Design for a Coat of Arms c. 16th century

Curator: Here we have Hans Holbein the Younger's "Design for a Coat of Arms," currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Oh, it feels so unfinished, like a grand stage set without the actors. What's supposed to go in that big blank shield? Curator: The design likely served as a proposal for a patron’s heraldic emblem. Holbein often created these as part of his work in court circles. Editor: Look at the cherubs! They're like fleshy gargoyles, clambering all over everything. It's both heavenly and slightly grotesque. Curator: Absolutely! These designs were critical visual markers of power, status, and lineage in the 16th century, a means of publicly legitimizing authority. Editor: I’m tickled by how seriously the artist takes the trappings of power, even the little helmet, the crown, but also how playful the cherubs are. Almost mocking. Curator: Indeed, there is often a tension in such works between solemn symbolism and exuberant artistic flair. Editor: It makes me want to invent a coat of arms for myself, maybe with a badger wrestling a coffee mug. A modern twist, eh?