Gezicht op Stavoren 1702 - 1725

This print, "Gezicht op Stavoren," was created by Jacob Folkema. Above the town, we see Stavoren's coat of arms. Dominating the emblem are two crossed shepherd's crooks. These humble tools of pastoral life appear to signify not just rural simplicity but also a spiritual leadership, reminiscent of the bishop's crosier. Think of the shepherd as a guide, a protector, a figure echoed in religious iconography across centuries, from ancient Egypt to early Christianity. The crooks, however, are stripped of their religious significance in this context. Their presence in a civic coat of arms indicates a more earthly authority, highlighting the town's agricultural roots and perhaps its communal values. In this way, the symbol, originating from a divine representation, re-emerges in civic life, bearing a complex weight of collective memory and subconscious association. Observe how a single emblem can carry layers of meaning, transformed and reinterpreted through time.