Gargoyle figuring the head of a man

Although gargoyles were horrifying creatures in the Middle Ages and Gothic style, they became more human figures with the Renaissance. Through this shift, they lost their superstitious aspect: indeed, in the Middle Ages, their frightening aspect was supposed to keep evil spirits away. The Renaissance took its distance with such beliefs.尽管在中世纪与哥特式建筑风格语境中，滴水嘴兽（Gargoyle）曾是令人胆寒的形象，但到文艺复兴时期，它们逐渐演变为更具人形的造型。这一形象转变使其褪去了原有的迷信色彩：事实上在中世纪，其狰狞的外观本是为了驱离邪祟。而文艺复兴思潮则摒弃了这类迷信观念。