the lower part of the body. All these features would later become part of the iconography of the devil.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\t\t