What is this shape in stained glass?
May 19, 2017 2:49 PM Subscribe
I have been tasked with figuring out what this shape is, from a stained glass window in Bronxville, NY. My best guess is a cryptid, like a merlion, maybe? Any other thoughts?
Best answer: The tail is almost right for a walking catfish, but there are no whiskers.
posted by jamjam at 3:25 PM on May 19, 2017
posted by jamjam at 3:25 PM on May 19, 2017
Best answer: Was the artist going for an old-timey/medieval-inspired look overall? If so, seconding dolphin.
posted by bettafish at 3:30 PM on May 19, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by bettafish at 3:30 PM on May 19, 2017 [4 favorites]
Best answer: It would help to see the rest of the window, but my first thought was a capricorn, the goat/fish mythical hybrid. Then I thought about illuminated manuscript dolphins. It could also be a more animalistic mermaid.
posted by Mizu at 3:32 PM on May 19, 2017
posted by Mizu at 3:32 PM on May 19, 2017
Best answer: That's definitely the classic dolphin. Appears in a lot of fountains.
posted by PussKillian at 5:45 PM on May 19, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by PussKillian at 5:45 PM on May 19, 2017 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Compare it to this stylized French neoclassical carving.
Other stained glass classical dolphins:
Flower Mausoleum, Allegheny Cemetery
posted by zamboni at 7:30 PM on May 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
Other stained glass classical dolphins:
Flower Mausoleum, Allegheny Cemetery
posted by zamboni at 7:30 PM on May 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I didn't get the sense that it was supposed to be anything in particular. If you google "icanthus carving" there are a many interpretations of that sort of swooping leaf design that have been endlessly reiterated over centuries.
posted by bonobothegreat at 7:43 PM on May 19, 2017
posted by bonobothegreat at 7:43 PM on May 19, 2017
Response by poster: Thanks for your insight, everyone! The answer still isn't clear, but I'm very happy to know that it's not a 100% definite design/interpretation of something.
posted by incomple at 10:28 AM on May 20, 2017
posted by incomple at 10:28 AM on May 20, 2017
The more pictures of classical Roman/European depictions of dolphins I see, the more I'm convinced that that is exactly (and clearly) what it is. See also the accurately shown grey skin, and blue and wavy sea.
Fun article with plenty of classical dolphins here.
posted by Too-Ticky at 1:03 PM on May 20, 2017 [1 favorite]
Fun article with plenty of classical dolphins here.
posted by Too-Ticky at 1:03 PM on May 20, 2017 [1 favorite]
Another belated vote for ancient/medieval/renaissance style dolphin.
Also, thanks to this I have just learned that the heraldic term for when a dolphin is depicted vertically, head downwards, is urinant.
It's not terribly unusual that medieval representations of real animals look odd, heraldic panthers and tigers look nothing like their real counterparts.
posted by sukeban at 2:13 PM on May 20, 2017
Also, thanks to this I have just learned that the heraldic term for when a dolphin is depicted vertically, head downwards, is urinant.
It's not terribly unusual that medieval representations of real animals look odd, heraldic panthers and tigers look nothing like their real counterparts.
posted by sukeban at 2:13 PM on May 20, 2017
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posted by Too-Ticky at 3:01 PM on May 19, 2017 [6 favorites]