Titelblad: Zierhat boichilgen before 1630

This title page, of unknown origin, features potent symbols that echo through centuries. Note the heraldic shield at its center, a visual anchor, flanked by grotesque masks and avian figures. Heraldry, a language of symbols, was not merely decorative; it was a declaration of identity, lineage, and aspiration. Shields, like the one here, carried emblems that spoke volumes to those who knew how to read them. The grotesque masks, with their distorted features, are not mere flights of fancy. These faces, often found in ancient Roman art and later revived during the Renaissance, acted as apotropaic devices, warding off evil with their exaggerated ugliness. Like the Gorgon's head in classical mythology, these visages are meant to repel the gaze of malign forces. We see this impulse to confront and negate the sinister in countless cultures, from protective amulets to ritualistic dances. It is a primal urge, etched into our collective memory, reappearing across time in myriad forms. This title page reminds us that images are never truly still, that they possess a restless energy, constantly reshaping themselves.