Lot 150, Auction 4/3/2026: 12th C. Medieval Stone Corbel with Dual Faces

$3,900.00

In stock

Europe, Medieval period, ca. 12th to 14th century CE. A compact block of carved stone animated by two opposing faces, this medieval European corbel blurs the boundary between architecture and imagination. One head presents a human visage with softened, eroded features, while the other is marked by pointed, feline-like ears, suggestive of a zoomorph or demon. The pairing creates a subtle visual tension, a dialogue between the familiar and the uncanny that was deeply at home in medieval thought. Corbels such as this once projected from church or civic walls, supporting beams while offering viewers moments of surprise below rooflines and vaults. Faces, beasts, and hybrid creatures populated these liminal spaces, serving apotropaic functions, moral reminders, or simply expressions of a mason’s wit and invention. The presence of animal ears evokes medieval fascination with transformation, sin, guardianship, and the porous boundary between human and monstrous forms. Size: 12.6″ L x 12.2″ W x 8.3″ H (32 cm x 31 cm x 21.1 cm)

The stone surface bears clear evidence of hand carving, with uneven planes and softened contours shaped by centuries of exposure. Removed from its original setting, the corbel reads today as a powerful sculptural fragment, a concentrated glimpse into a world where buildings watched back.

Condition: Weathering with chips, nicks, abrasions, and some small losses. Liberal remaining detail and rich mineral deposits throughout.

Provenance: private Los Angeles, California, USA collection, acquired between 1995-2005

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all purchases.

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