Kelkglas met het wapen van de provincie Holland c. 1725 - 1750

This delicate glass, now in the Rijksmuseum, bears the arms of the province of Holland and was likely made anonymously sometime in the 17th or 18th century. Such a glass offers us insight into the cultural and political landscape of the Dutch Republic, a time of great economic expansion and social change. The lion emblem, prominently displayed, symbolized not just regional identity but also civic pride and belonging in a society built on trade and increasingly defined by its urban centers. These symbols served to reinforce a shared sense of identity among its users. Objects like these are invaluable to historians. By tracing their production and use through archival sources, we can uncover networks of trade, changing patterns of consumption, and the evolving social rituals that shaped the Dutch Golden Age. The presence of the provincial emblem also allows to understand the importance of local governance and regional identity in the evolving political landscape.