Romanesque Head of a Monster, United Kingdom 12th century

Large and impressive Romanesque head of a monster with doglike or wolflike features. Exceptional sculpture. Fierce eyes with hollowed pupils, ferocious fangs and ears stretched backwards as an animal would do when it is about to attack. Stylistically interesting spiralling haircurls in the neck. Brownish limestone.
On page 161 (illustration 256) of “Canterbury Cathedral and its Romanesque Sculpture” by Deborah Kahn (University of Texas Press, Austin, 1991) there is an illustration of a similar stone monster: ‘Monster devouring human head’. It is Anglo-Norman, dated 1180 and was part of a label-stop in Canterbury cathedral crypt. Stylistic similarities: spiralling haircurls in the neck, hollowed eye pupils, wide nostrils, concentric lines round nose, nose pointed backwards, ears pointed backwards, prominent teeth.
The spiralling haircurls are also to be found in hair and beard of several demonlike creatures at Canterbury cathedral crypt from that same late 12th century. They are depicted in the same book by Deborah Kahn: p 156 illustration 243, p157 illustrations 244 and 245. The large bronze doorknockers of Durham and Brougham (also 12th century) also feature these spiralling haircurls around the neck of the monster.
Dimensions: 30x16x18cm.
Provenance: from the private collection of the late Brussels arts dealer Alain Guisson (1952-2019).