Drollery

Synonymous with grotesque, a drollery (from French drôle = funny and drôlerie = joke, funny idea) is a representation of hybrids from humans, animals, or mythical creatures. They can be found on Gothic cathedrals as well as on the leafy margins of book pages or in initials, sometimes even in complete capricious scenes. A critique of society and artistic practice as well as a moralizing-warning intention may be a function of their distorted depiction.