Sculptor Jay Hall Carpenter created the model, while mason Patrick J. Contestant Christopher Rader chose Darth Vader as a subject, and the Cathedral decided to use his drawing as basis for the design.
The gargoyles on the National Cathedral are much more whimsical than fearful, and include figures with nicknames such as “the Yuppie Gargoyle” and “the American Rattlesnake.” In 1986, the Cathedral finished construction on two new towers and ran a contest in National Geographic World asking children to submit designs for new gargoyles. But while the building’s design may come from the Old World, the details definitely belong to the New, including one from a galaxy far, far away. The National Cathedral is no exception to this influence, being the sixth-largest gothic cathedral in the world and described on its website as “a spiritual home for the nation.” It has hosted prayer services following the inauguration of the last four presidents, as well as funerals and memorial services for another ten. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York and the Cathedral Basilica of St. The United States may be a much younger country than those of Europe, but the gothic architecture still managed to travel across the Atlantic, and informed such revered structures as St. In Europe during the Middle Ages, their presence on the outside of cathedrals – pointed away from the sanctuary within – easily conveyed notions of protection and holiness for a population who largely could not read. The origin of gargoyles – at least as stone figures on churches – is contentious, but their symbolic purpose is clear. The story of how this pop culture icon came to adorn one of the most notable houses of worship in the country aptly reflects both Vader’s and the cathedral’s place in American life. The cathedral’s website proclaims it their most popular attraction, and with half a million tourists visiting the cathedral each year, the edifice of the Dark Lord of the Sith gets its share of attention. Not only does his infamous black mask reflect earlier notions of gargoyles, but he also imbues the concept with a sense of fun, and allows non-Christian visitors to feel a connection with the cathedral without detracting from its main purpose as a house of worship. Few of them are more unique, however, than the “ Darth Vader Grotesque:” a stone visage decorating the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Star Wars, and Darth Vader in particular, has produced its share of artists’ homages over the years, including everything from fan art to sculptures to reimagined effects sequences from the movies created on a home computer.
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