Gothic pinnacle - 15th century

Gothic pinnacle
France, 15th century
limestone
36x28x28 cm

Gothic pinnacle decorated on all four sides with systematic foliages in high relief.

This flamboyant piece of sculpture would have once decorated the very top of a building, giving a flower-like appearance to the top of a pinnacle or a gable. Although this piece was only meant to be seen from a great distance, the detailed carving of the foliage and the liveliness of the composition testifies to the attention given to every element of a Gothic building.
Buttress pinnacles were primarily decorative architectural elements, adding another vertical element to buildings that were already achieving immense height. However, these elements were also structural because their weight on top of flying buttresses counteracted the stresses that the flyers received from the vaults. The weight of the pinnacles and finials also helped hold other decorative elements, such as corbels or gargoyles, in place.