Walking by one of the blocks adjacent to the Mount Morris Park Historic District, we recently noticed some great stonework on one of the townhouses. A female classical form is detailed within a bas-relief carving in front of a bay window and below the figure one can also see a dragon. We have seen lions, gargoyles and griffins but not this combination in Harlem. Does anyone know the symbolic meaning?
Thids could almost be a tattoo design, agreed, I would expect the symbolism to have some meaning.
ReplyDeleteWe received this observation recently:
ReplyDelete"In Portuguese mythology the dragon that St. George defeats is a female.
In Italian Catholic hagiography, St. Margaret the Virgin is swallowed by a dragon (which represents Satan). The cross she carries acts as an irritant, and the dragon disgorges her. The allegory being that faith conquers sin and temptation."