Year 1980 Location Washington, D.C. Created 1980 | Type Limestone Artist Jay Hall Carpenter | |
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Owner Washington National Cathedral | ||
Darth Vader Grotesque is a limestone grotesque by Jay Hall Carpenter. It is located at the Washington National Cathedral, Northwest, Washington, D.C., United States.
The Darth Vader grotesque is one of many grotesques that are part of the National Cathedral's rain control system. The grotesques deflect rainwater by bouncing it off the tops of their heads and away from the stone walls.
In the 1980s, during the construction of the northwest tower, Christopher Rader won third-place in the National Geographic World Magazine contest for children, with his drawing of Darth Vader. The fierce head was sculpted by Jay Hall Carpenter and the stonecarver was Patrick J. Plunkett. The Darth Vader grotesque is very difficult to see with the naked eye, and binoculars are generally needed to spot it.