Female Terminal Figure (Flora ?)

Entry

Leaves sprout from the head of the scantily clad woman, suggesting the caryatid could perhaps be identified as Daphne or Flora. A corresponding piece (BK-NM-8676-B) may represent Bacchus. His chest is partially covered with a lion-skin with the lion’s head hanging forward. This figure has large volutes instead of arms, and vines bearing leaves and grapes on its front and sides.

Although the caryatids have understandably been associated with maritime carving on account of the somewhat crude quality and the fact that caryatids are often found on ships between the windows in the stern or as supports of the gallery,¹ it is not likely that the life-size caryatids had, as Kist suggests,² decorated the doorpost jambs of a ship’s cabin. The structure which tapers towards the bottom is not suitable for that purpose.³ Moreover, the caryatids do not form a well-balanced pair: in view of the volutes, the male figure was conceived more as an ornament than its more sculptural pendant, which has arms. These two probably belonged to a larger ensemble, with two or more female caryatids (with arms) alternated with two or more male caryatids (with volutes).

The combination of Flora and Bacchus could allude to the seasons of spring and autumn, in which case there would have been two more figures (Ceres for summer and Vesta for winter) in the set. The iconography suggests they were more likely to have been used in a garden, possibly as sculptural decoration on a garden pavilion. Stylistically the carving displays an affinity with the sculpture of the Northern Netherlands of the first quarter of the eighteenth century. A wooden bust with two faces – one side with Flora and the other side with Bacchus – in Amsterdam Museum is altogether comparable as regards style, iconography and general appearance.⁴ In addition, the figures have a similar, rather droll facial expression with a slightly open mouth.

Bieke van der Mark, 2025