A Large Medieval Oak Corbel With Bearded Harpy, First Half Of The 16th Century

This is an oak corbel salvaged from a house in Lille with a variation on the theme of the Harpy. In Greek and Roman mythology, the harpy is usually a female fantasy creature with a bird's body, a human head, wings and claws. Not always with equally positive qualities. In the Middle Ages, women did nothing good. However, in bestiaries there are images of harpies that are not so clearly feminine, bearded harpies. Is it a harpy man or the bestial nature of this female creature. In the Middle Ages, great pleasure was taken in experimenting. For entertainment and education, plants, animals, people and gender were treated freely. The harpy eagle does not have bird claws but hooves captured in a block of wood. There also seems to be a band around the waist. He or she seems trapped. This raven was not carved by a master sculptor associated with the Burgundian court. It was a minor master, a carpenter who worked from prints or from what he had seen somewhere. This is how new combinations are created unconsciously.

The corbel was created between 1525-1550.
Dimensions: 45x25x13 cm.