Gezicht op Rotterdam (zesde deel) after 1666

Joost van Geel’s engraving presents Rotterdam with symbolic flourishes; note the angel in the upper left holding the city’s coat of arms, a motif steeped in heraldic tradition. This winged figure—a putto—evolved from classical depictions of Eros or Cupid, embodying divine intervention and civic pride. We find similar figures in Renaissance frescoes, where they often attend Venus, goddess of love, or adorn family crests, linking earthly power with celestial favor. Such imagery taps into a deep, perhaps subconscious, desire for validation and protection, echoing ancestral beliefs where divine entities watched over communities. Its presence here is not merely decorative; it's a potent claim about Rotterdam’s place in a divinely sanctioned order. The symbol has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in different historical contexts, reminding us of our hopes, dreams, and the powers we call upon.