Dragon Corbel, Great Hall
2007 © Maxim Tabachnik
Students in the Hôtel-Dieu CourtyardCourtyard of the Hôtel-DieuThe Blessed Led to HeavenPortrait of Nicolas RolinLuis in the Courtyard of the Hôtel-Dieu (Beaune)Dragon Corbel, Great HallGuigone de SalinsThe Weighing of SoulsWedding CeremonyAngel with Donor ArmsSaint Eligius Healing the HorseThe Damned Cast into Hell

Dragon Corbel, Great Hall

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In the Great Hall of Beaune’s Hôtel-Dieu (15th c.), a ceiling beam ends in the carved head of a dragon, its jaws gripping the painted timber. Such supports, or corbels , carried structural weight while adding vivid imagery. The beast’s open mouth suggests menace and protection, blending medieval fantasy with moral symbolism in a place of healing and devotion.