Hollandse leeuw die het wapen van de zeven provincieën vasthoudt 1716

Curator: What a wonderfully strange little beast! A lion wielding a sword… feels a bit Shakespearean, doesn't it? Or perhaps something out of Narnia. Editor: Precisely. We are looking at "Hollandse leeuw die het wapen van de zeven provinciën vasthoudt," or "Dutch Lion Holding the Coat of Arms of the Seven Provinces." It’s an engraving and pen drawing crafted in 1716 by Bernard Picart, now held at the Rijksmuseum. Notice how Picart meticulously renders the heraldic details and contrasting textures? Curator: He sure does. Look at that determined little face on the lion! There's a bit of menace there, wouldn't you say? Is that what they call 'Dutch courage' distilled into an image? Editor: Indeed, the lion acts as an allegorical symbol for Dutch power. The composition positions the lion at the center, boldly brandishing the sword with what seems like the combined shields forming the backdrop for defense. Curator: Makes me think about national identity, how cultures create these symbols, like the lion, to rally around… I wonder if people took it seriously back then or chuckled to themselves, like I do now? All this symbolic dressing-up must feel odd sometimes, no? Editor: Symbols are complicated because they act to communicate stability across time. One thing is undeniable: the lion’s pose projects strength. Picart has masterfully employed a linear style, emphasizing the formal contours that reinforce this potent symbolism. It embodies an idealized notion of unity, strength, and resilience… or, at least, what people aspire to see. Curator: Aspirations, yes, exactly. Perhaps every emblem like this has some of that yearning built right in. Makes you wonder, though, about what national animals we’d pick today. Would they be holding swords, too? Editor: That's a compelling question. This print is more than meets the eye. Picart captures the political zeitgeist with technical skill. Curator: Absolutely, a tiny window into a long-ago world still figuring things out—like lions with swords! Thanks for taking a deeper dive into this fascinating piece. Editor: My pleasure. Art reveals itself if we only allow the lines to speak and the allegories to resonate.