Certficaat bij de Antwerpsche Medaille 1832 Possibly 1833 - 1835

This certificate commemorating the siege of Antwerp in 1832 was created by J. Kips J. Hz. Dominating the upper register, a heraldic lion rampant, a symbol of courage and strength, supports a shield bearing the royal arms. This emblem evokes the long and complex history of heraldry, dating back to medieval Europe, where such symbols were used to denote power and lineage. We see echoes of this symbolism in the flags and emblems of nation-states throughout history, each employing animals and signs to project an image of authority and stability. The lion, in particular, appears in many forms across cultures. In the ancient world, it was a symbol of kingship and divine power, found in Egyptian and Mesopotamian art. This symbolic continuity suggests a deep, perhaps subconscious, human need to project power through recognizable, culturally resonant imagery.