Handelsetiket van Jan Kramer c. 1681 - 1740

This trade card for Jan Kramer, etched by Isaac van der Vinne, presents us with a heraldic shield featuring three bull heads. In heraldry, animals often symbolize traits; the bull might represent courage and steadfastness. But observe – this isn't merely a static emblem. The bull, an ancient symbol of strength, virility, and power, echoes through cultures from the Cretan Minotaur to the venerated bulls of ancient Egypt. Consider the persistence of such imagery. Even today, the charging bull on Wall Street captures the primal, instinctive forces at play in the financial world. The bull's head is not simply a visual marker, but a vessel carrying centuries of collective memory and subconscious associations with potency and wealth. This emblem evokes deep, subconscious associations of power and prosperity, continuing to resonate across time.