Gothic Gargoyle. Auvergne.

Arkose gargoyle depicting a fantastical creature, likely a dragon. With a relatively stocky form showing only the bust of the animal, it can be dated to the mid-13th century. The stone used and its style link it to the earliest Gothic gargoyles from the Riom area in Auvergne, with similar examples found in Aigueperse and Ennezat. The creature’s head is sculpted in high relief, with an open mouth and well-defined ears. The back is hollowed out to form the water drainage channel.

Gargoyles evolved during the Gothic period, becoming more slender, longer, and representing the entire body. This example can therefore be placed in the mid-13th century, given the development of Gothic art in Auvergne. This sculpture comes from a succession of families of the high Auvergne region.
References consulted:
· Michel Pastoureau, Bestiaires du Moyen Âge, 2011
· Anne Courtillé, Auvergne, Bourbonnais, Velay gothiques, 2002