Plate 3: a cartouche with a woman with wings ending in a serpent's tail to left, seen from the front, a similar woman seen from the back to right, from 'Twelve cartouches' (Recueil de douze cartouches) 1640 - 1645

François Collignon’s etching *Plate 3: a cartouche with a woman with wings ending in a serpent’s tail to left, seen from the front, a similar woman seen from the back to right, from 'Twelve cartouches' (Recueil de douze cartouches)*, created between 1640 and 1645, is a fine example of 17th-century French Baroque art. The image depicts two women with serpentine tails and wings, their bodies entwined, forming a cartouche, a decorative element often used for inscriptions or coats of arms. This detailed design, a hallmark of Collignon's style, would have been used for book illustrations or other printed materials. The use of swirling lines and dynamic figures reflects the exuberance and theatricality of the Baroque period, making this etching a charming and intricate example of this influential artistic movement.