Romanesque capital; France, 11th–12th centuries.

Romanesque capital; France, 11th–12th centuries.
Carved stone.
Measurements: 39.5 x 30 x 30 cm.
A French Romanesque capital dating from the 11th to 12th centuries, made entirely of stone and carved. It features a circular base, a truncated pyramid-shaped body, an open crenellated top, and an upper section shaped like a molded cornice. The body, profusely carved, is organized into two levels. The lower level features a crown composed of four acanthus leaves derived from classical models, carved in relief using a simplified, geometric style typical of the Middle Ages. Above this leaf wreath is a background carved with scallop shells in relief, at the corners of which stand four fantastical animals with wide-open mouths, clawed paws, and fur-covered bodies—hybrid figures of a symbolic nature typical of the medieval bestiary.