I've only been to Angouleme the once, in 2005, and my favourite part was the medieval cathedral.


My particular interest is the subject of the grotesques around the edges of the roof, which I photographed to the best of my ordinary camera's ability, knowing I could zoom and try to clarify later in photoshop.


In the Romanesque period the corbels, those jutting stone blocks whose purpose was to 'support a superincumbent weight' would be decorated with images of lust and folly. They are not to be confused with the more elaborate gargoyles, or water spout decorations, of the later Gothic period.


There is often an appealingly simple and direct humorous quality to this class of carvings, and they are not at all well documented. For instance, the books on this cathedral don't say anything about them otherwise I wouldn't have had to walk around the building in the rain. If I found myself in Europe more often I would go on journeys just to photograph this kind of sculpture. And I'd buy a more suitable camera


It's not clear in my photo but it can be verified by comparison with the type from other locations that this little chap is gripping his thighs tightly in order to show us his anus.


And I'm not sure what is going on here, though the configuration suggests a fornicating couple, as seen elsewhere.