Wapen van de Universiteit van Oxford 1673 - 1692

Michael Burghers created this engraving of the Coat of Arms of Oxford University sometime between 1640 and 1723. The composition is dominated by a central emblem encased by a laurel wreath. The texture, achieved through fine, closely-spaced lines, gives a tactile quality. The contrast between light and shadow carves out the forms, lending them a three-dimensional presence. The emblem features an open book inscribed with the Latin phrase "DOMINUS ILLUMINATIO MEA," meaning "The Lord is my light." The book, crowned above and below, rests at the center of this composition, flanked by heraldic symbols of bovine heads and ceremonial maces. Burghers here orchestrates a semiotic system of signs to underscore Oxford's institutional values of knowledge, divine guidance, and authority. The symmetrical layout suggests balance and order. Each element carefully rendered, contributes to a harmonious whole, encapsulating the university’s ethos within a concise visual statement. The engraving functions not just as a symbol but as a cultural artifact, reflecting Oxford’s position within a broader academic and philosophical tradition.