Verge head

The Gothic style, which flourished throughout Europe between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries, introduced pointed arches (likely imported from Islamic architecture via Spain), soaring vaults, and vast stained-glass windows to medieval church architecture. Though Gothic design fell out of favor during the Renaissance as simpler neoclassical styles gained traction, Gothic churches continued to be built long past the style’s heyday, and a penchant for slender forms and intricate ornamentation persisted in the decorative arts, particularly in ecclesiastical contexts. The shape of this sixteenth-century verge head, which would have topped a staff used in church processions, mimics that of pinnacles, the pointed ornamental towers that crowned the heights of Gothic churches.