Artwork

Design for a Pendant with a Sphinx with the Body of a Fish Carrying a Man with an Oar

Design for a Pendant with a Sphinx with the Body of a Fish Carrying a Man with an Oar is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Adriaen Collaert. It dates from 1582 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Adriaen Collaert’s 1582 engraving presents a design intended for a pendant. The composition centers on a hybrid creature—a sphinx with a lion’s head, a female torso, and a fish’s tail—supporting a seated man who grips an oar. Adjacent to the figure, a crowned woman holds a fan, while an ornate chandelier of looping and teardrop forms crowns the scene.

Subject & Meaning

The tableau combines mythological and everyday elements, suggesting a narrative rather than a decorative vignette. The fish‑sphinx may symbolize a union of strength, femininity, and the aquatic realm, while the man’s oar hints at travel or labor. The crowned female figure, holding a fan, could represent a patroness or allegorical virtue, framing the central action within a courtly context.

Technique & Style

Executed as an engraving, Collaert incised the image onto a metal plate, allowing for fine line work and intricate detail. The artist’s handling of texture—rendering scales, fur, and ornamental metalwork—demonstrates the high level of craftsmanship typical of late‑Renaissance printmakers in the Low Countries.

History & Provenance

Created in 1582, the print was part of a broader market for portable decorative designs, especially jewelry motifs. Collaert, a Flemish engraver active in Antwerp, frequently supplied such designs to goldsmiths and patrons. The work survives in several print collections, indicating its circulation among collectors of ornamental prints.

Context

The piece reflects the late sixteenth‑century fascination with hybrid creatures and allegorical imagery, a trend seen in both courtly art and printed ornament books. Collaert’s design contributed to the visual vocabulary that goldsmiths and jewelers adapted for wearable objects, influencing the decorative arts beyond its original print form.