Applique In The Shape Of Terms, France, 16th Century

Sculpted applique representing a terme, its head with a protective face surmounted by a headdress decorated with fruits and stylized bunches of grapes. It holds a receptacle on its belly, while its legs, covered with plant motifs, evoke the legs of the satyrs of Antiquity. The whole rests on a sheath decorated with a sheaf of fruits and a caduceus. Wood, old red and brown patina. Slight restorations on the left shoulder and the back of an arm, chips on a corner at the bottom of the back. Good general condition of conservation. France, 16th century Dimensions: 70 x 9.5 cm The terms, inspired by the herms of Greco-Roman antiquity, were half-architectural, half-sculptural figures often used as boundary markers or symbolic ornaments. This richly decorated applique highlights themes of abundance and fertility through the bunches of grapes and the sheaf of fruits. The receptacle on the belly and the caduceus, emblem of Hermes, highlight concepts related to prosperity, trade and medicine. This work illustrates the renewal of Antiquity in the Renaissance, a period when artists reinterpreted classical forms to create pieces that blended spirituality, mythology and aesthetics. It is a valuable testimony to Greco-Roman influences in French decorative art of the 16th century.