BOOKS ON ARCHITECTURE

 

Author(s) Androuet du Cerceau, Jacques
Title « Termes et cariatides »
Imprint  
Localisation Paris, Binha, 4° Res 85 (2)
Subject Caryatids, Terms
Transcribed version of the text

French

     Under the name of "Termes", Heinrich von Geymüller designates an ensemble of twelve engravings, each one representing three anthropomorphic supports, atlantes or caryatides, carrying a capital and occasionally a common entablature. Androuet du Cerceau's taste for these motifs was revealed as early as 1549, with the XXV exempla arcuum. Seldom represented in the Italian trattatistica (Serlio used them only for chimney pieces), they were very popular in France, as witnessed by the works of Hugues Sambin (Œuvre de la diversité des termes, Lyon, 1572), then of Joseph Boillot (Nouveaux portraits et figures de termes, Langres, 1592) and in all of Northern Europe, Flanders, Germany and England.

Yves Pauwels (Centre d'études supérieures de la Renaissance, Tours) – 2009

Critical bibliography

H. von Geymüller, Les Du Cerceau. Leur vie et leur œuvre d’après les nouvelles recherches, Paris/London, Rouam/Wood & Co, 1887, pp. 307, 314.

A. Linzeler, Inventaire du fonds français. Graveurs du seizième siècle, Paris, Bibliothèque nationale, 1932, 1, p. 61.