Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val (Tarn-et-Garonne)

12th century female exhibitionist on a 17th century house

In remarkably good condition, like the other corbels from the former abbey's collegiate church,
this superb carving, mounted upside-down, depicts a female being swallowed by the jaws of Hell
as represented by a fine, toothy monster.

It is perhaps the finest of all female exhibitionist carvings.
Stated on a tourist-map of the town to be a depiction of the Martyrdom of St Margaret
this obvious corbel is also described as part of a fountain from the long-destroyed 12th century abbey:
a (fairly typical French Catholic) prudish explanation of the large vulvic hole at navel-level.
The side view shows that it is a corbel turned upside-down and inserted vertically,
and hence is not displayed at the usual angle of corbel-carvings
The coloured panel to the right is not related, and is probably a separate and earlier insert
in the XVIIth century house on the rue de l'Église.

The large size and circularity of the vulva can be compared with that of a mermaid at Zamora.

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