Capital - Grotesque Devil's Head In Sculpted Stone - Modillion Fragment - Late Period

Late 14th century France - Massif CentralPopular sculpture – Rural religious architecturePrivate collection – FranceCarved from limestone from the Massif Central, this monstrous head emerges from the past like a grimace frozen in matter. Twisted mouth, bulging eyes, spiral forehead: it embodies the aesthetic of the medieval grotesque, where the demon is not only a moral allegory, but a concrete presence to be repelled. This figure, probably sculpted on a modillion or a cul-de-vault, was part of a symbolic system where stone became an invisible battlefield, between holy forces and occult powers. In the countryside of the 14th century, the devil was not a concept. He was seen, suspected, denounced. His representation, here naive and expressive, is less a decorative art than a prophylactic language. It does not adorn, it protects. It grinds its teeth for us. It laughs in the place of evil. This fragment evokes the figures found in certain abbeys such as Sénanque, where the demon, embedded in the vault, seems to watch over souls from above. But here, in this face worn by rain and centuries, something else surfaces: an esoteric survival, a popular trace of what the Church did not say but that everyone knew. A gaze fixed between the stones, between the visible world and that of shadows. Stylistic analysis: Motif: stylized face, with deliberately exaggerated features – arched mouth, bulging eyes, prominent nose – mixing human, animal, and fantastic. A hybrid figure, which evokes in turn a demon, a mask, a rural spirit. Probable function: modillion or corbel with an apotropaic function, sculpted to deflect the forces of evil. These grimacing faces were often placed high up to ward off invisible powers. Condition: Very eroded stone, with old encrusted moss, testifying to a long outdoor exposure. Sculpture torn from an old building (church, priory or seigneurial building). Dating hypothesis: The archaic style, the rough but inhabited craftsmanship and the formal repertoire place this work in a popular production of the end of the 14th century, at the heart of a rustic Gothic and deeply rooted in the rural religious and esoteric traditions of the Massif Central. Dimensions: Height: 22 cm - Width: 14 cm Delivery exclusively via DHL, with secure packaging, tracking and insurance.