Brooch with Winged Fauns Blowing Trumpets at Top and Fantasy Creatures with Birds at Bottom

Daniel Mignot

National Gallery of Art

The image depicts a collection of intricate shapes and lines forming an abstract design. Two horned winged creatures are seated at the top, each playing a long instrument, with curls drifting from the ends. In the center, a symmetrical arrangement of floral and scroll-like elements resembles an ornate cross or compass rose, interspersed with geometric shapes such as squares and diamonds. Below, similar winged creatures stand on either side, holding twisting cords and feathers as birds fly nearby. These stylized figures are reminiscent of mythological beings, giving the composition a fantastical air.