Female Term, seated figure, and fantastical creature (recto); Satyr and study of a woman and child (verso) 1540 - 1550

Andrés de Melgar created this pen and ink drawing sometime in the 16th century. Immediately, one is drawn to the androgynous figure, a Term, a figure with human torso emerging from a pillar, its legs adorned with fleur-de-lis. The Term, rooted in classical antiquity, marked boundaries, both physical and metaphysical. We find echoes of this figure in ancient Roman herms, guardians of thresholds, their presence warding off chaos. The dogs that flank the Term are symbols of loyalty, vigilance, and protection, often associated with funerary art, bridging the worlds of the living and the dead. Consider how this iconography has been translated through time. The fleur-de-lis, a stylized lily, became a symbol of French royalty, purity, and perfection, evolving from religious contexts to secular emblems of power. In the collective memory, the fleur-de-lis evokes notions of nobility, heritage, and national identity. The fantastical creatures sketched besides, hint at a psychological exploration of the boundaries between reality and imagination. The power of images lies in their ability to engage viewers on a primal level, stirring deep-seated emotions and associations. The symbolism of this drawing cycles through history.