Flute c. 1730

This flute was crafted by Engelbert Terton, who lived between 1676 and 1752. It is a simple, yet evocative object, resonating with histories far beyond its making. Consider the flute itself. Its form echoes the archaic pipes of Pan, deity of the wild, whose music stirred both ecstasy and fear. Like Pan's pipes, the flute is a conduit, a means by which breath becomes melody, and the internal is made audible. Throughout the ages, musical instruments have served as powerful symbols, transcending their physical presence. Think of the lyre in ancient Greece, an emblem of Apollo, representing harmony and intellectual enlightenment. The flute, too, carries this symbolic weight, representing not just music, but also creation and emotional release. As the flute calls to our collective memories, it stirs something primal within us.