Apollo, from a suite of ornament designs with grotesques, allegories and deities

Engraving, part of a series of six oval plates with ornament designs executed on black grounds with grotesque motifs, allegories, and divinities, designed by Étienne Delaune before 1573 (possibly during the 1550s). This print represents Apollo, standing on a kind of canopy, his arms open to the sides, holding scrolling branches on his hands. He wears a laurel wreath, his attribute. On either side is a winged cupid, often associated with fine arts and sciences, of which Apollo is a guardian; their presence reflects the Renaissance ideal that arts and science require love. This is also the reason for the inclusion of two flaming torches (attributes of Cupid) on the upper part of the print. Next to the cupids are two serpents, another attribute of Apollo, likely related to his triumph against Python, the serpent. Delaune seems to be associating Apollo, additionally, with peace, in this print, through the presence of two olive branches on his sides.