Abstract
AbstractThe sculptures of the chapter house at York Minster are important examples of medieval art which hitherto have received little attention from scholars. Two problems posed by the sculptures are examined: the extent of restoration, and the iconography.Some of the chapter house sculptures were mutilated and later restored; medieval and modern work contrast in stone preservation and in methods of attachment to the canopy. Fortunately the figures, which are full-length sculptures rather than heads, for the most part escaped destruction or later attempts at improvement.The sculptures probably symbolise moral virtues and vices. Individual sculptors differed in their portrayal of allegorical subjects to illustrate this theme. A progressive group chose ordinary animals and attempted a realistic depiction. A conventional group opted for the more stylised, fantastical monsters of an archaic tradition.Finally, Dr Eric Gee's identification of ‘toothache’ figures is reconsidered.
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