Twee vrouwen aan de voet van een gevleugelde vrouwelijke herme 1528 - 1583

Etienne Delaune created this engraving, now held at the Rijksmuseum, depicting two women flanking a winged herm. Notice the winged female figure at the top, an ancient symbol representing the soul or spirit, derived from classical depictions of winged deities like Nike or Eros. Here, she presides over a scene of earthly delights as the two seated women each hold leafy branches, reminiscent of offerings to a sacred entity. This motif echoes through the ages, recurring in Renaissance paintings as symbols of virtue or divine favor. The figure's wings suggest transcendence, yet her human form tethers her to the earthly realm, creating a tension between the material and spiritual. Such images resonate deeply, tapping into our collective memory and subconscious desires for connection with the divine. The cyclical nature of these symbols reminds us that, despite the passage of time, humanity’s yearning for meaning and transcendence remains constant.