Vignet met het wapen van de stad Haarlem 17th century

Curator: So, here we have a 17th-century engraving: "Vignet met het wapen van de stad Haarlem"—that’s, A Vignette with the Coat of Arms of the City of Haarlem—artist unknown. Editor: Instantly, I’m getting heraldic authority, mixed with almost comical ferocity in those lions. Are they supposed to be scary, or slightly endearing? Curator: They’re doing their job! Framing the shield is their role, those stocky fellas with curly manes. The coat of arms has a central sword and these stylized six-pointed stars—and a cross? What meanings are packed into those elements? Editor: Well, the sword signifies justice, protection, power—a visual declaration, right? The stars... could represent divine guidance or noble qualities. In Haarlem's case, maybe local families? And the cross certainly injects Christian or religious identity into the town's public image. Curator: But doesn't the composition itself play a part? The symmetry, the balance… it feels intentional, like a visual argument for order and civic pride. I keep wondering if this emblem served more of a decorative function, maybe printed on a town charter? Editor: Or even currency? The precision in those lines hints at mass reproduction. I wonder if the severity of those symbols would register with the average person today, if at all, but they're bold reminders of social structure and authority in their own context. Curator: A powerful image intended to evoke stability... It seems like the imagery would solidify a city's self-image, literally giving it a face. Editor: True, a controlled visual narrative meant to tell the story of Haarlem – then and maybe now too! Food for thought.