Window with heraldic cartouche c. 1545

This is an anonymous stained-glass window depicting a heraldic cartouche. Heraldry has historically served as a visual language of power, identity, and lineage. Coats of arms, like the one here, were badges of identity, communicating family history, status, and allegiances in a society where visual symbols often spoke louder than words. This window presents a codified set of symbols, colors, and figures. But while it speaks to traditional, aristocratic modes of representation, we can also ask: whose stories are omitted from these noble displays? Who made the glass? What were their lives like? Consider the emotional weight these symbols carried for those entitled to them, and the contrasting realities experienced by those excluded from their promise of belonging and privilege. This window is not just an aesthetic object but a historical artifact, reflecting the complex interplay of identity, power, and representation.