Panel

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The crown, initial F, and salamander engulfed in flames are emblematic of François I, who reigned from 1515 to 1547. Considered impervious to fire, the salamander symbolized the king’s constancy and integrity as a ruler. Carved in wood or stone, variations on this device figured prominently in the decoration of François’s châteaux, including Fontainebleau and Chambord.

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The fifty thousand objects in the Museum's comprehensive and historically important collection of European sculpture and decorative arts reflect the development of a number of art forms in Western European countries from the early fifteenth through the early twentieth century. The holdings include sculpture in many sizes and media, woodwork and furniture, ceramics and glass, metalwork and jewelry, horological and mathematical instruments, and tapestries and textiles. Ceramics made in Asia for export to European markets and sculpture and decorative arts produced in Latin America during this period are also included among these works.

Metropolitan Museum of Art