Editing Gargoyle (section)

== Humanization ==
Depictions of humans in gargoyle and grotesque figures were later developments from the animalistic or beastly examples one is likely more familiar with, and were almost a natural progression in subject matter for the statues.<ref name="Camille-2004">{{Cite book |last=Camille |first=Michael |title=Image on the Edge : The Margins of Medieval Art |date=2004-08-01 |publisher=Reaktion Books, Limited |isbn=9781780232508 |edition=1st |pages=77–85}}</ref> Humans gargoyles were often comedic and depicted in bawdy positions, some leaning over the ledge they're perched on to vomit or defecate off of. The orifice that rainwater would come out of would imply that it was vomit or fecal matter.<ref name="Benton-1996" /> Alike the aforementioned gargoyles akin to the monstrous races, many human gargoyles would represent the common acts of certain sinners, such as a prostitute or moneylender.<ref name="Camille-2004" /> Some gargoyles depict those who are guilty of what one would call a social sin. A woman who is reading for example, as women were not expected and often shunned for attempting to engage in literature.<ref name="Camille-2004" />

Since the initial idea behind the brutish and frightening gargoyle in the 12th century was to ward off evil, it's hard to believe that these later humorous and sarcastic figures served the same purpose. Instead it's often hypothesized that many human gargoyles were meant to be criticisms of the common church attendee, a mirror into one's own sin or wrongdoings used for introspection.<ref name="Camille-2004" /> Others believe, however, that the change to human characteristics in gargoyles created a sense of familiarity and relatability in the eyes of the everyday Church-goer.<ref name="Marke-1912">{{Cite journal |last=Marke |first=G. Mortimer |date=November 1912 |title=THE GROTESQUE IN ARCHITECTURE: FRIVOLOUS WHIMS OF A SEVERE ART |journal=Arts & Decoration |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=22–24}}</ref>

The furthest evolution of human gargoyles and grotesques would be the corbel head. Extremely realistic, corbel heads were the most impressive works by stone carvers as they best depicted human facial structure and emotion. Corbel heads were not exclusive to any particular kind of person, and represented a fair array of social classes, however, it was very common for them to be mocking the clergy.<ref name="Camille-2004" /> Corbel heads were often in places that couldn't be seen by anyone on the ground looking up at the corresponding cathedral, in fact, the corbel heads of [[Reims Cathedral]] were only recently discovered in the early 20th century when photographers were permitted to scale the buildings.<ref name="Camille-2004" /> Because of their frequently hidden locations, corbel heads were likely sites of practice for stone carvers, a place obscured by the public eye where they can work on their craft. This along with the suspected frustration of stone artisans due to disproportionate compensation from the clergy, lead some to think that stone cutters created the obnoxious, tongue-out, mouth-pulling faces as a way to mock the clergy.<ref name="Camille-2004" />