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Emblem of the Phoenix and the motto "Dieu et mon droit" [right half]

Dutch 17th Century

1650

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque Allegory

Dominant colour

Emblem of the Phoenix and the motto "Dieu et mon droit" [right half] is a 1650 ink by Dutch 17th Century, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Dutch 17th Century
When & what style?: 1650 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This is a round metal plate with a picture carved into it. At the center sits a phoenix—a bird with wings spread wide—rising from flames. Above it is a crown, and the bird holds a staff. The edges have words in a loop: "Dieu et mon droit" on one side. The phoenix was a bird from old stories that burned and then rose again. This image was made as a medal, not a painting, using a sharp tool to cut lines into metal. Want to see how this style worked? Look up engraving.