CORBEL
EARLY RENAISSANCE
ca. 1520-1550

Monster
Transition period: Late Gothic to early Renaissance. The corbel depicts a fantastic monster creature, between two “dragon like” figures growing out of leaf decoration.

The double tailed mermaid Sirena -in France Melusine- a positive spiritual figure, often got demonised in the late Middle Ages as a threatening monster. Here crisply carved with two green man-dragons next to her, whom she holds firm by the throat.

Candelabra
Although the scene echoes 15th century Late Gothic fantasy creatures, the candelabra scroll motif on top of this corbel is a new thing: Early Renaissance. And that gives the carving away as early 16th century.